Bibliometric Method for Reviewing Smart Flexible Manufacturing Systems in Disruption Contexts

In recent years, supply chain instability has intensified due to increasing demand fluctuations, supply disruptions, and transportation interruptions, resulting in continuous volatility in production and operations. To effectively manage external disruptions, manufacturing firms are compelled to adopt flexible operational strategies. The concept of smart and flexible manufacturing has become more critical than ever, offering a key solution for enterprises to enhance their responsiveness to market volatility. Leveraging industry 4.0 technologies, smart-Flexible Manufacturing Systems (Smart-FMS) have emerged as a key solution to mitigate these challenges and ensure business continuity. Smart-FMS enables manufacturers to adapt to fluctuating demand, produce customized products, and address supply chain disruptions. This study offers a comprehensive review of Smart-FMS in the context of disruptions, using keyword cooccurrence analysis, thematic mapping, and thematic evolution analysis. By conducting a structured literature review and bibliometric network analysis of 1,764 research articles from the Scopus database (1965-2023), the study identifies emerging trends, prominent research areas, and future avenues of Smart-FMS. The findings provide valuable insights for manufacturers, engineers, and researchers seeking to implement or refine Smart-FMS in uncertainty environments, ultimately contributing to a more responsive and adaptable manufacturing industry.