Industry 4.0 and why connectivity matters
The fourth industrial revolution unlocks powerful new use cases – from predictive maintenance and an augmented workforce to autonomous robots and digital twins. Cellular technologies are at the core of these innovations, enabling seamless communication between man, machine, system and sensor. Discover how to leverage connectivity and unlock the full potential of Industry 4.0 applications.
What is Industry 4.0?
The historical context of the fourth industrial revolution
What are the key technology drivers of Industry 4.0?
Industry 4.0 opportunities
Connectivity requirements: shifting from wired to wireless
Wireless sensors, cameras and drones to feed digital models and AI analytics, reducing operational costs by enabling data data-driven decision making.
Automation and remote operation of all moving vehicles improves operations, while wireless connectivity ensures fixed machines are flexible and efficient to automate.
Location awareness improves safety by enabling emergency stops and automatic speed adjustments of vehicles, machine warnings and automatic shutdowns, and monitoring worker health and falls.
Extended reality (XR) enhances efficiency with remote expertise and guidance, while asset management is streamlined by connecting asset status and position.
Smart manufacturing use cases and applications
ROI over 5 years*
Operational cost savings*
Operational cost savings per sqm per year*
Source: ABI Research report: Smart manufacturing and how to get started. *Use case and type of manufacturing site dependent.
While there are many potential smart manufacturing use cases, our research highlights five that stand out as the most mature and promising starting points. These use cases not only offer substantial financial returns – typically paying for themselves within three to five years – but they also contribute positively to social and environmental outcomes.
