A Categorical Framework of Manufacturing for Industry 4.0 and Beyond

With rapid advancements in industry, technology and applications, many concepts have emerged in manufacturing. It is generally known that the far-sighted term ‘Industry 4.0’ was published to highlight a new industrial revolution. Many manufacturing organizations and companies are researching this topic. However, the achievement criteria of Industry 4.0 are as yet uncertain. In addition, the technology roadmap of accomplishing Industry 4.0 is still not clear in industry nor in academia to date. This paper focuses on the fundamental conception of Industry 4.0 and the state of current manufacturing systems. It also identifies the research gaps between current manufacturing systems and Industry 4.0 requirements. The major contribution is an implementation structure of Industry 4.0, consisting of a multi-layered framework is described, and is shown how it can assist people in understanding and achieving the requirements of Industry 4.0.