Cloud manufacturing: key issues and future perspectives

Since the introduction of the concept of cloud manufacturing in 2010, research on it has been ongoing for more than eight years, and much progress has been made. However, existing research indicates that people lack common and comprehensive understandings of some of the key issues with cloud manufacturing such as the concept, operation model, service mode, technology system, architecture, and essential characteristics. Moreover, few studies discuss in depth the relationships between cloud manufacturing and some closely related concepts such as cloud computing-based manufacturing, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and Industrial Internet. Knowledge as a core supporting factor in cloud manufacturing has rarely been discussed systematically. Also, so far there has been no standardised definition for cloud manufacturing yet. All these are key issues to be further discussed and analysed in cloud manufacturing. In order to clarify the issues above and provide reference for future research and implementation, this paper conducts a comprehensive, systematic, and in-depth discussion and analysis of the aforementioned issues in cloud manufacturing and presents an alternative definition for cloud manufacturing based on the analysis of 12 existing definitions. Future perspectives of cloud manufacturing are also discussed with respect to both academic research and industrial implementation.