"Placing bets on the 'Industrial Internet', the United States focuses on 'soft' power in Industry 4.0."

In the United States, the concept of "Industry 4.0" has been largely replaced by "Industrial Internet". Although the terminology differs, the fundamental idea of both concepts is consistent: connecting virtual networks with physical entities to form a more efficient production system.

From a policy perspective, the U.S. government has elevated the development of advanced manufacturing to a national strategy after the financial crisis, hoping to reshape the manufacturing industry with a new revolutionary production method. From an industry perspective, the establishment of the Industrial Internet Consortium has sounded the horn for the business community to enter the era of Industry 4.0. Unlike Germany's emphasis on "hard" manufacturing, the U.S., with its developed software and internet economy, focuses more on promoting a new round of industrial revolution in "soft" services, hoping to activate traditional industries with the internet and maintain the long-term competitiveness of manufacturing.

Government strategy promotes innovation

In response to the new technological industrial revolution and to compete for international industrial discourse power, the U.S. has prioritized revitalizing manufacturing as a strategic goal in recent years. After the financial crisis, the U.S. government introduced a series of bills aimed at establishing manufacturing innovation research centers, hoping to transform traditional manufacturing with high-tech and push the U.S. economy back onto a path of sustainable growth.

In April 2009, newly inaugurated President Obama delivered a speech proposing the revitalization of manufacturing as a major strategy for the long-term development of the U.S. economy. In December of the same year, the U.S. government issued the "Framework for Revitalizing American Manufacturing", which detailed the theoretical basis and advantages of revitalizing manufacturing, becoming a strategic guide for the development of manufacturing in the U.S. Subsequently, the Obama administration gradually laid out the manufacturing innovation plan from strategic layout, development path to specific measures.

In June 2011, the U.S. officially launched the "Advanced Manufacturing Partnership" aimed at accelerating the capture of the high ground in 21st-century advanced manufacturing. In February 2012, it further introduced the "National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing", encouraging manufacturing companies to return to the U.S. through active policies. The aforementioned plan includes two main lines: one is to adjust and enhance the structure and competitiveness of traditional manufacturing, and the other is to develop high-tech industries, proposing the development of advanced digital manufacturing technologies including advanced production technology platforms, advanced manufacturing processes, and design and data infrastructure.

In March 2012, Obama first proposed the establishment of a "National Network for Manufacturing Innovation", establishing up to 45 research centers to strengthen the organic combination of higher education institutions and manufacturing enterprises. In January 2013, the U.S. President's Office, the National Science and Technology Council, and the National Program Office for Advanced Manufacturing jointly released the "Preliminary Design of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation", investing $1 billion to establish the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) in the U.S., focusing on promoting innovation and development in advanced manufacturing such as digital manufacturing, new energy, and new materials applications, and creating a number of innovative clusters with advanced manufacturing capabilities.

The key research areas of this innovation network include: developing lightweight materials such as carbon fiber composites to improve the fuel efficiency, performance, and corrosion resistance of next-generation vehicles, airplanes, trains, and ships; improving standards, materials, and equipment related to 3D printing technology to achieve low-cost small-batch production using digital design; creating frameworks and methods for smart manufacturing, allowing production operators to grasp the "big data flow" from fully digital factories in real-time to improve production efficiency, optimize supply chains, and enhance the efficiency of energy, water, and material usage.

In the past two years, the aforementioned plans have gradually unfolded. In August 2012, the U.S. government and the private sector jointly invested $85 million to establish the "National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute". In May 2013, the U.S. government announced $200 million in federal funding to establish three manufacturing innovation centers: the "Lightweight and Modern Metals Manufacturing Innovation Institute", the "Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute", and the "Next Generation Power Electronics Manufacturing Institute". In February of this year, a composite materials manufacturing center was also established.

According to the "Global Advanced Manufacturing Trends Report" released by the Wilson Center, the U.S. ranks first in the world in R&D investment, with three-quarters directed towards manufacturing, showing significant advantages in advanced manufacturing fields such as synthetic biology, advanced materials, and rapid prototyping. Analysts believe that with strong support from the government and the private sector, the U.S. is likely to witness a new wave of technological innovation characterized by comprehensive coverage of wireless network technology, extensive use of cloud computing, and large-scale development of smart manufacturing.

Industry alliances break down technical barriers

Unlike Germany's emphasis on "hard" manufacturing in Industry 4.0, the U.S., with its developed software and internet economy, focuses more on promoting a new round of industrial revolution in "soft" services, hoping to enhance the value creation capability of the entire industry through the power of networks and data. It can be said that the U.S. version of Industry 4.0 is essentially the "Industrial Internet" revolution. In this process, in addition to the policy support from the U.S. government, the early establishment of industry alliances has become an important driving force for development.

The concept of "Industrial Internet" was first proposed by General Electric in 2012, and subsequently, five leading industry companies in the U.S. jointly established the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) to vigorously promote this concept. In addition to manufacturing giants like General Electric, the alliance also includes IT companies such as IBM, Cisco, Intel, and AT&T.

The Industrial Internet Consortium adopts an open membership system, dedicated to developing a "universal blueprint" that allows data sharing between devices from different manufacturers. The standards of this blueprint not only involve Internet network protocols but also include indicators such as data storage capacity in IT systems, power levels of interconnected and non-interconnected devices, and data flow control. The goal is to break down technical barriers by establishing universal standards, using the internet to activate traditional industrial processes, and better promoting the integration of the physical and digital worlds.

Although the establishment and final approval of the aforementioned standards may take several years, once these standards are established, they will help hardware and software developers create products that are fully compatible with the Internet of Things. The ultimate result may be the comprehensive integration of sensors, networks, computers, cloud computing systems, large enterprises, vehicles, and hundreds of other types of entities, driving a comprehensive improvement in the efficiency of the entire industrial supply chain. (Yang Bo)