Learning by Research

His Thesis Title: Deploying Industry 5.0 for Circular Manufacturing Systems: A Systemic and Human-Centered Approach

The Challenge of Industrial Circularity

In the face of climate urgency and resource depletion, industry must undergo a profound transformation: moving from the linear "extract-produce-discard" model to a circular economy where products are repaired, reused, or remanufactured. This transition toward remanufacturing introduces major complexity. Unlike new production, every incoming product is unique in its state of wear, making inspection and disassembly operations uncertain and demanding.

Real-World Grounding and Learning-Factory Experimentation

Maxence’s thesis provides concrete tools to navigate this complexity by placing the human operator at the center of the digital strategy. To explore health and skill- development issues, a large-scale experimentation was conducted in a "learning factory" involving over 50 participants. This allowed for the collection of precise data on physical load, cognitive load, and operator learning curves. This data fed into a digital simulation model of a circular workshop—a classic engineering tool, but here enriched with health and competency indicators. These dimensions are usually neglected by traditional simulation tools, as if the workshop functioned on its own. Thanks to this approach, various training scenarios were tested, revealing, for example, that breaking down long tasks into short sequences significantly reduces fatigue without harming operational performance.

Technological Assistance in Service of Expertise

The integration of collaborative robotics (cobots) was also explored, not as a replacement for humans, but as an assistant preserving their health and autonomy. In the experiments conducted, the cobot positioned parts and displayed instructions, reducing physical effort without stripping operators of their technical expertise. This research results in a practical methodology allowing industrialists to design workshops that are both profitable and fulfilling.

An Interdisciplinary Architecture

The success of Maxence’s research lies in its hybrid DNA, at the intersection of Industrial Engineering (flows and performance) and Ergonomics/Work Psychology (analysis of human activity). Co-supervised by experts from both fields, his thesis established a dialogue between mathematical modeling and fine-grained field observation. This multidisciplinarity materialized through cross-publications in leading journals (Sustainable Production and Consumption, Applied Ergonomics and International Journal of Social Robotics). It proves that technology is only effective if it is co- constructed with its users, making interdisciplinarity the cornerstone of the industry of the future.

Key words: manufacturing systems, circular economy, Industry 5.0, human competencies, operators' well-being, sustainability