Industry 4.0 (also discussed as the Fourth Industrial Revolution) is the trend by modern industry towards adoption of the latest trends of automation and data exchange to optimise manufacturing and order fulfilment. Industry 4.0 has been called a “smart factory" but it is more ubiquitous than a high-tech production line, embracing the Internet of things and cloud computing to create responsive supply chains and "smart products" that can assist in their maintenance and 'end of life' recovery.
In this guest lecture entitled Industry 4.0 and the Circular Economy, Professor Browne of NUI Galway discusses the evolution to Industry 4.0 developments and its implications for product-based organisations. He discusses the operational and commercial benefits for organisations embracing Industry 4.0 and its contribution to ensuring sustainable manufacturing and nurturing of the wider circular economy.