An Integrated Model of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 for Quality Management During the Entire Life Cycle of Plastic Injection Molds

Abstract

Plastic injection molding tools are a key component that directly affects product quality, production efficiency, production costs, and sustainability throughout the product's life cycle. Recent advances in Industry 4.0 technologies, including Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data Analytics (BDA), cloud/edge computing, digital twins (DT) and advanced automation (cobots), have enabled significant improvements in tool performance (quality) monitoring and control. However, most existing approaches primarily focus on technological optimization and operational efficiency, while insufficiently addressing people-centeredness, sustainability and resilience, which are the core principles of Industry 5.0. Consequently, a comprehensive quality management framework that integrates Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 paradigms throughout the life cycle of plastic injection molding tools remains largely unexplored. This study proposes an Integrated Industry 4.0 - Industry 5.0 model for quality management throughout the life cycle of plastic injection molding tools, which includes the stages of design, production, inspection, operation, maintenance, renewal (overhaul) and end of life. The research methodology combines an extensive literature review, analysis of current industry practices, conceptual modeling and the development of a multi-layered architecture, which integrates digital technologies with human-centered and sustainable quality management principles. The proposed model consists of interconnected physical, data layer, intelligent, DT, human-centric, sustainability and resilience layers, in an overall multi-layered structure. Industry 4.0 technologies provide real-time monitoring, predictive analytics (quality, maintenance, as well as other KPI parameters), virtual quality assessment and automated decision support, while Industry 5.0 principles enable collaborative human-AI interaction, knowledge-driven quality improvement, resource efficiency, circular economy practices and resilient manufacturing operations. The main contribution of this research is the development of a holistic, lifecycle-oriented quality management framework with a developed set of KPI parameters, which bridges the gap between the technology-driven Quality 4.0 approach and the human-centered Quality 5.0 approach. Expected benefits include improved tool quality, reduced downtime and maintenance costs, improved decision-making capabilities, increased sustainment performance, extended tool life, greater process resilience and improved competitiveness of the injection molding company.