Industry 4.0 describes the integration of industrial operations with connected sensors, machines, software and data to improve visibility, traceability, control and decision-making. Typical elements include industrial networks, edge computing, analytics, digital work instructions and links between operational technology and business systems. It is a transformation model rather than a single product, and it does not always require replacing existing machinery; gateways or staged integration may expose useful data from legacy equipment. Success depends on a defined operational outcome, reliable data and ownership, not on connecting everything. Programmes should address safety, cybersecurity, interoperability, latency, change control and workforce adoption. A limited pilot with measurable baseline and rollback criteria is safer than a broad rollout based only on technology demonstrations.
IT glossary
Industry 4.0
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