The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, is radically changing the way we work and live. And while keeping up with the pace of technological change can feel overwhelming, costly and potentially insecure at times, it’s critical that manufacturers increase connectivity and adopt digital technologies to make better informed, data-driven decisions. If you are in need of some inspiration, we’ve compiled 7 inspirational quotes from Industry 4.0 influencers.

What happens when engineering, manufacturing and sales operate differently? Poor communication and errors can happen between departments. So, how can this be fixed? With Configit’s help, businesses can centralize all configuration rules into a single repository that feeds multiple ERP, PLM, sales and customer systems.

Member PowerLink Systems, provider of EV charging products and services, discusses their technology and collaboration with Automation Alley to keep members and guests powered up!

Automation Alley added 17 new members in July. Click the link below to meet them.

To go around in cities, do you resort to Uber? Do you use Airbnb to find accommodations? Be aware that these services could only become a reality when digital platforms brought offline assets to the online universe. Both Uber and Airbnb adopted a strategy known as asset hacking, which consists in taking over third-party assets to establish their business models.

For the first time in our nation’s history, four generations (and soon to be five) work alongside each other. Companies now find themselves trying to balance age gaps that can span upwards of 50 years between the youngest and oldest employees. What can be done so every generation of your workforce is engaged?

As Industry 4.0’s popularity continues to grow, so does the news surrounding the companies making their digital transformations. Businesses around the globe are not only becoming more familiar with connected and smart technologies like IoT and AI, but they are also beginning to see the benefits Industry 4.0 implementation is having to their bottom lines—helping operations run more smoothly and more efficiently. Industry 4.0 can be used almost anywhere—from factory floors to farmlands—and can assist in almost any type of work. This week on the blog, we’re highlighting this month’s top news stories on Industry 4.0.

Vestas has been at the forefront of wind energy for 40 years, introducing market-leading wind energy solutions that have taken wind energy from niche to mainstream. Building some of the most complex offerings on the market, Vestas was looking to improve a manufacturing process that requires numerous shop floor workers to put together thousands of materials in a critical step-by-step process. This week on the blog, find out how PTC, a software company specializing in the convergence of the physical and digital, helped Vestas take a digital-first approach to their build process.

Meet Model Engineering Solutions and learn how this local company specializing in quality assurance of software projects gets the most out of its Automation Alley membership.

As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, here at Automation Alley we are also celebrating one of the things that makes our country so special — our strong manufacturing leadership. Last month, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters' call for a National Institute of Manufacturing was a welcome announcement in the Industry 4.0 era. Connected "smart" factories are creating new ways to design and produce products, changing the way companies operate and revolutionizing the role humans will play in the labor economy. The U.S. — and Michigan in particular — must maintain our manufacturing prowess in a time of dramatic technical and cultural disruption.