Abstract:

Cloud Computing represents a leading trend in the global IT market with tremendous potential for companies. Here we discuss the intersection of cloud technologies and manufacturing and how manufacturers can achieve significant advantages in a competitive market using the cloud. In recent literature, the cloud manufacturing concept is proposed to deal with current issues of the manufacturing industry such as geographically distributed factories, customer-driven strategy, flexible manufacturing etc. Technologies such as the internet of things (IoT) , big data, cloud computing etc. are integrated to support cloud manufacturing. Despite the significant benefits of cloud manufacturing, this concept is still at an early stage of development; many companies are not familiar with this approach with little knowledge of how their business strategy can be aligned with cloud manufacturing. As such the goal here is to provide an understanding of cloud manufacture as well as a conceptual approach for manufacturers to move to cloud manufacturing. Relatively little relevant literature and examples of commercial implementations of cloud manufacturing exists. Therefore this work is based on qualitative research with a case study representing a prototype cloud manufacturing system. Application Store for SW Company is software developed by ATR Soft Oy and SW Company (China office) and served as a basis for further development of a conceptual framework. Here we consider cloud manufacturing as a system of collaboration between partners, suppliers and customers. Cloud manufacturing permits manufacturrers to share resources and capabilities, knowledge and services. The main contribution is a conceptual framework of cloud manufacturing including an implementation map, strategic and collaboration models for adaption to cloud manufacturing systems by manufacturing enterprises.