When WIRE-Net began planning for 2020 and beyond and investigated the emerging technology trends that would affect the future of manufacturing, it didn’t take long to encounter the confusing terminology that’s used to describe these new technologies and their application.

Industry 4.0; Smart Manufacturing; Manufacturing 4.0; Industrial Internet of Things…etcetera. Sometimes these terms are used interchangeably, sometimes they distinguish between different things.

Why you must reinvent your business–and why you must start by transforming operations.

In the 1970’s, Japanese automakers began surprising their North American counterparts by bringing new cars to market much more quickly, and at a better price/performance ratio. With that slap in the face, documented in Jim Womak’s book The Machine that Changed the World, those car manufacturers became aware of continuous improvement and the Toyota Production System.