Towards a Cloud-Based Analytics Framework for Assembly Systems

Advanced digitalization together with the rise of cloud technologies is a key enabler for a fundamental paradigm shift known as Industry 4.0 which proposes the integration of the new generation of ICT solutions for the monitoring, adaptation, simulation and optimization of factories. With the democratization of sensors, assembly systems can now be sensorized and the data generated by these devices can be exploited, for instance, to monitor their utilization, operations and maintenance. However, analyzing the vast amount of generated data is resource demanding both in terms of computing power and network bandwidth, especially when dealing with real-time changes to product, process and resource domains. This paper presents a novel cloud-based analytics framework for the management and analysis of assembly systems. It brings together standard open source technologies and the exploitation of cloud computing which as a whole can be adapted to and deployed on different cloud providers, thereby reducing infrastructure costs, minimizing deployment difficulty and providing on-demand access to virtually infinite computing power, storage and network resources.