// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM
Connected Factory
A manufacturing facility where machines, sensors, and systems are digitally linked to share data and communicate, improving efficiency and decision-making. It represents a highly integrated production environment.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
A connected factory, or smart factory, integrates IoT devices, sensors, machines, and IT systems through a robust network infrastructure, enabling real-time data exchange, remote monitoring, and optimized production processes across the entire value chain.
BACKGROUND
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as 4IR, Industry 4.0 or the Intelligence Age, is a neologism describing rapid technological advancement in the 21st century. It follows the Third Industrial Revolution. The term was popularized in 2016 by Klaus Schwab, the World Economic Forum founder and former executive chairman, who asserts that these developments represent a significant shift in industrial capitalism.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Smart factory
- Digital factory
- Industry 4.0 factory
USAGE NOTE
The connected factory paradigm drives operational excellence by providing comprehensive visibility into production processes and enabling predictive capabilities.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Connected Factory.
A global technology powerhouse, Siemens provides comprehensive digital enterprise solutions, including industrial automation, digital twins, and IoT platforms (MindSphere) that enable the seamless integration and connectivity of factory assets, processes, and data for smart manufacturing.
Specializing in industrial automation and digital transformation, Rockwell Automation offers a Connected Enterprise approach, providing integrated control systems, software, and services to connect disparate systems and data across manufacturing operations for real-time visibility and optimized production.
Schneider Electric provides innovative solutions for energy management and industrial automation, including IoT-enabled EcoStruxure platforms that connect operational technology (OT) with information technology (IT) to create smart, efficient, and sustainable connected factories.
A leader in robotics, industrial automation, and electrification products, ABB develops technologies for connecting robots, machines, and production lines. Their digital solutions, such as ABB Ability, enable data-driven insights and control for enhanced productivity and flexibility in connected factories.
Honeywell delivers industrial control systems, advanced sensors, and software solutions that help manufacturers connect their operations, collect real-time data, and implement predictive maintenance and process optimization strategies for a more efficient and responsive connected factory environment.
PTC provides an industrial IoT platform (ThingWorx) and augmented reality solutions (Vuforia) that are critical for connecting operational data from machines and sensors, visualizing factory performance in real-time, and enabling remote assistance and predictive maintenance in connected factories.
As a leading enterprise software provider, SAP offers solutions like SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud and SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing, which provide the backbone for integrating manufacturing operations, supply chains, and business processes to support a truly connected and intelligent factory.
GE Digital offers a suite of software solutions, including Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and Asset Performance Management (APM) tools, built on its Predix platform. These enable manufacturers to connect disparate assets, optimize operations, and achieve greater efficiency and reliability in their factories.