In the United States, the concept of “Industry 4.0” has largely been replaced by “Industrial Internet.” Despite the different terminology, the underlying principle of both concepts remains the same: to connect virtual networks with physical systems to create more efficient production ecosystems.

　　From a policy perspective, following the financial crisis, the U.S. government elevated the development of advanced manufacturing to a national strategy, aiming to reshape the manufacturing sector through new, revolutionary production methods. At the industry level, the establishment of the Industrial Internet Consortium—a leading industry organization—signaled the business community’s official entry into the Industry 4.0 era. Unlike Germany’s emphasis on “hard” manufacturing, the United States, with its highly developed software and internet economy, places greater focus on driving a new wave of industrial revolution through “soft” services, seeking to leverage the internet to revitalize traditional industries and sustain the long-term competitiveness of its manufacturing sector.

　　Government Strategy Drives Innovation

　　To respond to the new technological industrial revolution and secure a leading voice in global industrial competition, the United States has made the revitalization of its manufacturing sector a top strategic priority in recent years. Following the financial crisis, the U.S. government enacted a series of legislation aimed at establishing manufacturing innovation research centers, with the goal of leveraging advanced technologies to modernize traditional manufacturing and steer the U.S. economy back onto a path of sustainable growth.

　　In April 2009, newly inaugurated U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a speech in which he proposed revitalizing the manufacturing sector as a major long-term strategy for the country’s economic development. In December of the same year, the U.S. government released the “Framework for Revitalizing American Manufacturing,” which provided a detailed analysis of the theoretical underpinnings and comparative advantages of such a revival, thereby serving as a strategic guide for the advancement of U.S. manufacturing. Subsequently, the Obama administration systematically rolled out its manufacturing innovation initiative, progressively articulating its strategic vision, development pathways, and specific policy measures.

　　In June 2011, the United States officially launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, with the aim of accelerating its efforts to secure a leading position in 21st-century advanced manufacturing. In February 2012, it further introduced the National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing, employing proactive policies to encourage U.S. manufacturers to reshore production activities. These initiatives are centered on two main pillars: first, restructuring and enhancing the competitiveness of traditional manufacturing; and second, fostering high-tech industries. The plan calls for the development of advanced digital manufacturing technologies, including cutting-edge production technology platforms, state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, and design and data infrastructure.

　　In March 2012, President Obama first proposed the establishment of a “National Network for Manufacturing Innovation,” aiming to create up to 45 research centers and strengthen the integrated collaboration among higher education institutions, manufacturing firms, and industry. In January 2013, the White House Office of Management and Budget, the National Science and Technology Council, and the Office of the National Program on Advanced Manufacturing jointly released the “Preliminary Design for the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation,” allocating $1 billion to launch the U.S. National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI). This initiative seeks to concentrate resources on advancing innovation in cutting-edge manufacturing fields such as digital manufacturing, new energy, and the application of new materials, with the goal of fostering a number of innovation clusters endowed with advanced manufacturing capabilities.

　　The key research areas of this innovative network include: developing lightweight materials such as carbon-fiber composites to enhance the fuel efficiency, performance, and corrosion resistance of next-generation vehicles, aircraft, trains, and ships; refining standards, materials, and equipment for 3D printing technology to enable low-cost, small-batch production based on digital design; and establishing frameworks and methodologies for smart manufacturing that allow production operators to gain real-time access to “big data streams” from fully digitized factories, thereby improving production efficiency, optimizing supply chains, and enhancing the efficient use of energy, water, and materials.

　　Over the past two years, the aforementioned initiatives have been rolled out step by step. 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 the allocation of $200 million in federal funding to launch three manufacturing innovation hubs: the Lightweight and Advanced Metals Manufacturing Innovation Institute, the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute, and the Next-Generation Power Electronics Manufacturing Institute. This February, a Composites Manufacturing Innovation Hub was also established.

　　According to the “Global Advanced Manufacturing Trends Report” published by the U.S.-based Wilson Center, the United States leads the world in R&D investment, with three-quarters of that funding directed toward manufacturing. The country enjoys clear advantages in advanced manufacturing fields such as synthetic biology, advanced materials, and rapid-prototyping manufacturing. Analysts believe that, driven by strong support from both the government and the private sector, the United States is poised to experience a new wave of technological innovation characterized by ubiquitous wireless network coverage, extensive adoption of cloud computing, and large-scale development of smart manufacturing.

　　Industry Alliance Breaks Down Technological Barriers

　　Unlike Germany’s Industry 4.0, which emphasizes “hard” manufacturing, the United States—where the software and internet economies are highly developed—places greater emphasis on driving a new wave of industrial revolution through “soft” services, seeking to leverage the power of networks and data to enhance the value-creation capabilities of the entire industrial sector. In essence, the U.S. version of Industry 4.0 is nothing less than an “Industrial Internet” revolution. Throughout this process, in addition to policy support from the U.S. government, the early formation of industry consortia has served as a key driver of progress.

　　The concept of the “Industrial Internet” was first introduced by General Electric in 2012. Subsequently, five leading U.S. industry players joined forces to establish the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), which has since vigorously promoted this concept. In addition to manufacturing giants like General Electric, the consortium also includes IT companies such as IBM, Cisco, Intel, and AT&T.

　　The Industrial Internet Consortium operates on an open membership model and is committed to developing a “common blueprint” that enables data sharing across devices from different vendors. This blueprint’s standards cover not only Internet network protocols but also such metrics as data storage capacity in IT systems, power levels for interconnected and non-interconnected devices, and data traffic control. The goal is to break down technological barriers by establishing universal standards, leverage the Internet to transform traditional industrial processes, and further promote the seamless integration of the physical and digital worlds.

　　Although it may take several years to develop and formally approve the aforementioned standards, once they are in place they will enable hardware and software developers to create products that are fully compatible with the Internet of Things. The ultimate outcome could be the seamless integration of sensors, networks, computing systems, cloud platforms, large enterprises, vehicles, and hundreds of other types of entities, thereby driving a comprehensive boost in efficiency across the entire industrial value chain. (Yang Bo)