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WHAT IS INDUSTRY 4.0 - THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION?


To be a revolution, something must drastically disrupt the status quo in industry.

Since 1970 we have an accelerating timeline of these revolutions in business beginning with the industrial revolution or industry 1.0.

Industry 1.0 – The steam engine and textile mechanization 1760


Industry 2.0 – Electricity enters the conversation 1870


Industry 3.0 – The internet 1950s


Industry 4.0 – Robotic automation 2016

The start date for robotics changing the face of industry may be debatable, but the fact that it has, is not.

All this was exacerbated by workforce shortages and the instability of a human workforce exposed by a worldwide pandemic. The investment into robotic workers still carries a hefty up-front cost however, the opportunity cost of a warehouse unable to find staff begins to tip the scales at a greater pace than ever.

The automation revolution started by replacing tasks with the highest risk to human workers keeping the most valuable asset of any business better protected.

Not solely driven by economic factors, industry 4.0 is being driven by the opportunities provided to change lives. We see new applications every day that delegate life threatening tasks to a machine from high voltage areas being maintained by drones to EOD teams deploying cutting edge technology to diffuse improvised explosive devices.


What has this meant for NorComp?

For connectors the biggest jump from the introduction of the internet and data to robotic automation of traditionally human tasks is mobility and environment exposure.

Data and power transfer are taking place in increasingly harsh environments as design applications move from server centers and office desktops to drone delivery systems and smart shipping container monitors.

Keeping up with Industry 4.0 has meant increasing lines of high-speed offerings that include vibration resistance. The ruggedized connector quickly becoming the only acceptable option for millions of applications.

The internet of things did not go anywhere and is the backbone of the automation and robotics disruption. Those applications continue to co-exist with their mobile partners doubling the demand for connectors in less than a decade.

NorComp looks forward to serving new and existing partners with design and product innovation as we ride the wave of the fourth industrial revolution.



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