The digitization of most industries has been progressing for many years and is already at a very advanced level. Industry 4.0 is the term used to describe how machines and systems are integrated and how to increase production efficiency with it.
The Industry 4.0 platform is meant to integrate and coordinate the work of various industries, specifying suppliers and consumers of technology. Technological advancements are having a huge impact on most industries – and not only, as the effects of digitization are felt by all of us in our daily lives. For the first time, data is becoming a raw material, so to speak. The use of technology in industry makes it possible to tailor products even better to the individual needs of consumers, while minimizing costs and increasing the quality of services and goods offered.
Digitization has made it possible to organize and transmit data on a scale previously unheard of in history. Certainly, the Internet and the fact that both companies and private individuals have free access to it have played a large part in this process, and its participation is increasing in people’s lives. Much of the machinery and electronic equipment is connected to the network, constantly receiving and transmitting new data to it. Industry 4.0 aims to normalize this process in order to integrate and optimize production as much as possible.
Industry 4.0 is primarily aimed at integrating smart devices and making changes to optimize and increase the efficiency of manufacturing processes. Widespread digitization makes it possible to introduce changes in the product mix and production methods in accordance with market needs. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, by design, wants to further strengthen the position of digital technology over classic technology.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has the right to exist only because of the emergence and spread of a worldwide system of interconnection between devices. The Internet allows access to huge amounts of data from all over the world in real time. With this information, manufacturers can increase production efficiency and maximize productivity by streamlining many processes. Implementing an Industry 4.0 system into a company by improving efficiency and enhancing service quality makes the company competitive in the market.
Since we are talking about the fourth industrial revolution, it is worth mentioning the previous three, without which we would not be here now. Industrial history has already seen three sizable revolutions, each of which brought great progress and gave room for further changes.
The first industrial revolution: mechanization. A huge step for technology was the invention of the steam engine and its implementation in industry. Thus began industrialization.
Second industrial revolution: electrification. Electric equipment by displacing steam engines increased the efficiency of production lines.
Third industrial revolution: digitization. The development of special programs to process data and control machines significantly increased productivity and optimized production processes.
The fourth industrial revolution, on the other hand, which we are currently witnessing, is the integration of systems and networking. The Industry 4.0 model implies the coordination and integration of human and machine work with the Internet.
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