The fourth industrial revolution

Prof. Giambattista Gruosso - Politecnico di Milano (Italy)

“The fourth industrial revolution: the Internet of things at the service of the manufacturing industry”. This might sound like the title of a science fiction novel, but in fact it is much closer to reality than one might think. It describes the way in which computing and information technology interacts with the physical world to make manufacturing more efficient, productive and competitive.

The crisis has already changed us. Right from the start we knew we wouldn’t be continuing to use the same operating procedures at the end of the crisis as when it began. But more needed to be done than just search for new markets and pursue product and process innovation.

Cyber-physical and embedded systems, the Internet of Things, 3D printers and the pursuit of greater efficiency and sustainability are all facets of the new smart factory concept.

So after the first three industrial revolutions – the mechanisation of production using water and steam power, the introduction of mass production through the use of electricity, and the introduction of digital automation – the stage is now set for the fourth industrial revolution. Industry 4.0 therefore marks the culmination of 250 years of industrial history.

• Leggi l'articolo completo pubblicato su Ceramic World Review 114/2015