Machine learning algorithms for manufacturing quality assurance: A systematic review of performance metrics and applications

Adopting Machine Learning (ML) in manufacturing quality assurance (QA) has accelerated with Industry 4.0, enabling automated defect detection, predictive maintenance, and real-time process optimization. However, selecting the most effective ML model remains challenging due to performance variability...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ashfakul Karim Kausik, Adib Bin Rashid, Ramisha Fariha Baki, Md Mifthahul Jannat Maktum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Array
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590005625000207
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850118542272233472
author Ashfakul Karim Kausik
Adib Bin Rashid
Ramisha Fariha Baki
Md Mifthahul Jannat Maktum
author_facet Ashfakul Karim Kausik
Adib Bin Rashid
Ramisha Fariha Baki
Md Mifthahul Jannat Maktum
author_sort Ashfakul Karim Kausik
collection DOAJ
description Adopting Machine Learning (ML) in manufacturing quality assurance (QA) has accelerated with Industry 4.0, enabling automated defect detection, predictive maintenance, and real-time process optimization. However, selecting the most effective ML model remains challenging due to performance variability, scalability constraints, and inconsistent evaluation metrics across manufacturing sectors. This systematic review analyzes over 300 peer-reviewed studies over the last two decades (mostly analyzing the recent works) to evaluate the effectiveness of widely used ML algorithms—Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), Support Vector Machines (SVMs), Random Forests (RFs), Decision Trees (DTs), and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN)—in QA applications. Performance metrics include accuracy, precision, speed, recall, computational efficiency, scalability, and real-time processing capabilities. Findings reveal that ANNs outperform other models in image-based defect detection, while SVMs and RFs excel in predictive maintenance and process parameter optimization. DTs provide better interpretability for process control, and KNN is effective for small-scale QA implementations. In specific case scenarios, RF models showed particular strength in handling high-dimensional sensor data in fault detection in manufacturing quality assurance operations. The study presents a comparative assessment framework, guiding algorithm selection based on industry-specific requirements and operational constraints. This review provides the latest implementation of ML in QA along with quantitative evidence on which algorithm offers the most optimization in specific industrial settings, which would help in algorithm selection in manufacturing quality assurance in future for both researchers and industrial experts. Also, it offers an overview of the major and minor algorithms based on their performance metrics.
format Article
id doaj-art-21b7aa42614b4dfdaf456efddcb87841
institution OA Journals
issn 2590-0056
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Array
spelling doaj-art-21b7aa42614b4dfdaf456efddcb878412025-08-20T02:35:50ZengElsevierArray2590-00562025-07-012610039310.1016/j.array.2025.100393Machine learning algorithms for manufacturing quality assurance: A systematic review of performance metrics and applicationsAshfakul Karim Kausik0Adib Bin Rashid1Ramisha Fariha Baki2Md Mifthahul Jannat Maktum3Industrial and Production Engineering Department, Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Dhaka, BangladeshIndustrial and Production Engineering Department, Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Dhaka, Bangladesh; Corresponding author.Computer Science & Engineering Department, Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Dhaka, BangladeshNaval Architecture & Marine Engineering Department, Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Dhaka, BangladeshAdopting Machine Learning (ML) in manufacturing quality assurance (QA) has accelerated with Industry 4.0, enabling automated defect detection, predictive maintenance, and real-time process optimization. However, selecting the most effective ML model remains challenging due to performance variability, scalability constraints, and inconsistent evaluation metrics across manufacturing sectors. This systematic review analyzes over 300 peer-reviewed studies over the last two decades (mostly analyzing the recent works) to evaluate the effectiveness of widely used ML algorithms—Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), Support Vector Machines (SVMs), Random Forests (RFs), Decision Trees (DTs), and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN)—in QA applications. Performance metrics include accuracy, precision, speed, recall, computational efficiency, scalability, and real-time processing capabilities. Findings reveal that ANNs outperform other models in image-based defect detection, while SVMs and RFs excel in predictive maintenance and process parameter optimization. DTs provide better interpretability for process control, and KNN is effective for small-scale QA implementations. In specific case scenarios, RF models showed particular strength in handling high-dimensional sensor data in fault detection in manufacturing quality assurance operations. The study presents a comparative assessment framework, guiding algorithm selection based on industry-specific requirements and operational constraints. This review provides the latest implementation of ML in QA along with quantitative evidence on which algorithm offers the most optimization in specific industrial settings, which would help in algorithm selection in manufacturing quality assurance in future for both researchers and industrial experts. Also, it offers an overview of the major and minor algorithms based on their performance metrics.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590005625000207Machine learningQuality assuranceArtificial intelligenceArtificial neural networksPredictive analyticsProcess optimization
spellingShingle Ashfakul Karim Kausik
Adib Bin Rashid
Ramisha Fariha Baki
Md Mifthahul Jannat Maktum
Machine learning algorithms for manufacturing quality assurance: A systematic review of performance metrics and applications
Array
Machine learning
Quality assurance
Artificial intelligence
Artificial neural networks
Predictive analytics
Process optimization
title Machine learning algorithms for manufacturing quality assurance: A systematic review of performance metrics and applications
title_full Machine learning algorithms for manufacturing quality assurance: A systematic review of performance metrics and applications
title_fullStr Machine learning algorithms for manufacturing quality assurance: A systematic review of performance metrics and applications
title_full_unstemmed Machine learning algorithms for manufacturing quality assurance: A systematic review of performance metrics and applications
title_short Machine learning algorithms for manufacturing quality assurance: A systematic review of performance metrics and applications
title_sort machine learning algorithms for manufacturing quality assurance a systematic review of performance metrics and applications
topic Machine learning
Quality assurance
Artificial intelligence
Artificial neural networks
Predictive analytics
Process optimization
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590005625000207
work_keys_str_mv AT ashfakulkarimkausik machinelearningalgorithmsformanufacturingqualityassuranceasystematicreviewofperformancemetricsandapplications
AT adibbinrashid machinelearningalgorithmsformanufacturingqualityassuranceasystematicreviewofperformancemetricsandapplications
AT ramishafarihabaki machinelearningalgorithmsformanufacturingqualityassuranceasystematicreviewofperformancemetricsandapplications
AT mdmifthahuljannatmaktum machinelearningalgorithmsformanufacturingqualityassuranceasystematicreviewofperformancemetricsandapplications