Why Quality Assurance is at the Forefront of Industry 4.0

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Why Quality Assurance is at the
Forefront of Industry 4.0
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Why Quality Assurance is at the
Forefront of Industry 4.0
The history of Industrial revolution began back
in late 1700s, simultaneously marking the onset
of an era that thrived upon efficiency and mass
production abilities. The wave of
industrialization transformed the manufacturing
industry as a whole. The technological revolution
succeeded the first industrial revolution and
introduced the industry to electrification and
production lines. With expansion of railroad
networks and invention of telephone,
transportation became cheaper and communication
became easier. Marked by the rise of computers,
the digital revolution became the third stage of
industrialization. It became possible to control
machinery through programming. While all these
stages seem to be applicable for the
manufacturing industry only, their impact extends
way beyond. From a time when hydro-electric
equipment was awe-inspiring, telephone was an
out-of-the world invention, and computer was a
digital devil, we sure have come a long way not
only in terms of technology and innovation, but
also in terms of scope and acceptance. The
Fourth-Gen Revolution Industry 4.0 The fourth
industrial revolution has been the most
disruptive by far. The internet has enabled
real-time connectivity by creating a smart
cyber-physical space for interactions. During the
technology revolution, the railroad networks and
telegraphs facilitated better connectivity, thus
opening new and better avenues for business and
growth. A century later, with abundant innovative
features and technology at our disposal, the
stature of connectivity has elevated from being a
luxury to being a critical need.
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Why Quality Assurance is at the Forefront of
Industry 4.0
All the four generations of industrialization
have focused primarily into making the existing
processes faster and delivering the end product
to the customer as quickly as possible. Speed is
still the central goal with Industry 4.0.
However, there is a significant differentiator
that makes it stand out from the rest the
emphasis on building quality products. From the
age of computerization to the present age of
digitalization, there has been a colossal shift
in the mindset of both consumers as well as
businesses. The modern consumers deem quality to
be a pre-requisite for making a purchase.
Business-owners have understood that they cannot
succeed only on the basis of mass production and
quick delivery. Realizing that there is no way
around a quality service or product, they are
taking the required measures to yield assured
quality through their offerings. The Physical in
Digital and the Digital in Physical There are
four broad aspects that encompass the fourth
industrial revolution cyber-physical systems,
Internet of Things, cognitive computing, and
cloud computing. Internet of Things is empowering
real-time connectivity between humans and
machines. The interconnectivity generates heaps
of data that becomes the fuel for cognitive
computers, whereas the cloud becomes warehouse
for the output generated by cognitive
computing. By bridging the gap between physical
and digital elements and systems, Industry 4.0
takes a holistic approach toward transforming the
world as we know it. Digital transformation, one
of the key derivatives of Industry 4.0, is
evolving every
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Why Quality Assurance is at the Forefront of
Industry 4.0
industry from a mass production hub to a
powerhouse of quality experiences. The Age of
Autonomy Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and
Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum,
writes in his book, The fourth industrial
revolution, is not only about smart and connected
machines and systems. Its scope is much wider.
Occurring simultaneously are waves of further
breakthroughs in areas ranging from gene
sequencing to nanotechnology, from renewables to
quantum computing. It is the fusion of these
technologies and their interaction across the
physical, digital and biological domains that
make the fourth industrial revolution
fundamentally different from previous
revolutions. Machine learning, deep learning,
artificial intelligence, robotics, automation,
self-driving cars, smart devices, smart homes,
smart cities there are myriad examples of
innovative, state-of-the-art technology in use
today. Even with so much development, the fourth
industrial revolution is still in its infancy.
This is when, over 2.5 quintillion data is
generated every day. Imagine the amount of data
that will be generated when the revolution would
have attained maturity. Data-driven Quality
Assurance Data is the digital currency in this
age of automation. It is the foundation on which
intelligence of modern machines is

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Why Quality Assurance is at the Forefront of
Industry 4.0

developed. The increasing dependency on machines
is mainly attributed to this growing
intelligence. As per Prof. Schwab, An estimated
90 of the worlds data has been created in the
past two years, and the amount of information
created by businesses is doubling every 1.2
years. Leveraging this data can allow businesses
to understand the expectations of their
quality-oriented consumers. While data helps
businesses gather insights on customers needs
and wants, quality assurance practices empower
them to impart great experience and derive
greater satisfaction. The fourth industrial
revolution has put software at the heart of
production methodologies, marking a shift from
hardware-based processes. This transition has
consequently emphasized the criticality of
software testing in guaranteeing delivery of the
expected quality. Read Full Blog at
https//www.cigniti.com/blog/quality-assurance-fo
urth-industrial-revolution/
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