Glossary · Manufacturing systems
Smart manufacturing
Also known as: Industry 4.0, Smart factory
German: Smart Manufacturing
In manufacturing, smart manufacturing is the use of networked equipment, integrated data, analytics and AI to monitor, control and optimize production and supply chains, often across the whole product and plant lifecycle.
- Manufacturing systems
- AI
In one sentence
Smart manufacturing uses networked equipment, integrated data, analytics and AI to monitor, control and optimize production.
Example
In the smart factory, machine data flow into a shared data platform where models predict quality and maintenance needs and planners see live status.
How it applies
- Engineering: Smart manufacturing builds on standard communication and Information models (for example OPC UA, the Asset Administration Shell), IIoT platforms and cybersecurity by design.
- Operation: Use cases include predictive maintenance, predictive quality, energy optimization, adaptive scheduling and digital work instructions.
- Risk and regulation: Connected systems raise OT security requirements (IEC 62443, the EU Cyber Resilience Act for products with digital elements). AI functions in machines can fall under the Machinery Regulation and the AI Act.
- Documentation: Smart manufacturing needs documentation that is machine-readable and linked to product and plant data: structured content, metadata and the Digital thread between engineering, production and service information.
Smart manufacturing vs. Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0 is the German-origin term for the same development; 'smart manufacturing' is more common in the US. Both describe a direction rather than a fixed set of technologies.