The Internet of Things and Sustainable Manufacturing

The Internet provides the means to interconnect billions of network-enabled devices and machines across the world, enabling information sharing between them and a degree of interactivity that hitherto has been impossible. This view of the future is referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT). It has the potential to have a profoundly positive impact on manufacturing by enabling much tighter control of production processes and a closer engagement between manufacturers and their suppliers and customers. Ultimately the IoT gives manufacturers the means to increase their productivity and rapidly respond to new opportunities and hence be more sustainable as a business. This chapter reviews the current state of the art of the IoT and what can be expected in years to come. The focus is on the manufacturing sector, sustainability and the key enabling role of the IoT in Industry 4.0.