Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing

Special Issue on “Ubiquitous Manufacturing (UbiM)”

Aim
Ubiquitous computing is a concept in software engineering and computer science where computing is made to appear everywhere and anywhere. As an application of ubiquitous computing in the manufacturing sector, ubiquitous manufacturing (UbiM) provides an environment in which manufacturing is done everywhere and anywhere. UbiM enables ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable manufacturing resources (e.g., software tools, equipments, and manufacturing capabilities). The emergence of some advanced manufacturing technologies, such as lean manufacturing (LM), cloud manufacturing (CMfg), manufacturing grid (MGrid), global manufacturing (GM), virtual manufacturing (VM), agile manufacturing (AgM), internet manufacturing (IM), and additive manufacturing (AdM), have contributed to UbiM. However, unlike cloud manufacturing, in UbiM the mobility and dispersion of manufacturing resources or users are emphasized. Some examples of UbiM are given as follows.
In the past studies, UbiM implies that products can be supplied ubiquitously. However, with the advances in IT, ubiquitous technologies such as RFID, GPS, and autonomous industrial mobile robots have been widely used in logistics. Converting recipes or manufacturing execution systems (MES) helps transfer the production of orders, and is considered as an essential step to UbiM. Recently, distant operation and virtual control of robotic arms or CNC machines have provided several opportunities to UbiM. The prevalence of additive manufacturing resources is also conducive to the formation of an UbiM network. Wearable device can be used in factories to detect an operator’s fatigue, assist in the training of operators, and instantly alert an operator to the operation error.
This special issue is intended to provide technical details of the development of UbiM technologies, and the corresponding applications. These details will hold great interest for researchers in manufacturing, mechanic engineering, operations management, production control, ubiquitous computing, and sensor technology, as well as for practicing managers and engineers. This special issue features a balance between state-of-the-art research and practical applications. This special issue also provides a forum for researchers and practitioners to review and disseminate quality research work on UbiM and the critical issues for further development.

Topics
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Additive manufacturing
- AI and applications, mathematical methods, visualisation
- Cloudlet architecture
- Digital factory, design, manufacturing, machining, services, recycling
- Digital/extended enterprise, service optimisation, SME information services
- E-technology, networked virtual/digital equipment, internet/web applications
- Equipment fault diagnosis, remote maintenance, advanced engineering analysis
- GPS applications
- High performance computing, real-time information tracking, sensor networks
- Knowledge engineering, remote management, networked MES
- Micro/nano-design/manufacturing, tissue engineering, bio-MEMS/manufacturing
- Networked hardware units/systems, internet/web infrastructure, semantic web
- Ubiquitous assembly cell
- Ubiquitous computing applications in manufacturing
- Ubiquitous supply of products
- UbiM network
- RFID applications
- Virtual capacity network
- Wearable device applications
- Web-based product LCE, product development/families design/platforms
- Wireless manufacturing, RFID, remote online production, data management
- Workflow modelling/scheduling/management, process modelling/simulation
- Other related topics

Target Dates
Submission Deadline: September 30, 2015
Notification of the Initial Decision: December 31, 2016
Notification of Acceptance: June 30, 2016

Submission Guidelines
Quality and originality of the contribution are the main acceptance criteria. Manuscripts must be submitted online:
http://ees.elsevier.com/rcim/default.asp?pg=mainpage.html
For journal information and author guidelines, please visit
http://www.elsevier.com/journals/robotics-and-computer-integrated-manufacturing/0736-5845/guide-for-authors

Guest Editor
Tin-Chih Toly Chen, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor
Department of Industrial Engineering and Systems Management
Feng Chia University
100, Wenhwa Rd., Seatwen, Taichung City, Taiwan
tolychen@ms37.hinet.net; tcchen@fcu.edu.tw
http://tolychen.myweb.hinet.net

T. Warren Liao, Ph.D.
Professor
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department
Louisiana State University
USA
E-mail: ieliao@lsu.edu
http://www.mie.lsu.edu/people/faculty/facstaff/t.liao

Dong-Ho Lee, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Industrial Engineering
Hanyang Universty
South Korea
E-mail: leman@hanyang.ac.kr
http://www.hanyang.ac.kr/code_html/H3HA/000013/101/faculty02View.jsp?tabId=02&viewHakgwajojikCd=H3HAAR&gaeinNo=be171223fd27ad324304341b237e3d393b44192799eee067

Grzegorz Bocewicz, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Associate Professor
Koszalin University of Technology
Department of Electronics and Computer Science
Koszalin, Poland
E-mail: bocewicz@ie.tu.koszalin.pl
http://www.grzegorz.bocewicz.pl/