The high-end equipment intelligent manufacturing (HEIM) industry is of strategic importance to national and economic security. Engineering management (EM) for HEIM is a complex, innovative process that integrates natural science, technology, management science, social science, and the human spirit. New-generation information technology (IT), including the internet, cloud computing, big data, and artificial intelligence, have made a remarkable influence on HEIM and its engineering management activities, such as product system construction, product life cycle management, manufacturing resources organization, manufacturing model innovation, and reconstruction of the enterprise ecosystem. Engineering management for HEIM is a key topic at the frontier of international academic research. This study systematically reviews the current research on issues pertaining to engineering management for HEIM under the new-generation IT environment. These issues include cross-lifecycle management, network collaboration management, task integration management of innovative development, operation optimization of smart factories, quality and reliability management, information management, and intelligent decision making. The challenges presented by these issues and potential research opportunities are also summarized and discussed.
In the EU Horizon 2020 Shift2Rail Multi-Annual Action Plan, the challenge of railway maintenance is generating knowledge from data and/or information. Therefore, we promote a novel concept called “IN2CLOUD,” which comprises three sub-concepts, to address this challenge: 1) A hybrid cloud, 2) an intelligent cloud with hybrid cloud learning, and 3) collaborative management using asset-related data acquired from the intelligent hybrid cloud. The concept is developed under the assumption that organizations want/need to learn from each other (including domain knowledge and experience) but do not want to share their raw data or information. IN2CLOUD will help the movement of railway industry systems from “local” to “global” optimization in a collaborative way. The development of cutting-edge intelligent hybrid cloud-based solutions, including information technology (IT) solutions and related methodologies, will enhance business security, economic sustainability, and decision support in the field of intelligent asset management of railway assets.
Boosting the resilience of power systems is a core requirement of smart grids. In fact, resilience enhancement is crucial to all critical infrastructure systems. In this study, we review the current research on system resilience enhancement within and beyond smart grids. In addition, we elaborate on resilience definition and resilience quantification and discuss several challenges and opportunities for system resilience enhancement. This study aims to deepen our understanding of the concept of resilience and develop a wide perspective on enhancing the system resilience for critical infrastructures.
A petrochemical smart factory is a green, efficient, safe and sustainable modern factory that combines cutting-edge information and communication technology with petrochemical advanced technology and equipment. A Cyber-physical System (CPS) is the infrastructure of a petrochemical smart factory. Based on the future challenges of the petrochemical industry, this paper proposes the definition, connotation and framework of a petrochemical CPS and constructs a CPS system at the enterprise, unit and field levels, respectively. Furthermore, the paper provides theoretical support and implementation reference of a CPS in the petrochemical industry and other industries by investigating the construction practice of a multi-level CPS in the China Petrochemical Corporation (SINOPEC).
