…then the topic of Industry 4.0 becomes a reliable indicator for disruptive change brought on by the newest of technologies. It is therefore only right that, as both one of the most influential computer scientists and successful entrepreneurs, Prof. Dr. August-Wilhelm Scheer should devote an in-depth chapter to this subject in his recently published book ”Industry 4.0”.
The way of looking at processes that underlies the concept of Industry 4.0 is already over 30 years old. It was illustrated back then in the Y-CIM model which Professor Scheer used as the basis for the subsequent development of his ARIS software and methods. The focus was placed on the separate consideration given to processes taking place in companies on the one hand – such as planning, sales or procurement – and, on the other hand, to processes critical to the activity of production. The Y form makes their separate analysis and meaningful interlinking clear. The concept of Computer Integrated Manufacturing was to be the basis of computer controlled industrial operations. What was missing, however, was the appropriate technology for successful implementation. This technology is available to us today and the fourth industrial revolution in modern production operations has therefore not only arrived, but its implementation is increasingly becoming a factor critical to success.
