Networked manufacturing is an advanced manufacturing pattern, born out of Internet technology and catering to an increasingly strong trend toward economic globalisation. In this paper the definition and basic features of networked manufacturing are presented, based on a review of state-of-the-art technology and an analysis of the requirements for enterprise collaboration. This paper will also give the architecture and the main functions of the networked manufacturing system, along with the related technologies. As a supportive platform for the implementation and operation of networked manufacturing systems, the Networked Manufacturing Integration Platform (NMIP) is discussed in detail. Since the NMIP must be able to support the collaboration between enterprises as well as to preserve the autonomy of each enterprise, the NMIP based on a multi-agent system control framework is put forward. This paper not only gives the system architecture and the main functions of the NMIP, but also discusses the mechanisms for the integration of applications under the NMIP environment from three aspects including integration technologies, topological structure, and realization strategies. Finally, the application of networked manufacturing in China is briefly presented.

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