UC Online Leads the Way with Industry 4.0

By now you’re used to hearing about the latest iterations and releases of software, smartphones, networks — basically everything — in terms of a version. When you’re looking to upgrade or purchase the latest and greatest of a gadget or tool, you’ll typically look for the highest “version” of said thing.

Did you know that there is also a version of industry referred to as Industry 4.0? That’s right, even the way we produce products in an industrialized nation has a version. UC Online has been working right alongside current Industry 4.0 professionals to develop coursework in Mechanical, Electrical, and Robotics & Intelligent Autonomous Engineering that will enhance your professional skills and prepare you to be able to solve the complex problems of today and manage tasks and projects successfully.

What Is Industry 4.0?

Industry 4.0 is an evolution toward inter-connectivity, automation, machine learning, and decisions based on real-time data acquisition. From 3-D printing to artificial intelligence and expanded robot use, people who work in manufacturing production, process and product design, and management of these industries are facing a significant transformation.

This transformation is so massive that it’s earned the name Industry 4.0 to signify the fourth revolution of manufacturing.

Examples of Industry 4.0 Technologies

Examples of technologies that are at the forefront of Industry 4.0 include:

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) refers to a category within the Internet of Things, wherein manufactured items like sensors, RFID tags, and other electrical and software components are used in conjunction with machines and systems to help the IoT (smart phones, smart appliances, automated vehicles, etc.) collect real-time data.

Cloud Computing involves the system of data collecting and storing massive amounts of information at high speeds in the “Cloud” (remote servers).

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is another way to refer to 3-D printing, and is a key technology driver.

Big Data is the output of all of the IoT data sets. This data comes from Cloud storage, websites, surveillance, computers, enterprise applications, and more.

Advanced Robotics is thriving under Industry 4.0, due to recent advancements in technology that’s producing a new generation of advanced robotics that can do more difficult and delicate tasks.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) allows a variety of industries to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds, and can help make delicate industries like medicine more precise.

Why Should You Care About Industry 4.0?

As the next Industrial Revolution, Industry 4.0 is here to stay. It’s important to get on board, especially if you have aspirations to work in electrical or mechanical engineering, as more and more manufacturers are realizing the value of data processing, collection, and analyzing to make decisions about their companies. In fact, to simply survive and move forward, manufacturers and industries will have to recognize and embrace Industry 4.0.

To work as a mechanical or electrical engineer, it’s imperative that you learn the cutting-edge skills needed to work in this type of industry. The University of Cincinnati’s online Mechanical Engineering Masters and online Electrical Engineering Masters can get you there.

The University of Cincinnati Online Prepares Engineering Students for Industry 4.0.

UCO offers three master’s degrees in engineering that will prepare you to work in Industry 4.0.

Our Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering program focuses on the next advancements in technology within Industry 4.0. Designed to incorporate cutting-edge technical skills in the areas of Big Data, Sensors, AI/Machine Learning, Cyber Security, and Additive Manufacturing, our curriculum will also enhance your professional skills within a thriving business organization.

Engineers who graduate with their online Masters in Mechanical Engineering from UC Online will leave fully prepared to solve the complex problems of today and manage tasks and projects successfully within Industry 4.0.

Our Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering program focuses around the next advancements in technology within the manufacturing space of Industry 4.0. You’ll learn how to incorporate technical skills in the areas of Big Data, Sensors, AI/Machine Learning, Cyber Security, and Additive Manufacturing, enhance your professional skills, and leave the program prepared to solve the complex problems of today and manage tasks and projects successfully.

Our Master of Engineering in Robotics & Intelligent Autonomous Systems program focuses on the cutting edge technology that is shaping our future. The Robotics & Intelligent Autonomous Systems engineering program provides training on advanced intelligent hardware devices and software so that individuals can design sophisticated autonomous robotic devices whose capabilities far surpass older purely electro-mechanical automation systems. Emphasis is placed on making these systems reliable, safe, and secure.

New UCO Programs Prepare Engineering Students for Work in Industry 4.0

• Data sciences introduces students to advanced technologies—such as advanced signal processing, pattern recognition, machine learning, and predictive analytics—that ultimately enable the conversion of industrial big data into actionable information that can be used to improve the design, the productivity, and the efficiency of manufacturing operations.
• Artificial Intelligence supplies students with the tools and methodologies to apply AI and machine learning concepts to various engineering problems. Database and programming essentials are presented to provide the necessary foundational knowledge. Concepts including supervised and unsupervised learning, self-organized maps, search problems, and Markov decision problems are presented then utilized to illustrate applications.
• Robotics (including autonomous systems) introduces students to the fundamentals and technological aspects of robotics. It presents the industrial and advanced applications of robot manipulators and wheeled mobile robots. It concerns the theory of manipulator structures including kinematics, statics and trajectory planning, and the technology of robot actuators, sensors, and control units.
• Cyber Security teaches how cyber-physical systems integrate computation, communication, and physical processes and how they interact with the world in real time. This course focuses on the development of trusted cyber-physical systems, which can be counted on to perform their tasks at defined levels of reliability, safety, and security.
• Additive Manufacturing introduces students to additive manufacturing technology or 3D printing. This course includes addressing the benefits and drawbacks of additive as compared to subtractive manufacturing, the various modalities and materials available, the different components of the production cycle, part and support structure design considerations, cutting-edge AM techniques, and monitoring, inspection, and surface modification techniques.

Start Earning Your Master of Engineering Degree Today

Ready to enter the compelling world of Industry 4.0? We’re ready to help you get there!

Apply online today to get started on your MEng in Mechanical Engineering, MEng in Electrical Engineering, or MEng Robotics & Intelligent Autonomous Systems  degrees!