In the United States, the concept of "Industry 4.0" is more often replaced by "Industrial Internet." Although the names are different, the basic ideas of these two concepts are consistent: connecting virtual networks with physical entities to form a more efficient production system.

　　From a policy perspective, after the financial crisis, the U.S. government elevated the development of advanced manufacturing to a national strategy, hoping to reshape manufacturing with new, revolutionary production methods. From an industry perspective, the formation of the Industrial Internet Consortium signaled the business community's entry into the Industry 4.0 era. Unlike Germany's emphasis on "hard" manufacturing, the U.S., with its developed software and internet economy, focuses more on promoting a new round of industrial revolution in "soft" services, hoping to revitalize traditional industries with the internet and maintain long-term competitiveness in manufacturing.

　　Government strategy drives innovation

　　To cope with the new scientific and technological industrial revolution and compete for discourse power in international industrial competition, the United States has made revitalizing manufacturing its top strategic goal in recent years. After the financial crisis, the U.S. government issued a series of bills, focusing on building manufacturing innovation and research centers, hoping to transform traditional manufacturing with high technology and put the U.S. economy back on a path of sustainable growth.

　　In April 2009, then-President Obama delivered a speech, proposing that revitalizing manufacturing be a major strategy for the long-term development of the U.S. economy. In December of the same year, the U.S. government issued the "Framework for Revitalizing American Manufacturing," which detailed the theoretical basis and advantages of revitalizing manufacturing, serving as a strategic guide for U.S. manufacturing development. Subsequently, the Obama administration gradually unfolded and completed the manufacturing innovation plan deployment, from strategic layout and development paths to specific measures.

　　In June 2011, the United States officially launched the "Advanced Manufacturing Partnership" program, aiming to accelerate the capture of the commanding heights of advanced manufacturing in the 21st century. In February 2012, the "National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing" was further introduced, encouraging manufacturing enterprises to return to the U.S. through proactive policies. The above plan includes two main lines: one is to adjust and enhance the structure and competitiveness of traditional manufacturing, and the other is to develop high-tech industries, proposing the development of advanced digital manufacturing technologies, including advanced production technology platforms, advanced manufacturing processes, and design and data infrastructure.

　　In March 2012, Obama first proposed the establishment of a "National Network for Manufacturing Innovation," setting up up to 45 research centers to strengthen the organic integration of industry, academia, and research between higher education institutions and manufacturing enterprises. In January 2013, the U.S. President's Executive Office, the National Science and Technology Council, and the National Program Office for High-End Manufacturing jointly released the "Preliminary Design for the National Manufacturing Innovation Network," investing 1 billion USD to establish the U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Network (NNMI), concentrating efforts to promote the innovative development of advanced manufacturing in areas such as digital manufacturing, new energy, and new material applications, and to build a number of innovation clusters with advanced manufacturing capabilities.

　　The key research areas of this innovation network include: developing lightweight materials such as carbon fiber composites to improve the fuel efficiency, performance, and corrosion resistance of next-generation vehicles, aircraft, trains, and ships; improving 3D printing technology standards, materials, and equipment to achieve low-cost, small-batch product production using digital design; creating frameworks and methods for smart manufacturing that allow production operators to grasp "big data streams" from fully digitized factories in real-time to improve production efficiency, optimize supply chains, and enhance the efficiency of energy, water, and material use, etc.

　　Over the past two years, the above plans have gradually unfolded. In August 2012, the U.S. government and private sector jointly invested 85 million USD to establish the "National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute." In May 2013, the U.S. government announced 200 million USD in federal funding to establish three manufacturing innovation centers: the "Lightweight and Modern Metals Manufacturing Innovation Institute," the "Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute," and the "Next Generation Power Electronics Manufacturing Institute." In February of this year, a composite materials manufacturing center was also established.

　　According to the "Global Advanced Manufacturing Trends Report" released by the U.S. think tank Wilson Center, the U.S. ranks first in R&D investment globally, with three-quarters directed towards manufacturing, showing significant advantages in advanced manufacturing fields such as synthetic biology, advanced materials, and rapid prototyping. Analysts believe that with the strong promotion from the government and private sectors, the United States is very likely to experience a new wave of technological innovation characterized by full coverage of wireless network technology, extensive use of cloud computing, and large-scale development of smart manufacturing.

　　Industry alliances break down technological barriers

　　Unlike Germany's Industry 4.0, which emphasizes "hard" manufacturing, the U.S., with its developed software and internet economy, focuses more on promoting a new round of industrial revolution in "soft" services, hoping to leverage the power of networks and data to enhance the value creation capability of the entire industry. It can be said that the American version of Industry 4.0 is essentially the "Industrial Internet" revolution. In this process, in addition to policy support from the U.S. government, the proactive formation of industry alliances has become a key driving force for development.

　　The concept of "Industrial Internet" was first proposed by General Electric in 2012, and subsequently, five leading U.S. industry enterprises jointly formed the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), vigorously promoting this concept. In addition to manufacturing giants like General Electric, IT companies such as IBM, Cisco, Intel, and AT&T also joined the consortium.

　　The Industrial Internet Consortium adopts an open membership system and is dedicated to developing a "common blueprint" that enables data sharing among various vendors' devices. This blueprint's standards involve not only Internet network protocols but also metrics such as data storage capacity in IT systems, power size of connected and unconnected devices, and data traffic control. Its purpose is to break down technological barriers by establishing common standards, activate traditional industrial processes through the internet, and better promote the integration of the physical and digital worlds.

　　Although the establishment and final approval of the aforementioned standards may take several years, once these standards are established, they will help hardware and software developers create products fully compatible with the Internet of Things. The ultimate result could be the comprehensive integration of sensors, networks, computers, cloud computing systems, large enterprises, vehicles, and hundreds of other types of entities, leading to an overall improvement in the efficiency of the entire industrial value chain. (Yang Bo)