Zero-defects manufacturing: state-of-the-art and conceptual framework

Abstract

Zero-defect manufacturing has become essential for delivering defect-free products in increasingly demanding and customised production environments. Within the framework of Industry 4.0, technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digital twins, and artificial intelligence offer promising solutions to proactively predict, detect, prevent, and repair manufacturing defects. However, the existing literature reveals critical gaps, including limited technological maturity, insufficient industrial validations, inadequate consideration of human and organisational factors, and a shortage of integrated frameworks to measure economic, quality, and sustainability outcomes across the value chain. Through an umbrella review of 33 literature reviews indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, this article identifies trends and gaps, and proposes a comprehensive conceptual framework structured into six interconnected layers: cyber-physical data infrastructure; digital twins and virtual metrology; prescriptive analytics; ZDM strategies; holistic performance measurement; and organisational governance that integrates human factors.