Industry 4.0: Digital Transformation in Manufacturing

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network created by physical objects that are equipped with specialized software and sensors. These exchange data with systems and other devices over the internet using real-time data analytics to power applications at the residential, commercial, and industrial levels. Applications in smart manufacturing include: 

• Smart factory floor equipment
• Wireless inventory trackers
• Biometric cybersecurity scanners
• Shipping container and logistics tracking

The use of IoT is poised to completely transform the manufacturing industry from the sourcing of materials straight through to the supply chain and beyond. Information technology (IT) infrastructure must be able to play a unifying role in coordinating how all the elements of IoT work together as part of the greater system.

Robotics integrates engineering with computers for the design, production, and operation of machines that can assist human endeavors. The use of robotics in manufacturing involves automated machines that are programmable and capable of moving on three or more axes in either fixed or mobile positions. Their use includes industrial manufacturing sectors such as automotive, electronics, aerospace, and textiles.

Big data is a field that emerged from the requirement of new methods to extract, analyze and derive insights from very large data sets. Applications associated with big data are poised to play a fundamental role in Industry 4.0 due to the connectivity between all parts of the manufacturing value chain. However, for data to have value it must be organized and usable, which is where integration platforms like MuleSoft bring so much value integrating and organizing data.

Artificial intelligence refers to intelligence exhibited by a programmable machine that mimics aspects of human intelligence. Machine learning takes that a step further by using computer algorithms to continuously improve the way a program functions. The use of these two technologies together has profound potential in manufacturing from design to quality control.

Augmented reality refers to the use of a device to overlay computer-generated information over a real-world physical environment while virtual reality immerses the user in a completely simulated environment. Known collectively as Extended Reality (XR), this technology is rapidly finding a place in manufacturing through its use in product development and employee training.

The idea of pressing a button to order a product and having it produced on demand was once the domain of science fiction. Additive manufacturing — also known as 3D printing — brought this futuristic idea to life through technology that produces items by successively applying layers of material to create a final product. 

While both these terms are used interchangeably, the key difference is the industrial vs. consumer focus. Large-scale businesses typically use the term additive manufacturing when referring to the mass production of end-use objects.