People at the forefront with Industry 5.0

Industry 5.0 marks a shift from the automation-driven Industry 4.0 to a human-centric, sustainable industrial model. While technologies like automation, IoT, AI, and robotics remain important, the focus of Industry 5.0 is on integrating human creativity, ethics, and well-being into production environments. Introduced by the European Commission in 2021, it aims to align technology with social and ecological values. Countries and organisations are piloting solutions that combine collaborative robotics, digital twins, green energy, and mass personalisation for responsible and inclusive production.

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Industry 4.0 emphasised automation, standardisation, visibility, agility, and decision-making by machines, resulting in operations that could run continuously without human intervention. It led to concepts like “Dark Factories” or lights-out manufacturing, showcasing the extremes of Industry 4.0 implementation.

The industry has evolved from manual processes in the 1700s (Industry 1.0) to mechanisation (Industry 2.0) in the 1800s, then to computer-assisted manufacturing (Industry 3.0) in the 1970s, and finally to the connected and automated IIoT-driven processes of Industry 4.0 around the 2020s.

Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 marks a significant shift in processes, principles, and technologies. It includes key initiatives like process automation, product simulation, and a seamless connection from the shop floor to the top floor. Essential components involve the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), cybersecurity, and digital technologies such as cloud computing, mobility, 3D printing, augmented and virtual reality, and big data analytics.

As we advance into Industry 4.0, industries are becoming more standardised, automated, and self-governing, resulting in mass production with minimal manual intervention. Factories will operate continuously, giving the impression of autonomy, though this is limited to their knowledge of business rules and established expert systems.

When taken to the extreme, Industry 4.0 can lead to excessive automation and a higher reliance on robotic systems and conveyors. This could result in self-decision-making processes that overlook the human element, creating operations that run continuously 365 days a year, without any manual intervention. This scenario is often referred to as “dark factories” or “lights-out manufacturing,” highlighting the reckless implementation of Industry 4.0 concepts.

Where 5.0 is already real?