Abstract
This project focuses on the development and implementation of a Mini Learning Factory (Mini LF) 5.0, aligned with the principles of Industry 5.0, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), and Open Design. Industry 5.0 emphasizes human-centric innovation, fostering collaboration between humans and machines while promoting sustainability. CPS facilitates the integration of the physical and digital realms, enabling more agile and flexible production processes. Open Design plays a pivotal role by encouraging collaborative participation, transparency, and the democratization of knowledge, which leads to more personalized and sustainable solutions in product and service design. The research adopts the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, involving problem identification, artifact development, evaluation, and iterative improvement. The goal is to create a replicable, low-cost training environment that equips students with practical skills in line with Industry 5.0's requirements. The Mini LF 5.0 also aims to explore new methods for human-machine interaction, collaborative communication, and sustainable production, while ensuring the technical and financial viability of the project for wider adoption. © 2025 The Authors.

Abstract
Effective project management is crucial to the success of any industry, particularly in metalworking, where deadlines, resources, and costs play critical roles. However, accurately predicting project execution times remains a significant challenge, directly impacting companies' competitiveness and profitability. In this context, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools emerges as a promising solution to improve the accuracy of time predictions and optimise project management in the metal-working industry.AI, particularly through techniques such as Machine Learning (ML), has demonstrated significant potential in predicting timeframes for engineering projects. Predictive activity-based models can be trained with historical data to identify patterns and forecast future durations with high accuracy. In the metalworking sector, where projects are often complex and subject to variability, AI can provide notable advantages in terms of precision and efficiency.This study aims to formulate an activity-based model, represented in IDEF0 (part of the Integration Definition for Function Modelling), for predicting activity durations using AI to support project management in the metalworking industry. By applying the principles of the IDEF0 tool, the objective is to develop a robust and adaptable system capable of analysing historical data, environmental factors, project characteristics, and other relevant inputs to produce more accurate time forecasts.With this work, we aim to contribute to the advancement of Project Management (PM) in the metal-working industry, particularly by providing an activity-based model to support the creation of an innovative AI tool for predicting execution times with greater accuracy.

Abstract
This article comparedidentified models in the literature that incorporates sustainability in project management, with an integrated model used as reference, mapping their points of similarity. For this purpose, bibliographic research of 90 articles from the Web of Science and Scopus databases was carried out, which address the themes of sustainability and project management. The reference model was compared with 16 models identified during the literature search, through comparative analysis and grounded theory. As a result, the study presents the identified similarity between model & PRIME;s constructs. It is concluded that there is no pattern or convergence between the different models identified, that thereference model plays a role in stimulating the integration of sustainability with project management in a more comprehensive way.

Abstract
In this paper, we present Social Network-based Education (SNE) and Learning Factory (LF) as emergent forms of education and training, including their application for the field of Quality Management. This novel learning method has some features of education 3.0 paradigm since participants have freedom to choose what, how and when to learn, as well with whom they coloborate. The actors, students and teachers, form a network, in which the network structure, communication, learning process and behavior exibit features of a social network. The training program content consists of a set of assignments (tasks) that are launched and realized in a crowdsourcing manner. The SNE and LF methodology was applied at the University of Minho in the Integrated Master on Industrial Engineering and Management course for different curricular units, including Quality Management. Within the concepts refered above, the set of assignments implemented for education and training for the field of Quality Management is also presented.

