Industry 4.0 And The Foundation Pillars
                     Industry 4.0 And The Foundation Pillars!
Jenny Knight
Writes for smb-corner.com 
Small and Medium Business Corner & 
SMB Corner
Have you heard of Industry 4.0? Yes! No! Maybe! Well, if you are in the 
manufacturing sector, then you may know about the 4th revolution in the 
industrial sector. This term refers to the development of manufacturing 
processes and chain production. The 4.0 is the evolution of the fourth 
phase that grew popular in 2011 as, “Industrie 4.0” by German 
representatives from diverse fields of business, politics, and academics.
The fourth industrial revolution is already bringing transformation in 
manufacturing industries pre-pandemic and post-pandemic. Now this 
transformation is bridging the technological gap between the haves and 
have-nots. Unfortunately, even after two years of covid-19, the global 
market is encountering pressure in manufacturing which is just the ripple 
effect of the crisis.
Four pillars of Industry 4.0
 Connectivity, Data Transfer, and Computation: The use of sensors to 
open a door in a commercial space is a simple example of 4.0. From the 
smallest devices that use the internet of things to massive 
technological advances dependent on the IoT are creating a revolution 
in manufacturing units. Cloud technology is bringing immense changes 
to the way you store, communicate, connect, transfer data, and 
compute. Not to forget that Blockchain is another breakthrough in the 
production industry.
 AI, Analytics, and Machine Intelligence: The human IQ multiplies when 
it collaborates with the machine IQ. It is a simple approach that when 
you amalgamate Artificial intelligence with computer technology, the 
results are remarkable. The gathered data continuously undergoes 
customized analytics to offer better customer search results. A simple 
example is your online search. If you have a habit of looking for routes 
or local produce, then all your news bytes, social media posts, and 
online search links will be directed in the same genre. The machine 
captures the taste of individuals and delivers the same in-sync to give 
you a better user experience every time.
 Human-Computer Connection: Use of machines in virtual and 
augmented reality is one of the best industrial revolution results. When 
robotics started replacing the production processes, it improved 
manufacturing by 10X folds. Human efforts reduce, and you get 
premium quality products. The possibility of human errors reduces by 
95% as the automation of machines and the gap between human-
machine improves efficiency.
 Advanced Engineering: The inclusion of additive manufacturing viz. 3D 
and 4D printing support the engineers in making quick designs and 
starting production. It reduces the time lag between drafts and 
prototypes and moves into actual manufacturing. The trending 
nanotechnology may not impress everyone at stage one. But, the use 
of nanoparticles is one of the breakthroughs in boosting the industrial 
revolution.
The wrap
The combination of all four foundation pillars helps turn artificial 
intelligence into thorough analytics that ultimately converts into flexible, 
responsive operations. The manufacturing sector would soon move 
towards the fifth revolution, and this is the completion phase of 4.0. Taking 
a sneak peek into 5.0 means providing solutions for climate change, 
working towards sustainability, and reserving resources. Small, medium and 
large businesses are working towards Net-Zero which means zero carbon 
emission by 2050.
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Thank you for spending your time in reading this article!