物聯網的工業互聯網承諾重新設計機械，重組流程，并利用大數據的力量，以提高生產力和盈利能力。根據一些人，熟悉的架構和設備，如可編程邏輯控制器（PLC）可以沖走。另一種觀點認為，數據采集的爆炸將推動更大數量的更小的設備，如微型或納米PLC，可以部署幾乎整個工廠的任何地方。

　　物聯網的工業網絡是基于收集大量的數據從流程和設備進行密集的分析在云中。我們的目標是加強重新優化和重組的進程，追求改善，如減少浪費和更快的響應客戶的需求。第四次工業革命的工廠（工業4）可能包含成千上萬的在設備和工作區域的傳感器，報告對電機電流和振動方面的不同，環境溫度和濕度、最終產品的測試和檢驗測量、編號、批號和時間戳。

　　The success of Industry 4.0 requires these thousands of channels of data to be efficiently collected into the Cloud to be stored， prioritized， grouped and analyzed， and ultimately transformed into improved instructions to be communicated to machines， and information to drive smart business decisions. The design of machinery， control systems， and factory communication networks is expected to change significantly， which could pose a threat to incumbent devices such as programmable logic controllers （PLCs） that have hitherto dominated data collection， processing and control tasks in conventional automation.

　　The desire to collect more data to improve manufacturing yield and assist business decision making did not originate with Industry 4.0. Enterprises have been looking to collect increasing quantities of data from equipment and automate exchanges between factory floor and back office analytical systems since long before the Cloud. The Industrial PC （IPC） is one example of a concept that emerged to enable PC-based automation with the benefits of a seamless data flow to and from decision makers on the corporate LAN. The PLC， however， retains several advantages including long lifecycles and high reliability， and has also evolved to meet market needs by increasing processing capability， providing extra functionality， and incorporating PC-based standards.