Industry 4.0, what is it?
To fully understand the industry 4.0 phenomenon, it is necessary to start from the concept of the fourth industrial revolution
The change in industry that will lead to the development of fully automated and interconnected factories and which seems to be the direction in which the entire global production / business system is moving quickly. An effective date for the fourth industrial revolution has not yet been indicated and it will probably only be possible to establish it in retrospect, but the changes have already begun.
What is Industry 4.0?
Le fabbriche 4.0 consistono in macchine costantemente interconnesse fra loro, capaci di auto-diagnostica e di risoluzione dei problemi che si presentano nel corso del processo aziendale. In particolare, viene indicato come la capacità di manutenzione delle macchine su sé stesse, grazie all’IoT (Internet of Things, indica l’estensione di Internet al mondo degli oggetti che possiamo definire concreti e reali) sarà in grado di superare in qualità e velocità, quella degli esseri umani già entro il 2020. In sostanza, quindi, le macchine di una azienda saranno in grado di individuare eventuali punti critici nel processo produttivo e di porvi autonomamente rimedio. La meccanizzazione permetterà l’adattamento del processo produttivo al singolo cliente, rendendolo estremamente preciso e specializzato. I robot lavoreranno a contatto con l’uomo, imparando e apprendendo in modo naturale per poi utilizzare le conoscenze per impostare la tecnica di sviluppo più efficace. Inoltre, l’alimentazione energetica delle fabbriche del futuro sarà senza sprechi e mantenuta nel minor dispendio economico possibile grazie a nuove fonti energetiche e migliori sistemi per il controllo e la gestione dell’energia.
La situazione italiana per l’Industria 4.0
The Italian government, in 2016, inserted, in the 2017 Budget Law, a plan for Industry 4.0 with the mobilization of over 10 billion euros in research and development, allowing the start of the transition to the fourth industrial revolution by the Italy.
The plan includes a series of points of interest:
private investment is stimulated in the context of Industry 4.0 by providing a series of tax incentives for companies wishing to invest and develop in this branch;
through support for ultra-broadband, it is intended to guarantee the presence of adequate network structures, necessary for data development, guaranteeing, at the same time, data security and fostering international cooperation in the sector;
stimulate the training of competent personnel and stimulate research by creating ad hoc training courses;
spreading the knowledge and application potential of Industry 4.0 and defining system management with both public and private participation in the process.
The world situation for Industry 4.0
In Europe, Germany is the leading country in terms of the transition to the fourth industrial revolution and the approach to Industry 4.0. The German country is a forerunner in this area and has been paying particular attention to the development of the sector for several years. Planned approaches have been undertaken in France and, as has already been noted, in Italy with a series of tax incentives to allow companies to develop and research. On the other hand, no relevant policies have yet been taken on the subject in Great Britain with the risk, for the country, of falling slightly behind in comparison with other European countries.
In the United States, the process is favored in a different way than the strategies implemented in European countries, but the field of Industry 4.0 is undoubtedly supported in order to ensure greater productivity by lowering the impact of costs.
The fourth industrial revolution will bring machines to an even more fundamental role in production processes and has already begun. Development is happening very quickly and it appears clear that every potential business entity needs to have knowledge of the possible benefits associated with Industry 4.0, as long as these are well supported. In various countries around the world there is an incentive for companies to adapt to this phenomenon and this represents an opportunity for those who have the skills and the right ideas with which to deal with this moment of transition.