A while back I was doing some research for an interview for a great testing role.
While researching the company and their competitors, I learned about Industry 4.0, the definition is…
Industry 4.0 is a name for the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It includes cyber-physical systems, the Internet of things, cloud computing and cognitive computing.
What interested me most about Industry 4.0 is something James Dyson said a few years ago, he said England needed more Engineers, the future will be driven by the Engineers, not the artists.
James says… “We constantly need more engineers.” 
Industrial evolution, so far has been…
Industry 4.0 encompasses the following
- Autonomous robots
- Industrial internet
- Additive manufactoring
- Simulation
- Cyber security
- Augmented reality
- Software integration
- Cloud computing
- Big data and analysis
The impact of Industry 4.0
Proponents of the term claim Industry 4.0 will affect many areas, most notably:
- Services and business models
- Reliability and continuous productivity
- IT security
- Machine safety
- Product lifecycles
- Industry value chain
- Workers’ education and skills
- Socio-economic factors
One of the companies I looked at DHL has automated a drone parcel delivery airport UPS are using virtual reality to train their drivers, DHL use Augmented reality for their stock pickers in the warehouses.
DHL automated drone delivery
This technology can give a company the ability to deliver services at a very low cost, enabling them dominate that industry, eliminating competitors VIA
- Super efficency
- Super low cost service
As of 2013 Maersk in Denmark had twenty Triple-E super ships, the most efficient ship in the world. These super ships guarantee no company can compete for any of their business.
It has never been as cheap as it currently is to ship anything anywhere, more history about shipping containers can be found here
Digitisation is a key part of the future for A.P. Moller – Maersk.
The Triple-E, super ship
Introducing Industry 4.0
The combination of technology that makes up Industry 4.0 changes how companies will do business and changes business models, a very exciting and challenging time to be in the IT industry.
Kieran O' Callaghan 