This paper describes some of the ways manufacturing data are being used to reduce variations in heat treat processes and achieve higher levels of conformance in treated parts. It also includes a review of quality management practices and demonstrates the use of Six Sigma statistical analysis in an induction heat treating application.

The concept and political initiatives in support of Industry 4.0 have been a hot topic on the agenda of major industry events for several years. And as a result, today we are seeing a range of products and services to meet these needs. But what is the hype about Industry 4.0? Do current available approaches deliver what they promise? What has lived on from the original hype of Industry 4.0 from its starting point in 2011?. As Industry 4.0 has evolved, so too has our understanding of it over time. In politics, digitization has become the measure of all things. However, in its application to the theory, some promises regarding the potential of the digital revolution have disappeared. In the manufacturing sector specifically, there is more uncertainty as to how Industry 4.0 can be truly implemented on the factory floor.