Categories

Industry 4.0

Digital Thread: Industry 4.0 Beyond the Twin

A digital thread is the data architecture that connects PLM, MES, ERP, and IIoT under one common identifier, unlike a digital twin, which replicates a single asset. Here I explain what it is, how it differs from the twin, and how to start with one real use case instead of a project that never ends.

Artificial Intelligence

Robotics and Intelligent Automation: The New Industrial Era

Intelligent automation combines AI, machine learning, and physical robots that perceive, decide, and adapt in real time instead of following a fixed script. It is transforming manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and food processing, and by 2024 there were already more than 4.6 million industrial robots active worldwide, per the IFR.