Background on Industry 4.0 its origin, concept and building blocks

• Interconnection via the Internet of Things(IoT)
• Industrial internet of Things(IIoT)
• Information availability across the production process facilitating analysis and action
• Automation and facilitation of decision making and provision of Cyber Physical Systems(CPS) to complete tasks best suited to machines rather than people(ideally autonomously)

工业4.0最初由德国政府倡导，工业联盟合作推进，涵盖4大关键技术要素：

• 物联网（IoT）
• 工业物联网(IIoT)
• 生产环节与生产设施，生产分析，与实际运营之间的信息实时互通
• 从辅助人完成任务，转变为辅助机器完成任务。具备自动与简易化的决策链与数字化实体生产运营系统（CPS），以最适应机器的方式，完成生产任务，比人工更精准。这就是超自动化（Gartner “2020年十大战略技术趋势”报告中也有提及）

From these principles a range of constantly evolving and changing technologies are available for organisations wishing to benefit from the Industry 4.0 revolution. They share some common characteristics and are typically grouped together as:

• Data and analytics technologies (BigData) – collection and interpretation of data from a range of sources with the desired aim of making consistent, correct, proactive decisions. Includes the concept of cognitive computing.
• Smart factory/production technologies including use where appropriate of robotics devices. The objective of these technologies is to drive seamless, environmentally responsible self-optimising processes and systems that realise best in class production performance.
• Cyber physical systems (CPS)–integrations of computation, networking and physical processes e.g. robotics systems, manufacturing control systems. These cyber-physical systems also build and maintain a ‘Digital twin’ of the physical world.
• The internet of things (IoT-consumer)/Industrial internet of things (IIoT)i.e. the mobile, virtual and persistent connection of all devices to the internet and each other.
• Interoperability – development of standards, processes and systems toallow all participant stakeholders and organisations to share information effectively.

所有希望从工业4.0受益的企业或组织，都可以遵循并实现上述仍在不断进化与更新的4大关键技术。根据4大关键技术特点，以下是业内人士分享的具体可落地技术，涵盖：

• 大数据分析 – 收集并解释各种来源的数据信息，确保目标一致的、准确的、前瞻的决策，包括认知计算的技术
• 智能工厂（生产系统）- 包括适当使用机器人技术。目的是实现无缝、环保、可自主优化系统与流程，能够最大限度保证生产成果
• 数字化物理生产运营系统（CPS）- 整合了计算单元、网络、以及物理生产流程（比如机器人系统，生产控制系统等）。这些CPS也是建立并维护“数字孪生（Digital Twin）”的基础
• IoT（大众消费市场）与工业物联网IIoT， 比如移动互联网，各种终端设备、生产机器之间虚拟但是稳固安全的互联互通（通过互联网）
• 互操作性 – 开发可以让所有利益相关人、企业、组织都能参与并互操作的标准、协议、流程与系统。（小编按：其实就是为制造企业从私有工业物联网，转型产业物联网平台做准备，美国工业物联网几家发起公司就准备形成产业物联网平台） 

The current pallet of Industry 4.0 technologies includes but is not limited to mobile devices, advanced human machine interfaces, 3D printing, drones, Smart sensors/PLM technology, traditional DCS systems, Digital Twin solutions, blockchain offerings, Big data analytics and advanced algorithms (e.g. failure prediction and preventative maintenance automated scheduling), Augmented reality/ wearables, improved ERP and CRM offerings. SD-WAN technologies for managing the complexity and rapid changing characteristics of IoT/IIoT networking requirements.