## 2 A Method for Assessing the Maturity Level of Key Areas in Manufacturing Companies
### Characteristics of the Key Area
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c} \hline \hline
**Level Characteristic** & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Description and Recommendations**} \\ \hline \hline \multirow{7}{*}{Disadvantages} & \begin{tabular}{c} Machinery, infrastructure, and equipment: \\ \(\bullet\) \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Description and Recommendations** \\ \end{tabular} \\  & \begin{tabular}{c} **Costs of storage equipment and warehouses (inter-station, buffers, pallets, bins etc.), machine tooling (automatic tool changes and magazines, tool holders), robot and cobot tooling, \\ \(\bullet\) \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **The need for a quality management policy, the implementation of quality control equipment, instrumentation, and software, \\ Human resources: \\ \end{tabular} \\  & \begin{tabular}{c} **Human** \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **The possibility of an inefficient workload (changing the scope of responsibilities, elimination of manual tasks, difficulties in integrating workers into automated and robotic processes); training and changing procedures for human-machine collaboration, \\ \(\bullet\) \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **The need to employ specialists in quality control process automation (full-time or outsourced), \\ \(\bullet\) \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Additional technical competencies required (in definition, monitoring, and analysis of qualitative data), \\ Processes: \\ \end{tabular} \\  & \begin{tabular}{c} **Processes**: \\ \(\bullet\) \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **The need to coordinate the planning and use of resources as well as processes (orders, production, logistics, intralagistics, and distribution) while maximizing OEE, \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Configuration of production lines/cells (sequence of operations, flows, control programs) performed about the planned production profile, which results in limited flexibility, inability to change the production profile, or downtime in the changeover phase, \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \hline \multirow{7}{*}{Growth opportunities} & Machinery, infrastructure, and equipment: \\  & \begin{tabular}{c} **Optimization of the production process through automation of intralagistics, \\ Human resources: \\ \end{tabular} \\  & \begin{tabular}{c} **Development of creative and innovative thinking,** \\ The acquisition of multidisciplinary knowledge, \\ Openness to change and a desire for continuous learning, \\ Processes: \\ \end{tabular} \\  & \
\begin{tabular}{c} **Use of AI tools to support processes, planning, decision-making and data analysis,** \\ Use of Cloud Computing tools for data collection from edge devices (analytics at business decision level; optimization, planning and scheduling of production processes), \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \multirow{7}{*}{Develop recommendations} &
\begin{tabular}{c} **Multi-level planning (various departments and areas) with digital support, \\ Focus on particular attention on the cybersecurity of networks and assets, \\ Implementation and use of the full capabilities of ERP systems with complementary modules, \\ Application of the SSoT at the level of data analytics and reporting.** \\ Improvement of the traceability of products, equipment, and other resources, \\ Improving knowledge of Intelligent Manufacturing, Factories of the Future, Dark Factories, Manufacturing-X. \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 5: _Cont._The fourth level of maturity involves carrying out long-term technological operations without operator support. This includes the automatic and programmed change, reorientation, and removal of defective parts. It is worth noting that the mentioned condition necessitates a thorough overhaul or reorganization of the processes. This includes ensuring the smooth flow of input materials to the machining stations and inter-operational warehouses, receiving products at specific times and in particular quantities, and so on. Both classic PLC solutions and Edge/Cloud/Fog Computing solutions are employed to achieve the stated objectives.