The first introduction

Big Data is the oil of the future – data is both the most important resource and the lubricant in the digitalised industry 4.0, in which the physical world is to be connected with the digital world. This sounds a bit like science fiction – but it is already present!

Because the most important building block of Industry 4.0 is already in use: Cyber Physical Systems are precisely the technical marvels that can connect the world you can see with the virtual world of data and information.

Cyber Physical Systems are essentially the sensory organs of information technology, attached to future-proof machines and products. They collect impressions and processes of their environment and subsequently provide exactly the data that makes the production process ever more efficient and better.

If Industry 4.0 is the future of the manufacturing industry, then Cyber Physical Systems are the cornerstone. This chapter will introduce you to exactly this basic building block.