Industry 2.0 (ca. 1870) Piecework and Assembly Line

The successes of Industry 1.0 led to a population explosion in cities. Numerous workers were now available to be employed in the steadily growing industry. In the 1830s, the early industrialization of Industry 2.0 began.

The introduction of electricity as a driving force was the starting signal for the second industrial revolution. Towards the end of the 19th century, steam engines were replaced by machines powered by electricity. This development also introduced assembly line work. Factory floors could now produce a mass of goods in record time.

The assembly line introduced in 1913 by Henry Ford in car production was particularly influential. Each employee performed only one manual operation, so that the production of individual parts was much faster. Previously, an entire car was assembled at one station. From this time on, cars were produced in partial steps on the assembly line, and this was much faster and cheaper. This development was a revolution on the labor market. From now on, specialized workers were needed. Whether then or now – the shortage of skilled workers has always been an issue.

Communication at office workplaces also developed further. This no longer consisted of letters, but more recently of telephone calls and telegrams, which accelerated many work processes. In addition, the typewriter was further developed and from now on was also used on a mass scale.

In summary, Industry 2.0 saw the beginning of telecommunications, the assembly line revolutionized work in factories and the first automobiles could be produced. Transport also developed further – air and sea transport made it possible to travel across continents. Since that time, Germany has developed into one of the largest industrial powers in the world. Its successes revolutionized not only industry, but many other areas. These developments were the first steps towards globalization – significant for us to this day.

Industry 3.0 (ca. 1969) Automation through Computers

The first steps in telecommunications and globalization were driven by Industry 2.0, so the third industrial revolution began in the 1970s. In the age of Industry 3.0, the focus was on automation through electrical engineering and information technology. The first beginnings of the technology emerged as early as the 18th century. Charles Babbage, together with Ads Lovelace, created a basis for the individually programmable computer with his Analytical Engine. Further development led to the world’s first functioning devices in 1941. In this year, the German engineer Konrad Ernst Otto Zuse developed the so-called “Z3”. The computer was program-controlled, freely programmable and fully automatic. This was initially only a prototype. It was not until its successor, the “Z4”, was leased to the ETH Zurich that we speak of the first commercial use of a computer. Thereupon, a rapid development began, because the development cycles became shorter and shorter. It was not until the 1970s, as mentioned before, that the age of Industry 3.0 began. Initially, calculating machines were used that could calculate complex formulas fully automatically. Later, these were replaced by the personal computer (PC). The PC was further developed so that it could be used in offices and private households. This was mainly done with the so-called Commodore, which dominated the home computer market in the 1980s and early 1990s. A new industry was born. The first digital giants, such as Microsoft and Apple, were also founded at this time.

Industry 3.0 was shaped by computers and automation and represents the fast pace of life and information technology. The rapid advancement of computer technology made it possible to use PCs in the home or office for the first time. For example, home computers replaced typewriters, which were used in Industry 2.0. The age brought a turnaround in the world of work. In Industry 3.0, too, human work was increasingly taken over by machines

Industry 4.0 (Now) – Digitization and Networking

The end of the 20th century is considered the beginning of Industry 4.0 and builds on the developments of the third industrial revolution. The fourth phase, which continues to this day, is characterized by the introduction of the Internet and thus increasing digitization. Therefore, this period is also called the digital age. With its increasing prominence in the 1990s, the internet has ensured that we live in a completely new world.

Digitization has completely changed the world of production and work. Because in this day and age it is no longer possible to produce goods in stock, but according to actual demand or need. Continuous developments in information processing have made just-in-time production possible.

The “Internet of Things” (IoT) is already integrated into many companies and our everyday lives, and we can no longer imagine life without it. By networking machines or everyday objects with the internet, devices are able to perform tasks fully automatically. Digital networking offers countless possibilities. Already computer-controlled production plants can be expanded through a network connection, creating a digital twin on the internet. Networking leads to an intelligent factory in which systems, components and people communicate via a network and productions almost control themselves.

In addition, classic branches of industry, such as the construction industry, are being digitized. The Building Information Modelling working method, which was only given this name in the 1990s, plays a significant role in this. Buildings can be represented digitally in a 3D model.

Terms such as, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), IT, clouds, self-learning algorithms and Big Data have emerged in recent decades. Compared to the annual intervals of the first and second industrial revolutions, Industry 4.0 has developed rapidly.