Low cost manufacturing of quality products remains an essential part of present economy
and technological advances made it possible. Advances and amalgamation of information
technology bring the production systems at newer level. Industry 4.0, factory for future,
smart factory, digital manufacturing, and industrial automation are the new buzz words of
industry stalwarts and academicians. These new technological revolutions bound to change
not only the complete manufacturing scenarios but many other sectors of the society. In this
paper an attempt has been made to capture the essence of Industry 4.0 by redefining it in
simple words, further its complex, disruptive nature and inevitability along with technologies
backing it has been discussed. Its enabling role in manufacturing philosophies like Lean
Manufacturing, and Flexible Manufacturing are also
In the present study, butt joints of aluminum (Al) 8011-H18 and pure copper (Cu) were produced by friction stir welding (FSW) and the effect of plunge depth on surface morphology, microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. The welds were produced by varying the plunge depth in a range from 0.1 mm to 0.25 mm. The defect-free joints were obtained when the Cu plate was fixed at the advancing side. It was found that less plunging depth gives better tensile properties compare to higher plunging depth because at higher plunging depth local thinning occurs at the welded region. Good tensile properties were achieved at plunge depth of 0.2 mm and the tensile strength was found to be higher than the strength of the Al (weaker of the two base metals). Microstructure study revealed that the metal close to copper side in the Nugget Zone (NZ) possessed lamellar alternating structure. However, mixed structure of Cu and Al existed in the aluminum side of NZ. Higher microhardness values were witnessed at the joint interfaces resulting from plastic deformation and the presence of intermetallics.