Verlag “Stahleisen” GmbH (Düsseldorf, Germany):

Ratzek U., Chief editor of “Stahl und Eisen” journal, e-mail: ulrich.ratzek@srahleisen.de

“Industry 4.0” became the reflection of the appearance when Internet of things and services has changed essentially the production processes. The people are connecting with products through Internet, while products are connecting in the same way with machines and equipment. At present time we are on the starting step of these dramatic variations, and success is determined mainly by innovative potential of the enterprises. In this connection, “Industry 4.0” provides advantages in cost, quality, flexibility and time along the whole technological chain. These advantages have to be identified and used, and it is necessary to improve and create new equipment and technologies on the way to “Industry 4.0”. The paper describes the steel conference that has observed and discussed approaches to solving these problems and practical examples of these approaches.