What is Industry 4.0 ?

The term was popularized in 2016 by Klaus Schwab, the World Economic Forum founder and former executive chairman, who asserts that these developments represent a significant shift in industrial capitalism during the last 300 years.

Industry 4.0 is made possible through the synergy of emerging technologies:

1. Robotics and Automation
   Robots are used for repetitive, dangerous, or high-precision tasks. In Industry 4.0, they collaborate with humans in smart factories, often known as cobots (collaborative robots).


2. High-speed Industrial Control and IT Networks
   New wired and wireless networks connect machines, devices, and systems to create intelligent enterprises that optimize manufacturing and information processing.


3. High-speed Online Analyzers
   Analyzers that use electromagnetic spectrum and powerful computing engines to deliver instantaneous composition and physical properties. These make possible more responsive and accurate control of manufacturing processes.


4. Cybersecurity
   As industrial systems become more interconnected, securing equipment, processes, and infrastructure is essential. Zero-trust human and data access models are gaining traction in IT.


5. Digital Twins
   A digital twin is a virtual model of a physical process, system, or product. It allows for "what-if" performance analysis, predictive maintenance and optimised design.


6. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
   Computer systems that perform tasks or produce responses normally requiring human intelligence, such as analysis of large data sets, monitoring and quality control, and autonomous completion of work processes. It may also include "learning" from data and making continuous improvements to its own performance.


7. Cloud and Edge Computing
   Cloud computing enables centralised data storage and analytics, while edge computing processes data near the source, reducing latency and improving real-time decision-making.