Cloud-Based Manufacturing: Drivers, Current Status, and Future Trends

Cloud Manufacturing (CM) refers to a customer-centric manufacturing model that exploits on-demand access to a shared collection of diversified and distributed ma nufacturing resources to form temporary, reconfigurable product ion lines which enhance efficiency, reduce product lifecycle costs, and allow for optimal resource loading in response to v ariabledemand customer generated tasking. Our objective is to present the drivers, current status of research and develop ment, and future trends of CM. We also discuss the potential short term and long term impacts of CM on various sectors.