There Will Be No Industry 4.0 Without Quality 4.0

The tech industry has a problem – hype. New trends keep popping up. They make waves. And then they fall into the background. This happened to Big Data. This is now happening to AI. But this tech didn’t disappear. It’s still active. Booming even. Yet, as we’re offered new things, we put what we had on pause, fuelling the issue of irresponsible consumption.

Companies keep grasping onto new opportunities even before they have the time and resources to implement the recent “next big thing.” This leaves firms with half-baked initiatives waiting for their moment and a laser-focus on novel stuff that’s not yet developed. And we think Industry 4.0 will help us break this cycle.

So What’s This Industry 4.0?

Simply speaking, Industry 4.0 (IR4) aims to change how we use technology. It’s powered by concepts known to everyone:

• AI and ML.
• IoT and Big Data.
• Cloud computing.
• Robotics.
• Automation, etc.

IR4 reminds us: “Hey! You’ve got so many opportunities with this tech. Use it. And use it right.” Think about it: there’s nothing new about IoT, AI, or automation. But there needs to be a huge mindset shift for us to realize that the productivity and efficiency boosters were here all along. We simply didn’t pay them due diligence.?

So, Industry 4.0 wants you to unify present tech and use it in a way that delivers the ultimate satisfaction and profit. Let us demonstrate this via IR4’s core principles:

1. Interoperability. Machines, devices, sensors, and people connect and communicate with each other. This can be achieved with IoT and IoS.
2. Information transparency. Collect and share data across the value chain for better decision-making. Big Data, cloud computing, and digital twins are key here.
3. Decentralized decision-making. Cyber-physical systems make decisions autonomously based on the data they receive. This aspect relies on AI/ML, edge computing, and autonomous systems.?
4. Technical assistance. Systems support humans by aggregating and visualizing data for decision-making and problem-solving. This one couldn’t exist without AR/VR, HMIs, and AI-driven analytics.?

The key message behind Industry 4.0 is: “We have everything we need to succeed. We just need to apply it properly.”?

?? What are Industry 4.0, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and 4IR?

IR4 – Not Just for Manufacturing

The term itself (Industry 4.0) was coined in 2011 in Germany. It referred to the initiative to promote the computerization of manufacturing. This initial idea found its way into the modernized concept of IR4. And today, far too many resources link Industry 4.0 to manufacturing, as in “applicable only in this industry.”

First, the idea of the fourth industrial revolution has evolved. Second, it would be foolish not to apply its principles to other sectors. For example:

• Telemedicine and predictive analytics in healthcare.
• Real-time tracking and automation in supply chains and logistics.
• Personalized shopping experience and supply chain optimization in retail.
• AI/ML and blockchain in finance.?
• AR/VR and data analytics in education, and more.

Don’t be misled by this notion. And don’t think that you can’t apply IR4 principles and enjoy its benefits if you’re from a different sector .

What Can You Gain with IR4?

Speaking of benefits, Industry 4.0 basically combines the advantages of all its underlying tech. This leaves you with an impressive list of values.?

1. Increased efficiency and productivity. Automated processes reduce human error and increase speed, leading to higher productivity. Advanced analytics and AI optimize operations by identifying inefficiencies and suggesting improvements.
2. Enhanced customer experience. AI and big data analytics enable companies to offer personalized products and services.
3. Improved decision-making. Real-time data collection and analysis provide organizations with actionable insights.
4. Enhanced flexibility and agility. Industry 4.0 technologies allow for the easy reconfiguration of processes and system adaptation.
5. Cost reduction. Automation, predictive maintenance, and optimized resource use lead to significant cost savings by reducing waste, energy consumption, and downtime.
6. Improved quality and reduced defects. Continuous monitoring of processes and equipment allows for early issue detection and proactive maintenance.
7. Enhanced supply chain management. IoT, blockchain, and advanced analytics provide greater visibility into supply chains.
8. Sustainability and environmental impact. Industry 4.0 promotes the efficient use of resources through optimized processes and circular economy practices.
9. Improved safety and compliance. Automated systems and real-time data collection improve workplace safety by monitoring conditions and ensuring compliance with safety standards.
10. Innovation and new business models. IR4 tech enables the development of new products, services, and business models, such as product-as-a-service, digital twins, and AI-driven services.
11. Collaboration and connectivity. Industry 4.0 fosters greater collaboration between different stakeholders through connected platforms and ecosystems.
12. Resilience and risk management. Predictive analytics and real-time monitoring enhance an organization’s ability to foresee and mitigate risks.
13. Customization and on-demand production. Additive manufacturing and modular systems allow for the production of customized products on demand.
14. Workforce empowerment and skill development. Smart tools and augmented reality provide real-time guidance and training and reduce the skill gap.
15. Global competitiveness. Adopting Industry 4.0 technologies lets you stay competitive by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and responding more quickly to market demands.

According to a McKinsey study, early adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies could boost cash flow by 122%, while stragglers risk a 23% decline. This doesn’t come as a surprise. IR4 tech has been around for a while. And we’re all well familiar with its benefits . Yet, these perks don’t come on their own.

