{"id":1057,"date":"2022-04-06T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-06T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meta2i.com\/eu\/?p=1057"},"modified":"2026-10-13T00:24:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T22:24:54","slug":"the-mes-a-fundamental-step-in-a-successful-transition-to-industry-4-0","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meta2i.com\/eu\/en\/academy\/the-mes-a-fundamental-step-in-a-successful-transition-to-industry-4-0\/","title":{"rendered":"The MES: a fundamental step in a successful transition to Industry 4.0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The history of industrial revolutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First used in 1837, the expression \u201cindustrial revolution\u201d refers to all the developments that, from the 18th century onwards, made the world more modern, in particular through the growth of capitalism, communication tools and production techniques in the West. Today, we can distinguish 4 industrial revolutions, each bringing a major change:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The first industrial revolution: mechanical production<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It began at the end of the 18th century<\/strong> with the use of coal, the invention of the steam engine and the birth of new industries, such as textiles. It marked the arrival of mechanisation, which replaced craftsmanship. The steam engine drove machines and allowed higher production rates. All this led to greater output and gave rise to products made in small series.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The second industrial revolution: mass production<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This second revolution appeared at the end of the 19th century<\/strong>. It was based on new energy sources such as electricity, gas and oil, whose use was linked in particular to the internal combustion engine. It was the era of large factories and the division of labour. Taylorism and assembly-line work appeared in these factories, making unskilled workers more productive but also raising questions about the meaning of work.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The third industrial revolution: automated production<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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This third industrial revolution appeared in the 1970s, with the development of nuclear energy and the arrival of computing<\/strong> in our daily lives. It was also the beginning of robotics, large-series production and flexible production tools, thanks to extensive automation that relieved operators of certain tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 4th industrial revolution: Industry 4.0, or the digitisation of information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 4th industrial revolution has emerged in recent years. It stems from the digitisation of connected devices and brings its share of progress and change, such as nanotechnology, 3D printing and self-driving cars, all of which can be managed by increasingly autonomous artificial intelligence. Despite the many advances, we can still say that we are at the very beginning of Industry 4.0. This new industrial revolution concerns all industrial companies<\/strong>, in every sector and of every size. Their goal is to make a turn that is necessary for their future, in particular by changing how production is managed with new digital tools. This will let them adapt to new consumption patterns, which require the ability to produce customised products in limited series without extra cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An industrial revolution driven by several technologies<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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The cobot<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The cobot, or collaborative robot, is revolutionising the industrial world. It is both less dangerous and less expensive for factories.
What is it for?<\/strong> The cobot works alongside operators and can take the place of human arms. It is designed to assist the operator and collaborate with them. Easy to program, the collaborative robot can perform different tasks depending on its attachments (grippers, force sensors\u2026).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Pictogramme<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cloud computing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cloud computing means accessing IT services such as servers, storage and networking over the Internet. It is an essential element of any Industry 4.0 strategy. The cloud connects production, sales, engineering, the supply chain, distribution and services, giving you the opportunity to process stored and analysed data more efficiently and cost-effectively.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Pictogramme<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

IoT (Internet of Things)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The IoT refers to the network of physical devices \u2014 objects with sensors and software \u2014 that connect to other devices to collect, analyse and exchange data. It is one of the most decisive elements of smart factories.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Pictogramme<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Augmented reality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Augmented reality adds virtual elements to our field of vision, in particular through an augmented reality headset. What does it bring to industry? Mainly, it gives industrial jobs a new look by simplifying and automating certain tasks, with the aim of improving the company’s productivity. Augmented reality has many benefits; here are the main ones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n