Industry 4.0 is a hot term these days, but what exactly is it? First defined in 2011 by Siegfried Russwurm, German professor and chief technology officer of Siemens, Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth phase of the industrial evolution. This era is characterized by interconnectivity between equipment and facilities throughout supply chains made possible by the Internet.
Industry 4.0 is a step beyond the digital era. In the digital era—in which many companies still operate—having data generated by and collected from discrete automated equipment is useful for determining both past and present operational states.
