Intelligent manufacturing and the shift toward fully autonomous factory systems

Intelligent manufacturing (IM) is a disruptively novel production paradigm that derives from Industry 4.0. This paradigm shift in the way industrial manufacturing is undertaken is now encompassing the whole manufacturing supply chain. Autonomous factories will then be able to manage themselves upon only high-level goals defined and reassessed by humans, who will be responsible for strategic decision-making. Factories will endeavor to maximize their efficiency and product quality while minimizing environmental and social impact. Intelligent manufacturing involves the latest advances in digital automation, cognitive computing, data science, and information technologies, as they become available in the form of products and services for use in the manufacturing sector.