Automation Alley added 79 new members in September. Click the link below to meet them.

Meet software developer APiS and learn how this Automation Alley member company utilizes their membership to gain exposure and reach a larger audience.

Industrial automation has come a long way since Ford Vice President Delmar Harder coined the term in 1948. Now, as we edge closer to a new decade, industrial manufacturing is benefiting from the collective developments of the past. Industry 4.0 enables machine tending that is collaborative, mobile, and fueled by AI. This week on the blog, Thomas Post, CAPRIOL operations manager, discusses how to build a business case for mobile machine tending in industrial manufacturing.

In today’s competitive business climate, public relations and marketing have become essential tools for a business to thrive. This is true across the board, whether you are an automotive supplier, technology firm or another key Industry 4.0 stakeholder. Mike Szudarek of Marx Layne & Company joins us on the blog to talk about using analytics in your PR campaigns.

Industry 4.0 is here, and it’s no secret that your business and product development processes will be affected. The Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), additive manufacturing and other innovative technologies add more dimension and depth to the never-ending amounts of data produced by the industry. How will you effectively manage and use this data to enhance your product development processes? It’s important to know the answer to this question, because Industry 4.0 shows no signs of slowing down. Read more this week on the blog.

Manufacturing continues to be an ideal proving ground for the Internet of Things (IoT), given the industry’s long history with operational efficiency programs like Six Sigma and the wealth of sensor-connected assets at companies’ disposal that they can use to enable IoT. This convergence is driving a new wave of innovation: using digitization to drive throughput, prevent costly product and asset failures, automate processes, digitize whole supply chains, and build new services that push the boundaries of what’s imaginable and possible. It’s no wonder Gartner projects industry spending on IoT to reach $670 billion by 2023.

Understanding the market dynamics of each Industrial Revolution sheds light on the evolving battle between electric and combustion engine vehicles. Why did electric vehicle adoption fail in the Second Industrial Revolution? Why will electronic vehicle adoption succeed in the Fourth Industrial Revolution? Edward Mulford of Baker Tilly explains, this week on the blog.