Understanding Industry 4.0: Factories go digital

The concept of Industry 4.0 is often seen as somewhat woolly and difficult for manufacturers (its core audience and potential customers) to get their heads around. Its other names are not much clearer: Internet of Things, Cyber-physical systems; machine-to-machine communication is perhaps the most descriptive, but even that tends to be shortened to the enigmatic M2M.

But now, factory operators have a chance to see how Industry 4.0 works in a real setting to understand how it could actually improve efficiency and reduce costs.

A group of organisations, including industry bodies ESCO (electronic systems community) and the automation trade association GAMBICA, industrial equipment giants Siemens and Hewlett-Packard and specialists Shadow Robot and Ubisense have come together to build the UK’s first digital factory demonstrator. Also known as the Industry 4.0 demonstrator, it comprises a virtual 3D factory alongside a physical production line that is designed to demonstrate mass customisation of consumer goods.