GetCM: A vision of cloud manufacturing

Surviving in an increasing globalization, distribution and flexibility environment, modern manufacturing requires an extremely flexible, self-adaptive foundation capable of dynamic provisioning, coordinating and using infinite manufacturing resources available on demand over large-scale computer networks. In contrast to the conventional networked manufacturing approach, the cloud manufacturing vision (GetCM) introduced in this paper promises elasticity, flexibility and adaptability through the on-demand provisioning of manufacturing resources as a utility by reflecting the basic principles of cloud computing. The discussion is made from technological, functional, economic aspects to provide evidence of the benefits from GetCM in the context of networked manufacturing resource access, provision, sharing and coordination. A primary architecture for GetCM is introduced based on the analysis of key criteria in realizing the vision of a function for cloud manufacturing. Focuses of this paper are placed on the vision and the outline of GetCM architecture.