Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth industrial revolution, although it is concerned with areas that are not usually classified as industry applications in their own right. With the digitization of manufacturing, we are in the midst of a significant transformation regarding the way we produce products. This transition is so compelling that it is being called Industry 4.0 to represent the fourth revolution that has occurred in manufacturing.

The first industrial revolution came with the advent of mechanisation, steam power and water power. This was followed by the second industrial revolution, which revolved around mass production and assembly lines using electricity. The third industrial revolution came with electronics, I.T. systems and automation, which led to the fourth industrial revolution that is associated with cyber physical systems.

When computers were introduced in Industry 3.0, it was disruptive. Now, and into the future as Industry 4.0 unfolds, computers are connected and communicate with one another to ultimately make decisions without human involvement. A combination of cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things and the Internet of Systems make Industry 4.0 possible and the smart factory a reality. As a result of the support of smart machines that keep getting smarter as they get access to more data, our factories will become more efficient and productive and less wasteful. Ultimately, it's the network of these machines that are digitally connected with one another and create and share information that results in the true power of Industry 4.0.

Many organizations are implementing changes today and preparing for a future where smart machines improve their business. Here are just a few of the possible applications:

Autonomous equipment and vehicles

There are shipping yards that are leveraging autonomous cranes and trucks to streamline operations as they accept shipping containers from the ships. Autonomous vehicles can provide more efficient logistics and passenger transfer methods. Furthermore, smart sensors along with implementation of cognitive computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) represent an AV as a cyber-physical system (CPS), within which information from all related perspectives is closely monitored and synchronized between the physical devices and the cyber computational space. By utilizing advanced information analytics, AVs will be able to perform more efficiently, collaboratively and resiliently. Thus, it is possible to integrate AVs into Industry 4.0 systems.

Internet of Things (IoT) and the cloud

A key component of Industry 4.0 is the Internet of Things that is characterized by connected devices. Not only does this help internal operations, but through the use of the cloud environment where data is stored, equipment and operations can be optimized by leveraging the insights of others using the same equipment or to allow smaller enterprises access to technology they wouldn’t be able to on their own.

Digital Twins

Since connected machines collect a tremendous volume of data that can inform maintenance, performance and other issues, as well as analyse that data to identify patterns and insights that would be impossible for a human to do in a reasonable timeframe, Industry 4.0 offers the opportunity for manufacturers to optimize their operations quickly and efficiently by knowing what needs attention.

Optimize logistics and supply chains

A connected supply chain can adjust and accommodate when new information is presented. If a weather delay ties up a shipment, a connected system can proactively adjust to that reality and modify manufacturing priorities.

Robots

Once only possible for large enterprises with equally large budgets, robotics is now more affordable and available to organizations of every size. From picking products at a warehouse to getting them ready to ship, autonomous robots can quickly and safely support manufacturers. Robots move goods around Amazon warehouses and also reduce costs and allow better use of floor space for the online retailer.

3D Printing

This technology has improved tremendously in the last decade and has progressed from primarily being used for prototyping to actual production. Advances in the use of metal additive manufacturing have opened up a lot of possibilities for production.

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