Abstract

Almost a decade ago, the research community embarked on a journey to realize the old vision of Industry 4.0. Part of this vision was to digitize design and manufacturing systems and processes, aimed at advancing their vertical and horizontal integration into decentralized ecosystems across the entire product development value chain. This process was to include the provision of new data-driven operation and business models, advances in cybersecurity, and the development of a bespoke Industry 4.0 workforce. In this paper, the authors review the state-of-the-art in regard to the progress made to date, from initial vision towards implementation in industry. They identify critical research challenges and gaps that need to be addressed to further advance this transition. The paper closes with a strategic perspective on how the authors anticipate Industry 4.0 to evolve over the next 5 years.