Leveraging blockchain to support collaborative distributed manufacturing scheduling

Abstract

The recent trend in collaborative distributed manufacturing scheduling (CDMS) has gained significant importance in extended, networked, and virtual manufacturing environments due to its adaptability and integration potential. In a distributed manufacturing environment, CDMS can occur within a single factory or across multiple companies in a dynamic and variable extended or virtual organization. For effective collaboration, the CDMS system must be secure, transparent, and trustworthy. This paper proposes a blockchain-based model for CDMS and discusses its implementation in the processing of manufacturing functions, specifically joint process planning and scheduling. An illustrative example is used to demonstrate the application of the proposed approach and its potential to enhance the management processes of CDMS enterprises. The results of the analysis indicate that the proposed blockchain approach can effectively facilitate communication and integration among CDMS enterprises. Additionally, the approach can be expanded to more complex manufacturing environments under different conditions.