Lights-out factories: Review and prospect

Abstract

Lights-out factories represent the pinnacle of manufacturing advancement, utilizing automation, digitalization, and intelligent technologies for unmanned production. These factories employ advanced tools such as process control systems, smart sensors, and industrial robots to enhance efficiency. Constructing lights-out factories is complex, involving multiple disciplines, and there is a lack of comprehensive literature on the subject, posing challenges for interested companies. This paper presents a lights-out factory architecture diagram and reviews key literature on the topic, summarizing relevant technologies and their social impact. The lights-out factory model can help enterprises reduce costs, increase efficiency, improve production quality, enhance safety, and promote high-quality development. However, challenges remain, including high costs, reliability issues, personnel requirements, applicability concerns, and technological hurdles. Future advancements in sensor technology, digital twin technology, and other innovations will drive further development of lights-out factories.