Towards a platform for smart manufacturing improvement planning

Abstract

The manufacturing industry is transitioning towards smart manufacturing systems (SMS). Small and medium size manufacturers (SMMs) are particularly behind in this transition, plagued by lack of knowledge and resources. Several smart manufacturing capability assessment and maturity models exist to guide the transition. However, support for choosing the right assessment is lacking. This paper proposes a web-based, open source platform for smart manufacturing assessment to support SMMs in this transition. The platform allows for free self-assessments of the current maturity levels and developments of continuous improvement plans that are customized to the manufacturers’ unique characteristics. The platform also allows for sourcing of third-party technologies and services relevant to the improvements. More importantly, it will learn, rate, and recommend improvements and services based on past data. The platform is designed to be extensible and scalable to ultimately serve manufacturing enterprises of all industries.