THE INDUSTRY 4.0 MOVEMENT

For those within the creative, manufacturing and technological industries, the evidence of big changes and advancements are extremely apparent, and consumers are enjoying the rewards of products and services that are making our lives better and easier.

But what is Industry 4.0 exactly? Industry 4.0 describes the current period of significant transformations regarding product manufacturing with the assistance of technology. The advancements within this decade have been so immense that it is considered to be the time of the fourth industrial revolution. The fourth industrial revolution has been said to be a continuation of the third, which was defined by advancements in computer technology and mass production. The fourth industrial revolution will further the abilities of computers and automation by enhancing them with smart and autonomous systems directed through data and machine learning.

What this means is that machinery and systems that have previously revolutionised the abilities to produce will be improved yet again through a seamless system that will be able to work without the need of human assistance. This new manufacturing arrangement is made up of cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things and the Internet of Systems.

The new systems will give manufacturers the opportunity to optimise production and be able to respond to consumer demand quickly and efficiently with the benefit of all elements being interconnected. What this means for consumers is that products will become more customised, offered at a reasonable price and most importantly will be produced in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, eliminating waste almost completely through precise calculations.

The benefits of this exciting movement will allow energy to be focused towards designing and invention of concepts that could benefit society, rather than on the manual labour it takes to produce the products themselves. Consumers needs will be satisfied in regards to reasonably priced items that are of a high quality and available immediately without damaging the environment.  

Image: Instagram @fablabbcn from partnership Esther Perbandt + IAAC Fablab BCN