Smart Production Systems: Analytics and AI-Enabled Productivity Improvement a book authored by Semyon Meerkov, PhD, Pooya Alavian, EngD, and Liang Zhang, EngD
“Smart Production Systems” offers a transformative approach to modern manufacturing through analytics and artificial intelligence. At the core of this breakthrough is the Programmable Manufacturing Advisor (PMA), an AI-powered tool that enables manufacturing systems to self-diagnose inefficiencies, autonomously design improvement projects, and deliver significant throughput gains—often between 10% and 30%—without any additional capital investment. Backed by over 30 years of research at the University of Michigan and protected by U.S. Patent 11,861,739, this revolutionary tool has already been successfully implemented by major players in the industry, including GM, Ford, and Toyota.
This book is the definitive guide to implementing Smart Production Systems in real-world environments. It introduces the key principles of Production Systems Engineering (PSE), outlines the functionality of PMA, and provides step-by-step guidance for achieving measurable, AI-enabled improvements. Whether you’re a manufacturing professional, a software developer working on smart factory tools, or a student eager to dive into the future of intelligent operations, “Smart Production Systems” delivers the knowledge and tools to lead in Industry 4.0.
About the author
Stephen Ahokas grew up as a pastor’s son. While growing up in his father’s home and church, he acquired a basic understanding of how to explain the meaning of Christ’s birth and death to others. Meanwhile, from the world outside his father’s home and church, he acquired an understanding of how the world tries to explain away the meaning of the birth and death of Christ. Ahokas studied music education, wildlife management, and pre-veterinary medicine at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
He obtained his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at The Ohio State University. While in veterinary school, he acquired a more experiential understanding of how to explain the meaning of the birth and death of Christ through involvement in a campus ministry called Campus Crusade for Christ. Since then, he has been an avid student of the Bible, especially of the Passover and the circumstances surrounding the birth and death of Christ.
