Management and Production Engineering Review

Abstract

The manufacturing industry has been reshaping its operations using digital technologies for a smart production towards a more customized demand. Nevertheless, the flexibility to attend the production plan changes in real time is still challenging. Although the Internet of Services (IoS) has been addressed as a key element for Industry 4.0, there is still a lack of clarity about the IoS contribution for advanced manufacturing. Through a case study, the paper aims to validate the adherence of a theoretical model named Service-Oriented Manufacturing Architecture (SOMA) in two manufacturing companies that have been already engaged in Industry 4.0. As main results, it was concluded that IoS could suit in one case of Industry 4.0 flexible production process but not in a mass production one. Considering the scarcity of research that exemplifies the IoS contribution, the present paper brings an important assessment on a real manufacturing scenario.