Smart cloud manufacturing platform for resource efficiency improvement of additive manufacturing services

Recent advancements in Industry 4.0 key enabling technologies allow for the dynamic sharing of additive manufacturing services in a cloud manufacturing context, with great potential on resource efficiency improvement at network level. This paper proposes the conceptualization and development of a modular-structured cloud platform to match users' instances generating feasible solutions according to various manufacturing scenarios. The proposed cloud manufacturing platform includes a service modelling and dynamic matching module, an intelligent resource distribution optimization module and a decision-making support module to assist users in characterizing the generated solutions. A simulated case study is reported to exemplify technical and economic advantages for industrial resource efficiency improvement.