Industry 4.0: Bringing It All Together With Four Fundamentals

In the last few centuries, the world has experienced three industrial revolutions that have shaped our industrial processes. In the first industrial revolution, labor-centric production processes were mechanized through the use of water and steam power. The second was driven by moving assembly lines and mass production driven by electricity. The third was driven by electronics and the application of information technology and increased automated production.

The fourth revolution sees technology embed itself further in society with digital technological advances connecting all the major stakeholders in the core manufacturing activities. What is fourth revolution or Industry 4.0? When somebody says they have Industry 4.0 solutions, ask them whether their solutions have the following four characteristics: smart technology, business outcome, scope, and mass customization, All the above four fundamentals come together in our Digital OneManufacturing framework.