Bergur Thormundsson
Research expert covering technology in the Nordics, AI and smart cities
Smart factories - statistics & facts
The notion of traditional manufacturing with dark and gloomy factories may soon be a thing of the past. With the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, the overhaul of new manufacturing processes has begun, innovative processes will continue to blend with digitized manufacturing to form what is being called smart factories.
At the heart of these smart factories lies a physical network of connected smart devices, collaborative and industrial robots, vehicles, and other objects that collect data to be used in collaboration, and thus be part of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT devices are equipped with remote sensors and controllers across industrial infrastructures that allow for integration and information exchange with the physical world via computer-based systems. As a result, manufacturers can use this vast amount of data to more completely monitor and oversee physical manufacturing activities to improve efficiency along the industrial supply chain.
At the heart of these smart factories lies a physical network of connected smart devices, collaborative and industrial robots, vehicles, and other objects that collect data to be used in collaboration, and thus be part of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT devices are equipped with remote sensors and controllers across industrial infrastructures that allow for integration and information exchange with the physical world via computer-based systems. As a result, manufacturers can use this vast amount of data to more completely monitor and oversee physical manufacturing activities to improve efficiency along the industrial supply chain.
