Quality in the Era of Industry 4.0

1Evolution of Quality Through Industrial Revolutions

Industry 4.0, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is fueled by a remarkable suite of emerging technologies. These encompass everything from artificial intelligence and interconnected smart devices to groundbreaking advancements in nanotechnology. Such innovations are spawning unprecedented capabilities, fostering dynamic shifts in interpersonal communications, societal relationships, business operations, and service delivery. They are also stimulating product usage diversity and heightening production flexibility.

The momentum and breadth of this revolutionary transformation are intrinsically tied to the maturation rates of these underlying technologies, which are evolving at a swift pace. Historical precedents show us that each industrial revolution has deeply influenced management sciences and practices, including those in quality management. There is no reason to assume that the Fourth Industrial Revolution will be any different—it is poised to reshape our world in ways we are only beginning to comprehend.

Established quality management systems, such as total quality management (TQM), originated in the early period of the previous century. These systems were designed in response to the needs of the Second Industrial Revolution, which was characterized by mass production. Their primary goal was to mitigate defects and nonconformities within manufacturing processes. It is undeniable that these quality systems ...