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Toward open manufacturing: A cross-enterprises knowledge and services exchange framework based on blockchain and edge computing

Zhi Li (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China)
W.M. Wang (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China)
Guo Liu (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China)
Layne Liu (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China)
Jiadong He (Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China)
G.Q. Huang (HKU-ZIRI Laboratory for Physical Internet, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong)

Industrial Management & Data Systems

ISSN: 0263-5577

Article publication date: 5 February 2018

5039

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a cross-enterprises framework to achieve a higher level of sharing of knowledge and services in manufacturing ecosystems.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors describe the development of the emerging open manufacturing and discuss the model of knowledge creation processes of manufacturers. The authors present a decentralized framework based on blockchain and edge computing technologies, which consists of a customer layer, an enterprise layer, an application layer, an intelligence layer, a data layer, and an infrastructure layer. And a case study is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the framework.

Findings

The authors discuss that the manufacturing ecosystem is changing from integrated and centralized systems to shared and distributed systems. The proposed framework incorporates the recent development in blockchain and edge computing that can meet the secure and distributed requirements for the sharing of knowledge and services in manufacturing ecosystems.

Practical implications

The proposed framework provides a more secure and controlled way to share knowledge and services, thereby supports the company to develop scalable and flexible business at a lower cost, and ultimately improves the overall quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of manufacturing services.

Originality/value

The proposed framework incorporates the recent development in edge computing technologies to achieve a flexible and distributed network. With the blockchain technology, it provides standards and protocols for implementing the framework and ensures the security issues. Not only information can be shared, but the framework also supports in the exchange of knowledge and services so that the parties can contribute their parts.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51405089), and the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province (2015B010131008, 2015B090921007).

Citation

Li, Z., Wang, W.M., Liu, G., Liu, L., He, J. and Huang, G.Q. (2018), "Toward open manufacturing: A cross-enterprises knowledge and services exchange framework based on blockchain and edge computing", Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 118 No. 1, pp. 303-320. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-04-2017-0142

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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