Thesis Proposal Industrial Engineer in Italy Rome – Free Word Template Download with AI

Submitted to: Department of Industrial Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome
Supervisor: Prof. Elena Moretti, Chair of Production Systems Management
Date: October 26, 2023

This thesis proposal outlines a research project addressing critical inefficiencies within Rome's food manufacturing supply chains, a sector pivotal to Italy's economy and cultural identity. Focusing specifically on industrial engineering principles, the study will develop an integrated optimization framework for waste reduction, energy efficiency, and resource allocation in small-to-medium Italian enterprises (SMEs) operating in the Lazio region. Grounded in Rome's unique urban logistics challenges—including dense traffic networks, historical preservation constraints, and high seasonal demand—the research directly responds to Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) priorities for sustainable industry. As an Industrial Engineer committed to advancing technical excellence within Italy's industrial landscape, this work aims to deliver actionable methodologies tailored for Roman SMEs. The proposed methodology combines Lean Six Sigma with digital twins, validated through case studies at two Rome-based food producers, contributing novel insights to both academic literature and the practical application of Industrial Engineering in Italy's evolving economic context.

Rome, as Italy's historical capital and a major European industrial hub, hosts a diverse ecosystem of food manufacturing SMEs vital to the nation's €15 billion agri-food sector. However, these enterprises face mounting pressure from global supply chain volatility, stringent EU sustainability regulations (e.g., Circular Economy Action Plan), and Rome-specific challenges such as constrained urban infrastructure and the need to preserve heritage districts during logistics operations. The role of the Industrial Engineer in this context transcends traditional technical optimization; it demands a holistic understanding of socio-technical systems within Italy's unique business culture. This thesis proposal establishes that current operational practices often lack integrated sustainability metrics, leading to excessive waste (estimated at 15% for local pasta producers) and suboptimal resource use—directly contradicting Italy's commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Industrial Engineering in Italy Rome must evolve beyond efficiency-focused models to encompass circular economy principles and digital transformation, as emphasized by recent EU directives. The proposed research directly addresses this gap by positioning the Industrial Engineer as a strategic catalyst for resilience. This study is not merely academic; it responds to urgent industry requests from associations like Confartigianato Roma for evidence-based frameworks applicable to Rome's dense urban industrial zones. By situating the work within Italy’s economic reality and Rome’s geographic constraints, this thesis will generate context-specific solutions that empower Industrial Engineers to drive tangible change across Italy's manufacturing landscape.

Current literature on industrial engineering in food supply chains predominantly focuses on large-scale multinational operations or theoretical models, overlooking the nuanced challenges faced by SMEs in historic cities like Rome. Italian academic studies (e.g., Rossi & Bianchi, 2021) highlight inefficiencies but lack practical, scalable methodologies validated within Rome's urban environment. Crucially, there is no existing framework that systematically integrates:

• Waste reduction targets aligned with Italy's PNRR
• Digital tools (IoT sensors, AI-driven forecasting) suitable for SME budget constraints
• Logistics optimization respecting Rome's pedestrian zones and traffic regulations

This research gap represents a significant barrier to Italy's industrial competitiveness. As an aspiring Industrial Engineer, this thesis proposal directly tackles the absence of context-aware methodologies needed by Rome’s food producers, positioning the discipline to serve as Italy's engine for sustainable manufacturing growth.

1. To develop a scalable Industrial Engineering optimization model specifically designed for Roman SMEs in food manufacturing, targeting 20% waste reduction and 15% energy savings within 18 months.
2. To integrate IoT data collection with Lean principles to create real-time digital twins of production lines, addressing Rome's unique infrastructure limitations.
3. To establish a training toolkit for local Industrial Engineers in Rome, fostering adoption of the model across Italy's industrial SME sector.

This research employs a mixed-methods approach grounded in Industrial Engineering best practices. Phase 1 involves ethnographic fieldwork at two Rome-based case studies: "Pasta di Roma S.r.l." (a family-owned producer in the Testaccio district) and "Viva Italia Fresh" (a regional distributor near EUR). Data collection will include production line mapping, energy audits, and stakeholder interviews with operators—capturing Rome-specific operational nuances. Phase 2 applies Lean Six Sigma to identify waste hotspots (muda), using Pareto analysis adapted for Italian SME workflows. Crucially, Phase 3 develops a digital twin simulation leveraging open-source tools (e.g., Apache Ignite) to model supply chain resilience under Rome’s traffic constraints and seasonal demand spikes, validated against real-world data. This methodology ensures the outcomes are not just academically rigorous but directly applicable to Italy Rome's industrial reality. The proposed framework will be benchmarked against Italy's ISO 50001 energy standards and EU Green Deal targets.

This thesis will make three significant contributions to Industrial Engineering in Italy Rome. First, it provides the first empirically validated framework for optimizing food supply chains within historic urban environments, addressing a critical gap identified by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development. Second, it advances the role of the Industrial Engineer from technician to strategic sustainability leader—aligning perfectly with Italy's push for "Industry 4.0" in regional economies. Third, through partnerships with Sapienza University’s Industry 4.0 Lab and local chambers of commerce (e.g., Camera di Commercio di Roma), the research will generate a replicable training module for Industrial Engineers operating across Italy, directly supporting national competitiveness goals.

By focusing on Rome's tangible industrial challenges—from waste in its food markets to logistics around ancient monuments—the thesis ensures that "Industrial Engineer" is not an abstract title but a catalyst for measurable impact. This work embodies the ethos of Italian industrial engineering: blending technical excellence with deep contextual understanding. The proposal’s success will be measured by adoption metrics at Rome-based SMEs and its alignment with Italy's strategic objectives under the PNRR, making it indispensable for future Industrial Engineers serving Italy Rome.

Thesis Proposal, Industrial Engineer, Italy Rome, Sustainable Supply Chain Optimization, Food Manufacturing SMEs, Urban Logistics (Rome), Circular Economy (Italy), Industry 4.0 (SME Context)

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