Industry 4.0 allows automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It includes Cyber-Physical Systems, the Internet of Things, Cloud Computing and Cognitive Computing.

Industry 4.0 creates what has been called a “smart factory”. Within the modular structured smart factories, Cyber-Physical Systems monitor physical processes, create a virtual copy of the physical world and make decentralized decisions. Over the Internet of Things, Cyber-Physical Systems communicate and cooperate with each other and with humans in real time, and via the Internet of Services, both internal and cross-organizational services are offered and used by participants of the value chain.