Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Robotic Process Automation in Industrial Engineering: Challenges and Future Perspectives

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Advances in Manufacturing, Production Management and Process Control (AHFE 2021)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems ((LNNS,volume 274))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is an emerging technology in the field of software automation, which is making rapid progress within efficiency-driven industries. Whilst it has found broad dispersion in the automation of office tasks, its potentials in manufacturing and industrial engineering are unexhausted. This paper explores the basic concepts and possible extensions of RPA, and identifies targets promising application areas in industrial engineering. For this purpose, a systematic literature review was carried out to deepen insights into the state-of-the-art, methods and research type facets. Over the past five years 21 scientific contributions have been identified and classified according to bibliometric data, their specific contribution (i.e., analysis, concepts, methods, metrics, tools) and the applied research type (i.e., evaluation, experience, solution, validation, vision). The results of literature survey reveals existing research gaps in particular emphasizing on strong demands of manufacturing and industrial engineering sectors to catch up on research work to leverage large potentials of RPA for future applications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aguirre, S., Rodriguez, A.: Automation of a business process using Robotic Process Automation (RPA): a case study. In: Figueroa-García, J.C., López-Santana, E.R., Villa-Ramírez, J.L., Ferro-Escobar, R. (eds.) Applied Computer Sciences in Engineering, pp. 65–71. Springer International Publishing, Cham (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66963-2_7

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  2. Enríquez, J.G., Jiménez-Ramírez, A., Domínguez-Mayo, F.J., García-García, J.A.: Robotic process automation: a scientific and industrial systematic mapping study. IEEE Access 8, 39113–39129 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Suri, V.K., Elia, M., van Hillegersberg, J.: Software bots - the next frontier for shared services and functional excellence. In: Oshri, I., Kotlarsky, J., Willcocks, L.P. (eds.) Global Sourcing 2017. LNBIP, vol. 306, pp. 81–94. Springer, Cham (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70305-3_5

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. Kirchmer, M., Franz, P.: Value-driven Robotic Process Automation (RPA). In: Shishkov, B. (ed.) BMSD 2019. LNBIP, vol. 356, pp. 31–46. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24854-3_3

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  5. Scheer, A.-W.: Unternehmung 4.0. Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-27694-2

  6. Ivančić, L., Vugec, D.S., Vukšić, V.B.: Robotic process automation: systematic literature review. In: International Conference on Business Process Management, pp. 280–295. Springer, Cham (2019).https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30429-4_19

  7. Okoli, C., Schabram, K.: A guide to conducting a systematic literature review of infor-mation systems research, sprouts working papers on information systems. Amsterdam. 10(26), 1–49 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Levy, Y., Ellis, T.J.: A systems approach to conduct an effective literature review in support of information systems research. Inf. Sci. J. 9(2016), 181–212 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Wortmann, A., Combemale, B., Barais, O.: A systematic mapping study on modeling for industry 4.0. In: 2017 ACM/IEEE 20th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems (MODELS), pp. 281–291. IEEE (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Anagnoste, S.: Robotic automation process–the operating system for the digital enterprise. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, vol. 12(1), pp. 54–69. Sciendo (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Taulli, T.: The Robotic Process Automation Handbook: A Guide to Implementing RPA Systems. Apress, Berkeley (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-5729-6

    Book  Google Scholar 

  12. Mehta, P., Rao, P., Wu, Z.D., Jovanović, V., Wodo, O., Kuttolamadom, M.: Smart manufacturing: state-of-the-art review in context of conventional and modern manufacturing process modeling, monitoring and control. In: ASME 2018 13th International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers Digital Collection (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Bauer, W., Ganschar, O., Gerlach, S., Hämmerle, M., Krause, T., Schlund, S.: Industrie 4.0– flexiblere und reaktionsfähigere produktionsarbeit–ergebnisse der Industrie-4.0-Leitstudie des Fraunhofer IAO. Werkstatttechnik Online 104(3), 134–138 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Monostori, L., et al.: Cyber-physical systems in manufacturing. CIRP Ann. 65(2), 621–641 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Rupprecht, P., Kueffner-McCauley, H., Schlund, S.: Information provision utilizing a dynamic projection system in industrial site assembly. Procedia CIRP 93, 1182–1187 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Zigart, T., Schlund, S.: Evaluation of augmented reality technologies in manufacturing – a literature review. In: Nunes, I.L. (ed.) AHFE 2020. AISC, vol. 1207, pp. 75–82. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51369-6_11

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  17. Mayrhofer, W., Kames, D., Schlund, S.: Made in Austria 2019–survey results of the first industry panel on production work in Austria. Manage. Prod. Eng. Rev. (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Ionescu, T.B., Schlund, S.: A participatory programming model for de-mocratizing cobot technology in public and industrial fablabs. Procedia CIRP 81, 93–98 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Ionescu, T.B.: Leveraging graphical user interface automation for generic robot programming. Robotics 10(1), 3 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Ionescu, T.B., Fröhlich, J., Lachenmayr, M.: Improving safeguards and functionality in industrial collaborative robot HMIs through GUI automation. In: 2020 25th IEEE International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation (ETFA), vol. 1, pp. 557–564. IEEE (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Bauer, W., Ganschar, O., Pokorni, B., Schlund, S.: Concept of a failures management assistance system for the reaction on unforeseeable events during the ramp-up. Procedia Cirp 25, 420–425 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Agostinelli, S., Marrella, A., Mecella, M.: Research challenges for intelligent robotic process automation. In: Di Francescomarino, C., Dijkman, R., Zdun, U. (eds.) BPM 2019. LNBIP, vol. 362, pp. 12–18. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37453-2_2

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  23. Sönmez, Ö.E., Börekçi, D.Y.: A conceptual study on RPAs as of intelligent automation. In: Kahraman, C., Cebi, S., Cevik Onar, S., Oztaysi, B., Tolga, A.C., Sari, I.U. (eds.) INFUS 2019. AISC, vol. 1029, pp. 65–72. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23756-1_10

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  24. Anagnoste, S.: Setting up a robotic process automation center of excellence. Manage. Dyn. Knowl. Econ. 6(2), 307–332 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), the Austrian Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (bmk), the TU Wien through the endowed professorship “HCCPPAS” (FFG-852789).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human-Machine Interaction, Institute of Management Science, Technische Universität Wien (TU Wien), Theresianumgasse 27, 1040, Wien, Austria

    Sebastian Schlund & Mathias Schmidt

Authors
  1. Sebastian Schlund
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mathias Schmidt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sebastian Schlund .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Poznan University of Technology, Poznan, Poland

    Stefan Trzcielinski

  2. Faculty of Engineering Management, Poznan University, Poznan, Poland

    Beata Mrugalska

  3. University of Central Florida, Cocoa Beach, FL, USA

    Waldemar Karwowski

  4. Lincoln School of Design, University of Lincoln, LINCOLN, UK

    Emilio Rossi

  5. Department of Architecture, University of Chieti-Pescara, Pescara, Pescara, Italy

    Massimo Di Nicolantonio

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Schlund, S., Schmidt, M. (2021). Robotic Process Automation in Industrial Engineering: Challenges and Future Perspectives. In: Trzcielinski, S., Mrugalska, B., Karwowski, W., Rossi, E., Di Nicolantonio, M. (eds) Advances in Manufacturing, Production Management and Process Control. AHFE 2021. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 274. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80462-6_40

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80462-6_40

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-80461-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-80462-6

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation