The Internet of Things (IoT) continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Businesses of all shapes and sizes, including manufacturers, are taking advantage of the technology's ability to network, collect, share and act on data from their operations and their customers.

The "D" word has become one of the hottest trends in the manufacturing world. State-of-the-art sensors attached to assembly tools and production equipment are capable of collecting a constant stream of data.

Industry 4.0 isn't anything new for the manufacturing engineers at Glidewell. The Newport, CA-based manufacturer of crowns, bridges and other dental products has been applying the concept since before it had a name.

Science fiction writers are often heralded as great visionaries and predictors of future technology. But, "serious" writers, so to speak, also have their prophetic moments, even if by accident.

Schneider Electric's factory in Lexington, KY, has been mass-producing electrical equipment for more than 60 years. But, the low-mix, high-volume assembly plant is not sitting back and living in the past. Instead, it has become a state-of-the-art showcase for the future of digital manufacturing.

Industry 4.0 is here. It's not a buzzword or marketing lingo. It's reality, and it's making assembly lines smarter and more efficient.

LOUISVILLE, KY—GE Appliances, a Haier company, has graduated the first engineer from its new Industry 4.0 Development Program, which targets recent engineering college graduates or midcareer employees who want to work at the company’s nine smart factories in the U.S.

Increasingly, manufacturers are learning that artificial intelligence (AI) can provide them with actual benefits. One of those manufacturers is Gestamp Automocion, a global designer and producer of metal components (chassis, bodies and mechanisms) for automobiles.

General Motors has announced that its Factory ZERO has become the first automotive plant in the U.S. to install dedicated 5G fixed mobile network technology.

TUSCALOOSA, AL—Mercedes-Benz is testing a new digital production system at its assembly plant here. If successful, the automaker plans to implement the system at its factories worldwide.