Industry 4.0 Needs QA More Than Anything

"To achieve excellence… is to embrace the future of quality." – American Society for Quality

Industry 4.0 presupposes a stronger reliance on technology. So, business processes will turn more complex alongside any solution. Thus, before relying on it, we ought to make sure it works as we need it to. And that’s exactly why QA won’t go anywhere. It won’t be replaced by AI, automation, or what have you.

In fact, QA will be at the core of making IR4 principles work by testing:

• Integrations between hardware and software, validating real-time responses, and ensuring that the system can handle the complexity of physical and digital interactions.?
• Communication protocols, data formats, and system interfaces to verify that different components can integrate and function together.?
• Data encryption, access controls, data validation, and protection against cyber threats.
• Automated regression, performance, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to ensure that updates and new deployments do not introduce defects.?
• IoT devices for functionality, connectivity, scalability, and security.
• AI algorithms, model accuracy, bias, and ensuring that machine learning systems can adapt to new data without degrading performance.
• The accuracy and consistency of the digital twin’s data, validating the simulations and predictions, and ensuring that the digital twin can integrate with real-world systems.
• Performance and real-time response to ensure that systems can handle the expected load and perform within acceptable timeframes.?
• The implementation of automated testing within CI/CD pipelines.
• Compliance with industry-specific standards, verifying that systems meet legal and regulatory requirements.?
• Usability testing, user interface (UI) testing, and human factors engineering to ensure that the interaction between humans and machines is seamless and user-friendly. (UX).
• The accuracy of predictive maintenance algorithms and data collection and analysis processes.

As we’ve learned throughout the years, having promising tech is nothing. Implementing it is everything. What’s the point of fawning over disruptive technologies if we can’t apply them properly? This is the reason for QA being at the forefront of Industry 4.0. It’ll be the one to ensure we can utilize IR4 resources productively.

Think of it this way:

• Industry 4.0 tells us what tech will lead the way.
• It advises us to use it all for tangible advantages (not trends or mediocre gains).
• IR4 gives us a framework upon which to build this tech’s implementation (the principles).
• At the same time, the entire concept of QA gives us the chance to apply Industry 4.0 right.?

So, IR4 and QA are two sides of the same coin: one is about what to use, the other is about how to use it – with quality at the core.

?? Connected Quality Is the Secret Sauce to the Fulfillment of Industry 4.0

From QA to Quality 4.0

Quality assurance practices were never static. They ceaselessly adapted to the world around them, always staying relevant and proving their worth. And even Industry 4.0, a new, better way, sees immense value in QA, thus creating Quality 4.0.?

Quality 4.0 is the application of IR4 technologies and concepts to quality management. It’s about leveraging digital transformation to enhance quality processes, improve product value, and increase overall efficiency.

In other words, quality assurance will have to evolve once again. Looking at Industry 4.0 tech and principles, we can say that QA 4.0 will:

1. Focus on automating the testing process itself and validating the automation within industrial processes.?
2. Increasingly rely on AI-driven tools to optimize test coverage, prioritize test cases, and analyze data.?
3. Constantly test and validate systems in real time, enabling immediate issue detection and resolution.
4. Center on systems-level testing. This involves validating the interactions between various components and networks.?
5. Adopt advanced security testing practices to protect against the growing number of cyber threats in Industry 4.0 environments.
6. Rely on Big Data analytics and AI to manage and analyze data, identifying patterns, predicting issues, and optimizing testing strategies.
7. Ensure that connected systems can exchange data, coordinate actions, and maintain performance across diverse and distributed environments.
8. Use digital twins to simulate different scenarios, test system behavior under various conditions, and identify potential issues before they occur in the real world.?
9. Bridge the gap, ensuring that both IT and OT systems are tested together, and that testing strategies consider the unique requirements of both domains.?
10. Make sure that interfaces are intuitive, accessible, and effective, particularly in environments where workers interact with complex automation systems, robots, or AR apps.

QA has always been an example. It took what businesses needed to succeed and perfected it to offer the most value for companies. Want AI in your processes? We’ll set up and test it so it works flawlessly! Want your IoT system to offer reliable data? We’ll check every nook and cranny! Want to streamline your operations? We’ll optimize your workflows and eliminate bottlenecks!

Quality assurance can’t afford to provide half-baked services. It would be useless. And it can’t compromise quality. It’s just not what QA is about. And we could all learn a thing or two from this.?

?? Overcoming Roadblocks to Industry 4.0

“In today’s era of volatility, there is no other way but to re-invent. The only sustainable advantage you can have over others is agility, that’s it. Because nothing else is sustainable, everything else you create, somebody else will replicate.” – Jeff Bezos

So, let’s reinvent. Let’s reinvent how we use today’s tech and the opportunities it gives us. Let’s finally do it right. And before we can profit from Industry 4.0, we need to reach Quality 4.0.

What are your thoughts on the future of the Quality 4.0 concept?

Let's discuss it in the comments!