What is the 4IR, and Why Should You Care as a Manufacturer?

Unless you have been living under the ground, it’s obvious that you must have heard of the 4IR, the different 4IR technologies, and even some more related terms to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Today, you can talk about anything- from a car manufacturing unit to a smartphone plant, the 4IR is present everywhere, making production a process that’s not just more seamless than ever, but very promising in terms of efficiency too.

Every organization strives for a value chain, a hierarchical rating for every task involved in the process of manufacturing to making the final sale. This value chain has witnessed a change after the 4IR for a lot of manufacturers, where manufacturing is still one of the most important activities, but no more the only most important activity.

There’s a difference.

What is the 4IR?

The 4th Industrial Revolution, or 4IR, is an industrial revolution making the use of some of the most advanced technologies to reduce differences between the physical, biological, as well as digital domains to usher in a redefined era of manufacturing, to be precise.

The 4IR completely changes the way products are manufactured, right from the engineering and design to the final delivery and support.

Importance of the 4IR

For multiple reasons, the 4IR has become increasingly important for the manufacturing industry, as it is representative of the next wave of technology to drive effectiveness and efficiency across different phases of the production process.

Given the kind of competition that has been doing rounds in multiple industries today, failing to get in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution is only going to hamper the long-term growth of organizations in the time to come. This will be because of the lack of digitization in operations when compared to competitors.

Fourth Industrial Revolution & its Technological Impact

As we mentioned above earlier, the 4IR is more about aligning operations with the value chain, and not with the supply chain. It has become more about how this new digital era has the potential to completely change the real-life decision-making aspects of organizations, on the whole, redefining the fourth industrial revolution like no other way.

Certain technologies have made a huge impact on how well the fourth industrial revolution is being received by industries all over the world:

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing is that branch of computing that deals with technology that forms from the principles of quantum theory.

This technology has been influencing the manufacturing domain with new materials, as well as sophisticated design and development processes in the meantime.

Blockchain

Blockchain is a technology that keeps a systematic record of transactions across multiple computer systems, linked through a P2P(peer-to-peer) network. In terms of its use in manufacturing, keeping track of products as well as different regulatory compliances is what Blockchain enables.

3D Printing

3D printing is an additive process in manufacturing, where multiple raw materials are processed into a finished product by the addition of extra materials.

With 3D printing, it becomes easier to create prototypes, lightweight components, and tools in the manufacturing process.

Automation

In the world of manufacturing, automation refers to the process of transferring low-cost jobs usually performed by humans into ones that can be done by machines.

The best instance of automation can be the autonomous vehicles that are set to disrupt logistics in this decade and a few more years ahead. This is one technological aspect where the biggest companies are being involved in the fourth industrial revolution.

Are You Ready to Bring in the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

You will be surprised to know that in the years preceding the 4IR, industrial revolutions took place over multiple decades. However, the jump to this revolution took only about a couple of decades. The fourth industrial revolution is the only revolution that is powered by constant change and innovation.

Decision-making needs to be driven by data, automation as well as Artificial Intelligence will be focused on solving problems more than ever before, and reskilling for newer jobs needs to be the only constant.

All in all, the 4IR will prove to be a formidable time for manufacturers to edge ahead of their competition and make it a critical time to ensure new levels of customer satisfaction.