INDUSTRY 4.0 AS A DRIVER OF CHANGE IN MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
Professor Dr. Peter Butala
University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Abstract:
The idea of Industry 4.0, which was introduced just a few years ago, has triggered not just a wide campaign of research, development and innovation in academic institutions and industry in the field of manufacturing but it has also contributed to a changed, encouraging perception of industrial development in the eyes of politicians and the general public on the global scale. These facts give to all involved a clear motivation and dictate a thorough and prompt reaction to the issues and challenges of the envisaged industrial transformation.
The aim of the contribution is to give an introduction into the Industry 4.0 topic from the author’s perspective and to discuss the challenges, issues and opportunities of the emerging new manufacturing paradigm. Some cases from research and industry will be presented in order to illustrate approaches and potentials of the Industry 4.0 transformation.