Abstract
Devido ao ambiente hipercompetitivo que as empresas industriais enfrentam, a adequada implementação de Meta-Organizações, como plataformas organizacionais que promovam o desenvolvimento de modelos avançados de sistemas de produção em rede, virtuais e ubíquas, torna-se fundamental para a sustentabilidade da Meta-Organização e das empresas industriais que a constituem. A estratégia de implementação encontra-se relacionada com o entendimento que as empresas industriais, no caso específico deste estudo, as Pequenas e Médias Empresas (PMEs) industriais de clusters regionais, têm acerca deste tipo de Meta-Organização. Este estudo tem como objetivo validar as principais hipóteses: 1) as empresas da região estão conscientes da necessidade da adoção de Meta-Organizações como plataformas organizacionais para o desenvolvimento de modelos de Empresas Virtuais e Ubíquas; e 2) as empresas da região estão aptas para a utilização de Meta-Organizações no apoio ao desenvolvimento de modelos de Empresas Virtuais e Ubíquas. Para validação destas teses foram desenvolvidos modelos teóricos originais utilizando o método estatístico de Análise de Equações Estruturais constituídos por oito constructos: “Prática”, “Gestão do Conhecimento”, “Característica da PME Industrial”, “Conhecimento”, “Necessidade de Estruturas de Meta-Organização para Empresas Virtuais e Ubíquas”, “Necessidade para a Gestão da Meta-Organização para Empresas Virtuais e Ubíquas”, “Consciência” e “Aptidão”. A recolha de dados foi realizada através da implementação de um inquérito original em que participaram 236 PMEs (industriais ou que trabalham com a indústria) da região da Península Ibérica. Os resultados obtidos validam as principais hipóteses sobre a consciência e a aptidão das empresas e fornecem outros resultados derivados de outras hipóteses inerentes aos modelos desenvolvidos. O presente estudo contribui para definir os mecanismos de escolha da implementação de Meta- Organizações que apoiam o desenvolvimento de modelos de Empresas Virtuais e Ubíquas.;Due to the hypercompetitive environment that industrial enterprises face, a proper implementation of the Meta-Organizations, as organizational platforms, that promote the development of advanced models of networked, virtual and ubiquitous production systems, becomes fundamental for the sustainability of the Meta-Organization and of the industrial enterprises that belong to it. The implementation strategy is related to the understanding that the industrial enterprises, in the specific case of this study, the Industrial Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) of regional clusters, have about this type of Meta-Organization. This study aims to validate the following main hypotheses: 1) enterprises in the region are aware of the need to adopt Meta-Organizations as an organizational platform for the development of Virtual and Ubiquitous Enterprises models; and 2) enterprises in the region are prepared to use Meta- Organizations to support the development of Virtual and Ubiquitous Enterprises models. To validate these theses, original theoretical models were developed using the statistical method of Structural Equation Modeling constituted by eight constructs: “Practice”, “Knowledge Management”, “Characteristics of Industrial SME”, “Knowledge”, “Need for Meta-Organization Structures for Virtual and Ubiquitous Enterprises”, “Need for Meta-Organization Management for Virtual and Ubiquitous Enterprises”, “Awareness”, and “Preparedness”. Data collection was carried out through the implementation of an original survey in which 236 SMEs (industrial or those working with the industry) in the Iberian Peninsula region participated. The results validate the main hypotheses concerning enterprises’ awareness and preparedness, and provide further results derived from other hypotheses inherent to the developed models. The present study contributes to define the mechanisms of choice for the implementation of Meta- Organizations that support the development of Virtual and Ubiquitous Enterprises models.

Abstract
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) emerge as a strategic tool, indispensable for the survival of any organization. However, excessive use of ICT can lead to drawbacks such as equipment dependency, rapid obsolescence, and rising maintenance costs. Inefficient use of ICT can result in higher costs for organizations, which may cause them to lose important competitive advantages. In this context, outsourcing printing may be an alternative for institutions to reduce their costs and become more competitive. The aim of this paper is to evaluate scenarios about the financial viability of printing outsourcing in a Federal Higher Education Institution (Instituicoo Federal de Ensino Superior - IFES). To this end, an exploratory research was conducted, with a quantitative approach, using computational modeling, and using the System Dynamics methodology, with simulation and evaluation of three different scenarios: current scenario, likely scenario, unlikely scenario. The results obtained indicate that the unlikely scenario (100% of leased printers) resulted in lower printing costs over the period of the experiment, totaling R$ 637,828.00; the probable scenario (50% of leased printers) totaled R$ 1,000,480.00; while the current scenario (20% of leased printers) resulted in costs of R$ 1,603,060. With the simulations, it was found that printer leasing (outsourcing printing) is the best financial alternative for IFES, which served as a reference for the study, resulting in lower printing costs compared to printer acquisition. The use of systems modeling to evaluate scenarios has been used to support managers in the decision making involving ICT; however, there were no studies in the literature focused on the financial viability simulation of printer outsourcing. Thus, this work sought to bridge this gap by developing and validating a simulation model that can be applied in different scenarios and types of organizations, and work as a reference for future studies.