Smart Factories: The Next Industrial Revolution

The interconnection of devices — the Internet of Things — will become
more widely used in industry and manufacturing.

REMOTE SENSORS

Sensors that continuously record and transmit data can gather vital information about the health of industrial machinery, such as the level of stress on a particular peice of equipment, or information about the environment in real time.

ROBOTICS

Historically, industrial robotics have been most effective in large-scale assembly lines, such as those for automobiles, but robots are becoming increasingly capable of more delicate work that is now done by hand.

ADDITIVE AND DIGITAL MANUFACTURING

Additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing, could allow for the production of parts at or near end users' locations. Moreover, it could produce delicate products such as blood vessels and human tissue for transplants.

SMART CITIES

The combination of autonomous transportation networks, smart grids and a few other related concepts will result in "smart cities" with the potential for greater efficiency in many areas.

BIG DATA

A crucial component of the Industrial Internet is the connection between things and data analytics software. With the amount of data generated by the Internet and remote sensing expected to grow, the ability to tame the amount of data will become more important.

SMART GRIDS

Batteries and other forms of energy storage will become a critical component of the grid. The resulting smart grid will consist of smarter nodes, making it more resilient and adaptable to changing conditions or blackouts.

AUTOMATED TRANSPORTATION

Integrating automated transportation devices with the Internet would allow them to transmit data in real time and receive instructions on the fly, making supply and logistics chains more robust and flexible.

PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS

Big data and remote sensors will also result in more predictive analytics. In manufacturing, predictive analytics can help to prevent unscheduled maintenance or equipment breakdowns.

China's Import Transit Routes and Maritime Chokepoints

In 2013, China's President Xi Jinping proposed a plan to stimulate development in Eurasia by constructing what he called the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road — revivals of the overland and maritime trade routes that once connected China and Europe.

Major North American Rail Corridors Improved Since 2000

As demand for rail from container traffic increased around the turn of the century, railways invested accordingly in order to increase the speed and capacity of rail in North America. Improvements included adding track, improving terminals and implementing better management systems. More investment is expected as different supply chains continue to compete. The colored lines represent rail corridors and are labeled with the corridor name, the rail lines that run them and associated Class I railroads.

Mexico's Primary Intermodal Networks and Population

Mexico's economy has performed well relative to other major Latin American economies in recent years, largely because of its thriving manufacturing sector. Unlike Brazil and Argentina, whose manufacturing sectors are slumping, Mexico has continued to see solid growth because of its integration with and dependence on the U.S. market.