ABSTRACT
Industry 4.0 is one of the most often discussed topics among practitioners and academics today. For example, the German federal government announced Industry 4.0 as one of the key initiatives of its high-tech strategy in 2011. Since then, numerous academic publications, practical articles and conferences have focused on the topic. With Industry 4.0 becoming a top priority for many research centers the manifold contributions from academics and practitioners have made the meaning of the term more blurry than concrete. The term “Industry 4.0” is used for the industrial revolution taking place. This industrial revolution has been preceded by three other industrial revolutions. In the future, businesses will establish global networks that incorporate their machinery, warehousing systems and production facilities in the shape of cyber-physical systems. Industry 4.0 is multifaceted. It includes screws communicating with assembly robots, self-driving forklifts stocking high shelves with goods, and intelligent machines coordinating independently running production processes.
