In 17th century, it begins with the steam power converting to mechanical power through steam engine, which opened new avenues for trade and caused mass migration of rural populations into the new industrialized cities. The steam power technology commences the first industry revolution named “Industry 1.0”. Now at 21st century humans are being ready for “Industry 4.0”.  In between these industrial revolutions contribution of electrical transmission and automation  industry system through electronic technology need another session to discuss apart from this  article. “Industry 4.0” introduced by German government during a high-tech project which is to use of internet technology and cyber physical system to industries and factories to build smart industry and factory. Individual computerized machines are going to run themselves in a whole single network with the help of internet of things (IoT), sensors, big data, artificial intelligence  (AI), machine learning, interconnected supply chain system, and more will come up front in future.

Sustainable development means human progress, resource utilization, and business interaction. ECOSOC a principal organ of UN  works on three pillars of sustainable developments- economic, social and environmental. SDSN a non-profit network of  UN made in 2012 to advance the sustainable development goals (SDG), SDSN provide data  to track and rank the performance of all UN Member States on the 17 SDGs for 2030 agenda in universal for all country. 17 SDGs highlights human and health development, economic growth, combat climate change etc.

A vision of manufacturing products finding their may independently through the production process, in intelligent factories machines and products communicate each other cooperatively driving production raw material and machines are interconnected within IoT and traceable supply chain system, things the objectives highly flexible individual and resource friendly mass production that is the vision of fourth industrial revolution (I4.0). IoT makes machines smart through remote control access and sensors connected to them to  a network to diagnose each other problem, smart alert system operates while problem or error occurs in the system. Big data storing technology offers high volume data of machines storing capability, and use of artificial intelligence with the help of machine learning technology to analyze and make sense out from this amount of data, and cloud computing technology offers data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. Then predictive maintenance technology presents a visualization of machines situation in very next moment. Traceable interconnected supply chain system makes advance connection between transports and factories or industries, through this flexible and advance supply chain system factories administration can track autonomous things like vehicles, ships, trucks or trains etc.  

IoT make a system smart with data feedback compatibility. IoT refers connected devices able to transmit data, easy recognizable, without human intervention and unique identification.  Manufacturing companies are adapting additive manufacturing to advance the product generation process. Also, IoT technology using in home appliance, vehicle to vehicle communications,  manufacturing, military, monitoring endangered species, building smart cities infrastructure etc.  Additive manufacturing (AM) means 3d printing products via computer-aided-design (CAD)  software. Now even 3D object scanners are available that scans direct hardware to deposit material in layers with precise geometric shapes. Recently Ireland and India starts adapting AM technology to make smart manufacturing system. Vehicle and space satellite manufacturers using 3d printing technology. Manufacturing companies are using Blockchain technology to enhancing secure and convenient transaction process, to protect important data access function and shifting to smart contracts. Combination of Blockchain-IoT simplify the sharing of services and resources directs to the generation of a marketplace of services between devices, and helps to automate and reduce time consuming cryptocurrency verification process. Interconnected supply chain system perform  as data generator which constantly producing considerably information insights in real time. The system process requires high speed with precision, the Cloud technology offers required functions to store Big data efficiently and improving day by day with increasing demand.  

Supreme integration of all advance technology combined called “Cyber-Physical System”, which  stands now to define “Industry 4.0”. The system runs devices in feedback loop considering human,  environment, economy which allows worker and engineers to invest more time to development of  the system. At present date, autonomous robots and drones are uses in delivering products,  manufacturing, medical assistance, surveillance, rescue mission, agriculture, space exploration. 

For example, several companies from 2012 are delivering products via drones like wings, flytrex,  ups flight successfully in US; Recently Singapore assigned 50 medical assistance robots; 200  disinfecting robots combat COVID-19 in Barcelona; Perseverance mars robot leading to explore  Mars closely and Exo-Mars being ready to drill in Mars; To sustain next level opportunities to develop towards human life, business emerging trajectory, education, and wildlife the world has to adopt fourth industrial revolution and merging more upcoming technologies to Industry 4.0; And wait for fifth industry revolution or Evolution!

Written By
Yasir Ahamed Shuvo
Stamford University