Cloud manufacturing in China: a review

Abstract

With the integration of new-generation information and communication technology (ICT) in the manufacturing industry, many advanced manufacturing modes have been proposed. Cloud manufacturing (CMfg) is one example which integrates manufacturing resources and the provision of on-demand services using new technologies, such as Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and cloud computing. CMfg has experienced rapid development from its initial theory and technology to its application and has attracted considerable attention since its introduction in 2010. Many scholars in China have conducted significant research on CMfg. Therefore, it is significant to review the achievements from Chinese scholars to examine the current progress of CMfg research in China. This paper presents the definitions of CMfg found in the literature and summarizes the developments regarding eight dimensions of CMfg. Several successful implementations of CMfg in China are discussed and compared. Furthermore, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) method is used to analyze the potential impacts of CMfg on the future development of the China manufacturing industry.