IoT - and blockchain-enabled credible scheduling in cloud manufacturing: a systemic framework

Cloud manufacturing is a service-oriented manufacturing model with the aim to provide consumers with on-demand manufacturing services over the Internet. Scheduling is a key technology for cloud manufacturing to achieve the aim. However, scheduling in cloud manufacturing faces a series of challenges. How to ensure the credibility of scheduling solutions (i.e. a scheduling solution is said to be credible if it is able to function as expected by consumers) is one of the challenges. IoT and blockchain provide key enabling technologies for addressing this challenge. This work provides a systematic framework for credible scheduling in cloud manufacturing based on the aforementioned two technologies. A framework for credible scheduling in cloud manufacturing based on IoT and blockchain is first proposed. Then, the credibility of manufacturing resources and scheduling services are discussed. Finally, a case study taking the car industry as an example is given to validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the framework proposed.