Cloud intelligence in manufacturing

Excerpt

Cloud manufacturing (CMfg) is a new-generation, centrally-managed, service-oriented networked manufacturing model that can provide manufacturing resources and services to users in different locations (Wu et al. 2013b; Archimede et al. 2014). Cloud computing enthusiasts have advocated CMfg as a direct extension of cloud computing in the manufacturing sector, but the full application of cloud computing to manufacturing is a problem (Chen 2014). There are also many differences between information services and manufacturing services (Fan et al. 2004). Nevertheless, from the existing reports and case studies, the benefits of CMfg appear to include: cost savings, efficiency, additional data analysis capabilities, flexibility, and closer partner relationships (Chen 2014). While CMfg may be suitable for small or mid-sized enterprises, most capital-intensive businesses directly buy all necessary systems and equipment (Chen 2014), which makes some of the cost-saving incentives insignificant. Many manufacturing operations managers have hesitated to migrate systems to clouds (Davidson 2013). Although some researchers have asserted that CMfg is a new paradigm that will revolutionize manufacturing (Wu et al. 2014), most existing CMfg technologies center on information technology, rather than manufacturing technology (Chen 2014). To tackle these problems, manufacturers need manufacturing-oriented CMfg, supplemented by information technology. …