With digital manufacturing blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds, the factory of the future is upon us.

"The factory of the future — the smart factory — is a paradise of efficiency where defect and downtime, waste and waiting are long-forgotten issues of a long forgotten age," writes IndustryWeek technology editor Travis Hessman.

"In it, plant managers and CIOs scheme together in a seamless blend of data and production, of IT and manufacturing, to illuminate every turn of every machine, every cut of every blade, every move of every piece in its global dance to delivery."

While that might seem like a flight of fancy, Hessman explains why the factory of the future might be closer to reality than you think.

For more, read "The Dawn of the Smart Factory."