Industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution, is transforming the way we manufacture goods and interact with our built and natural environment.
3D printing is a great example that is being trialled in some very unexpected places.
Take Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, where work is underway to 3D print artificial reefs in response to deteriorating coral ecosystems.
This kind of innovation is also being explored on the farm using blockchain technology.
From paddock to plate, blockchain is making the food supply chain faster, safer and more secure.
Driverless cars were un-thought of just a few years ago.
Industry 4.0 is making them real.
Better traffic flow, safety, productivity and less environmental impact are all part of this incredible work.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is well and truly underway.
Standards are driving this innovation and making the impossible possible.
As countries right across the globe acknowledge the benefits of standards, on World Standards Day 2018 (14 October), the positive impact of Industry 4.0 is the international example being used to show how significant standards will continue to be into the future.
“The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, is the fourth major industrial era since the initial industrial revolution of the 18
th century,” said CEO of Standards Australia, Dr Bronwyn Evans. “Industry 4.0 is distinguished from previous periods of industrial change as it connects the emerging technological breakthroughs with physical and digital systems.”
“There are countless examples of what Industry 4.0 looks like including 5G wireless technology, 3D printing, autonomous vehicles, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Each of these technologies were largely unheard of 5-10 years ago, but today are almost sectors on their own.”
World Standards Day is held every year to recognise the contribution of international and domestic standards to consumer safety, global trade, economic efficiency, and innovation. The focus of World Standards Day 2018 is the Fourth Industrial Revolution and how standards are helping society realise the opportunities of Industry 4.0.
“The role of standards in driving innovation is often overlooked, however in the case of Industry 4.0 we can see clearly how standards facilitate rapid technological advancement,” said Dr Evans.
“A number of Technical Committees of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) exist to bring countries together and harmonise the development of technology. For example, Standards Australia is leading the global effort on blockchain standards through ISO/TC 307/ WG 3,
Smart contracts and their applications.
“Australia has been a long term contributor to international standards and we are pleased to continue the involvement at a time of such rapid technological change. Where industries never existed, we now have standards; and products we never imagined seeing, are now commonplace and are being delivered safely and efficiently thanks to standards,” concluded Dr Evans.