The smart factory is a vision where production facilities and systems can self-organize without human intervention. They must communicate using a common language. The concept of continuous improvement (KVP) should also be applied in this factory. Cyber-physical systems (CPS) play a crucial role in this. CPS involves the integration of mechanics and IT to control complex components. Information exchange occurs in real-time. A smart product contains its own experiential data during production and can store and communicate this data in real-time. This requires a certain level of intelligence in the components. Rapid reconfiguration and platform-independent standards must be in place.