Industry 4.0 in Smes Across the Globe: Challenges and Opportunities

Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth industrial revolution that began in 2011. It has revolutionized the ways in which companies carry out their operations, and manufacture and distribute their products. The industrial environment is drastically changing with the introduction of technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, Internet of things (IoT), machine learning, and data analytics. Modern smart technologies are used for analyzing and diagnosing problems that enable the companies to make better decisions without human intervention. Smart manufacturing incorporates computer-integrated manufacturing to increase automation and self-optimization of process improvements. Although Industry 4.0 practices are largely beneficial for all industries, their application in SMEs face certain challenges in terms of safety and ergonomics of the workplace, lazy change management approach, and lack of a roadmap for Industry 4.0 implementation. This book explores the concept of Industry 4.0 for small and medium enterprises. It is a resource guide for professionals and students.