Industry 4.0: The Future of Manufacturing—Foundational Technologies, Adoption Challenges, and Future Research Directions

Abstract

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) fueled by technological advancements in the context of cyber-physical space has brought about phenomenal changes in the way goods and services can be manufactured. However, despite the widespread use of the term in popular vernacular, little is known about what exactly I4.0 is, and the potential contribution it is expected to make and its’ possible fallouts on society. The advent of the I4.0 age has not only brought the promise of an era of immense productivity, but also brought with it many challenges that lie in the path of adoption of such an advanced manufacturing ecosystem. This study presents I4.0 in the context of manufacturing by focusing on three areas. Firstly, the nine (9) core foundational technological phenomenon driving I4.0 in the manufacturing environment, followed by the challenges in adoption of I4.0. Finally, the role of industry-academia partnership in paving the path for adoption of I4.0 is presented as a potential for future research focus.