When it comes to the North American manufacturing industry, after decades of decline, change is in the air. Rapid improvements in communication technology, software, and machine learning over the past two decades have led to an almost unparalleled degree of innovation in the manufacturing world, which in turn is driving increased automation and a greater reliance on tech than labour force that is spurring growth in North American manufacturing for the first time in years. Many observers are describing this as a fourth industrial revolution — Industry 4.0 — and it is already reshaping how we conceive of manufacturing.

Like the previous three industrial revolutions, Industry 4.0 was sparked by key developments in related fields: where the steam engine provided the impetus for the first industrial revolution, and the invention of the production line created the second, Industry 4.0 is being driven by the wide-reaching changes kick started by new developments in communications (chiefly, the Internet). As Wifi connections make it possible for smart appliances to communicate with each other, production lines are becoming integrated, allowing important information and data to be shared from machine to machine.

As these developments take root across the manufacturing sector, one particular piece of technology is playing an increasingly important role: the coordinate measuring machine (CMM). CMMs are typically used to measure parts and make sure they meet blueprint specifications, and because they provide high-level data about the dimensions of the parts being produced they play an important role as final arbiter of quality control.

Recent years have seen significant developments in CMM measurement equipment and technology that have allowed metrology processes to become ever more integrated into the production line as a whole. Because CMMs collect so much data, they are a rich source of information about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the entire operation. With new software that allows CMMs to interface with a broad number of other production applications, they can even function as a kind of early warning system for machine errors and breakdowns. For example, by using input data from the rest of the assembly line CMMs can now analyze measurement data to find and monitor worsening degradation in part quality, and is even allowing CMMs to communicate with other machines further upstream in the production process to flag potential issues (such as increasing wear) that could lead to errors in the parts being produced if not addressed.

It is impossible to say what final form Industry 4.0 will take, and predictions range from the almost utopian — machines will be able to oversee almost every element of production, making human manufacturing labour obsolete — to the more cautious projection that increased automation will make some jobs obsolete but lead to the creation of new positions elsewhere. Whatever the future of this new industrial revolution, one thing is clear: producers who are able to take advantage of new CMM technology to increase quality and efficiency on their production lines while simultaneously driving down costs will be ideally situated to reap the financial benefits of these technological breakthroughs.