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Industry 4.0 is a term that everyone, who is a part of engineering and to some extent non-technical people, know or should know. Often many candidates who are kickstarting their careers in technical roles are asked, " Do you know Industry 4.0 is?" Some are flustered and do not know exactly what this term means and signifies. So today let us understand what Industry 4.0 is.
Table of Content:
1. Introduction
3. Features
4. Components
5. Advantages
7. Applications
8. Summary
Introduction
Smartphones! SmartWatches! Smart Accessories! Smart Essentials! These are the talk of the day for every millennial today. Getting the most updated and upgraded device is the trend. With more and more IoT-based companies coming forward with smarter and cheaper computers built into almost everything that has extra space, living without one is almost like going against evolution.
And you can't blame them. Can you imagine having a device that can provide you with all the information that you can ever imagine and consume continuously without any break all day for the rest of your life and still fail?! Who can resist it? Today everyone on this planet owns a smartphone if not other smart devices and uses it as much as you would use your limbs. If a mere device can influence our lives to such an extent that it becomes an inseparable part of our lives, then the question is what is the potential of such devices when they are incorporated into larger ecosystems?! That is Industry 4.0!
Industry 4.0, basically is like a Jambalaya that has IoT and digital manufacturing stuff mixed with physical production and operations to create a bigger ecosystem for companies that focus on manufacturing and logistics.
Throwback at its Predecessors
We call it Industry 4.0 so definitely there would be Industry 3.0, Industry 2.0, and Industry 1.0 so, what are those?
Let us take a glimpse of who are the ancestors of Industry 4.0
Industry 1.0 :
Also called the First Industrial Revolution which occurred somewhere around the 18th century in England or Britain to exact which completely changed the history afterward. It helped to mass-produce the goods that were produced by hand during that time. It was a revolution like no other and we might be a product of that single revolution.
Industry 2.0: After 100 years from the first Industrial Revolution, there was a breakthrough that occurred in the world in terms of oil, gas, and electric power. These new sources of energy accelerated the world into a new age. This came along with the new age of communication which included the telephone and telegraph.
Industry 3.0:
Around the middle and towards the end of the 20th century, there was a lot of development in advanced telecom and computers. This led to the rise of information networks which has led to the advancement of human civilization to the next level. This set the rolling stone for the automation in manufacturing we see today.
Industry 4.0:
Now we are in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, if you must, which we are calling Industry 4.0. This is featuring automation, smart machines, use of AI, use of information networks, cloud computing, and IoT to name a few.
It is fascinating to know that these technologies are coming together and working in unison to form a new world where everything would be controlled at a click of a button or the tap of a finger and much much more. Amazing isn't it?!!
Features
Interconnectivity
It refers to the ability of the technologies, machines, devices, and people to connect
Transparency
It refers to the information transparency that Industry 4.0 provides us. It ensures that everything can be accessed and tracked by the users.
Technological Assistance
It refers to the ability of the machines and devices to come together and work towards decision making and problem-solving
Decentralized Decision Making
It refers to the use of the latest technology to automate the systems to make the decisions on their own and make them able to perform the given tasks without any significant external stimuli
Components
Cyber-physical systems (CPS)
Cyber-physical systems or intelligent system is a computer system in which a mechanism is controlled or monitored by computer-based algorithms.
Internet of Things (IoT)
IoT stands for Internet of Things, a concept that refers to connections between physical objects like sensors or machines and the Internet.
Cloud computing
Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user.
AI and Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence is a concept that refers to intelligence demonstrated by machines, as opposed to the natural intelligence displayed by animals including humans.
Machine learning refers to the ability that computers have to learn and improve on their own through artificial intelligence—without being explicitly told or programmed to do so.
Edge computing
Edge computing is a distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to the sources of data.
Cybersecurity
Cyber security is the application of technologies, processes, and controls to protect systems, networks, programs, devices, and data from cyber-attacks.
Digital twin
A digital twin is a virtual model designed to accurately reflect a physical object
Advantages
Some Major Advantages of Industry 4.0 are :
Better and Improved Productivity
Better Efficiency
Flexibility
Easier Operations
Better Quality
High Rate on Investment
Better Edge over other Competitors
More Growth Opportunities
Disadvantages
Some Major Disadvantages of Industry 4.0 are :
High Costs
Need of Skilled Labor
Cyber Security Requirements
Applications
Real-time yield optimization
Digital Performance Management
Wastewater Treatment
Climate Study
Remote Sensing
Healthcare
Summary
Industry 4.0 refers to the 4th Industrial revolution
It is characterized by the use of the latest technologies including IoT, Cloud Computing, AI, Machine Learning, etc.
It is still in an evolving phase and we can look forward to seeing it fully developed and implemented in the next 40 years or so
It has various advantages that the industry today requires to keep up in terms of the competition and human growth
So I hope you were able to understand what Industry 4.0 is and what are some terminology related to it. Keep supporting and following us! Did you like the article? Let me know in the comment section! See you again people. Be Safe Take Care! Ciao!