• manufacturing sector
• mathematical demonstrator
• optimisation
• productivity
• root-causes

The aim of the project is to deeply study manufacturing processes to understand the state of productivity by analysing the drivers that influence it and provide recommendations through the development of a demonstrator.
The performed work was based on the research questions identified by reviewing the existing literature. Consequently, the coating lab, the thermography lab, the composites lab and the precision metrology lab were selected and analysed as case studies.
A questionnaire was used to collect data about the processes performed in the labs and about the factors that influenced the performances. Comparing the current situation with the optimal behaviours found in the literature the issues and the relative root causes were detected.
Then, a demonstrator was developed by creating a mathematical model to evaluate the alternatives that can be adopted to address the root-causes and increase the productivity. Finally, recommendations were provided to improve the labs’ performances.