Cyber-Physical Production System in Manufacturing: Impact and Sustainability Analysis With a Reference Framework

1) Research idea

The new technology, cyber production systems (CPSs), arising from a combination of the advancement in technology from the disciplines of computer science and information and communication technology has a lot of impacts in the manufacturing sector of various industries. It is speculated that it could lead to a fourth industrial revolution in the manufacturing sector, bring a lot of benefits to the industries. Thus, the research idea at hand focuses on the specific impacts of the cyber-physical 'production technology on the manufacturing processes and activities. It can be seen that aside from offering tangible products, the manufacturing companies of different products have started providing product related services in so far as the product lifecycle is concerned. It has, moreover, been noted that there is an evident recent rise in the cyber-physical system hence the curiosity on their uses and importance to the adopting firms. There has also been the citing by the first-hand users of the technology that it is quite smart and the connected equipment helps in paving the way for more opportunities for the businesses offering services amongst the product lifecycle as well as the pivots of the classical maintenance, repair and overhaul, businesses. Investigated are also the service inventions and innovations that are driven by the cyber-physical product system and their digitization as well as their impacts on the ecosystem of the services offered in diverse manufacturing firms which have adopted the technology. Finally, there is insight, ln the project, into the new technological capabilities of the cyber-physical product system, now existing and into the future.

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2) Strategic importance to the company or industry

The research at hand which is to be conducted regarding the applications, importance and impacts of the cyber-physical system (CPS) on the overall functioning and operations of the manufacturing firms is of great strategic importance to the industry at hand. First, the research will help in exploring the features of the new technology which makes it exceptionally applicable and highly called for in the existing manufacturing industries. In this way, there shall be the balance of the comparative advantage regarding the adoption of the technology to aid in offering product services as specified. The firms in the industry will be able to understand the features of the technology, also aiding in the increase of further knowledge of the technology as well as the science behind it, that makes it exceptional and commented for applicability in today's manufacturing firms.

Additionally, the research - from its findings - will help the industries and manufacturing firms at and comprehend the impacts that might arise from the application of the technology in their activities. Such might include the extent to which the product service delivery can improve per unit increase in the efficiency offered by the applied cyber-physical product technology. They will then weigh between its merits and demerits and finally arrive at the decisions regarding the adoption mechanism of the technology. The research will also inform action regarding the structured way of optimally adopting the technology into which kinds of manufacturing firms, also influenced by their sizes, levels of production, staff skill requirement for the technology alongside the required service delivery efficiency - provided by the technology. Lastly, the research will increase the knowledge of the cyber-physical product on the partakers of the industry to which it is applied.

3) Literature reference

In the pursuit to arrive at the body of knowledge central to the research questions, objectives, its idea as well as the importance to the company, some background readings are utilized in the process. They will help in the arrival at the final solutions to the above string of research intentions. They are as brought out in the links below:

• Cyber-physical Production Systems: Roots, Expectations and R&D Challenge
• Valuenex+White+Paper.pdf
• Impacts of CPS in manufacturing .pdf
• Reference framework of CPS _ 1st approach.pdf
• ICT-Part3-02Cyberphysicalsystems_impact and sustainability.pdf
• CPS_challenge.pdf
• Engineering_of_Next_Generation_Cyber-Physical_Auto.pdf.
• Cyber-physical production systems in learning factory.pdf
• https://www.google.com/search?q=importance+of+the+cyber+physical+system+to+the+industry&oq=importance+of+the+cyber+physical+system+to+the+industry&aqs=chrome..69i57.30158j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212827114003497

4) Overall methodology

In the attempt to answer the research questions and issues surrounding the Cyber-physical production system specified above, well-structured research methodologies were employed in the process. They include the use of primary sources of information, the conduction of interviews, conduction of questionnaires, and also the use of observation techniques in gathering data concerning the cyber-physical product technology. They are as expounded in the subsequent paragraphs.

First, to answer the questions on the cyber-physical production system, there is the use of the available information concerning the subject matter at hand. In this case, the available data in the books, valid internet sources, articles, and journals are reviewed for the contents regarding the subject matter. They will provide the required information on the topical subject matter - on the use of the cyber-physical technology in the manufacturing firms and industries.

Additionally, there is the conduction of interviews on the technological experts, ten of them. They are asked the questions regarding the research idea of the cyber-physical system at hand, the research questions, their views on the put in place research hypotheses, and the impacts on the use of cybersecurity technology in the manufacturing firms. Their answers will then be recorded as having satisfied the research problem at hand.

Furthermore, there is the issuance of questionnaires to thirty resource people. The researchers carry with them the research questions. There shall be the subsequent analysis of their answers, enabling the solution of the problem at hand.

Besides, there are the impacts of the cyber-physical production technologies applied in various manufacturing firms shall be observed, paving the way for the notation of the extent of impacts they have produced in such firms. It will also enable the answering of the formulated questions at hand.

5) Data collection and analysis strategy

Following the due implementation of the research methodologies specified above, the data from them are collected and analyzed strategically, enabling the making of the best out of the research conducted. In the case of the methodology involving the use of content analysis, the resources containing the information are read and understood by the researchers. They will then put down the points specific to the research questions at hand, enabling the attainment of the objectives of the study in a straightforward manner. Similarly, the information attained from the conducted interviews are compiled together and taken to the analyzing panel, who will then ratify that the information is satisfactory. Besides, after the conduction of interviews and the questionnaires methods of data collection, the recorded data from the respondents are compiled together, carefully analyzed in respect to the similarity and accuracy of the contents and finally the conclusion is drawn, where the satisfactory answers to each question are highlighted and settled at as being the final solutions. Finally, the recorded information from the observation method of data collection is taken to the experts to analyze them, providing satisfactory conclusions regarding the nature of the operations of the cyber-physical production system in the manufacturing industries.

6) Resource requirements

In the conduction of the research study, there are specific resources required for the smooth running of the research as well as the arrival at the objectives in the required manner. One of them is the internet and computer resources facilitating the access to the online information regarding the cyber-physical production technology. The data will aid in the answering of the research questions at hand. Also, the human resources - the computer scientists, information communication technology experts and industrialists should be available to answer the research questionnaires as well as to be interviewed. Also, there should be the technologists to answers the implications of the findings from the observation method of data collection, hence ascertaining on their validity and the sciences behind their operations and behavior.

7) Significant risks to successful completion

During the conduction of the research, some risks are bound to be encountered through to its completion. They include the likelihood of making poor observations with bias since they are based on the individual judgements. It will detriment the trustworthiness of the outcomes. The researchers might also face legal risks in case they may not follow due to orders in approaching the industrial experts or while making observations in industries, during the data collection. Also, there can be economic risks where there can be a lack of enough finances to fund the computer scientists who interpret the outcomes of the observation methodology.

8) Dissertation structure

The following are the main chapter headings and subheadings of the dissertation

1). Impacts of Cyber production technology on the manufacturing

1.1). Positive effects of cyber production technology in manufacturing

1.2). The proficiencies of the cyber production technology

1.3). The comparative advantage of the CBS technology application and the classical technologies

2). Challenges of cyber production technology.'

3). Costs associated with cyber production technology.

4) Sustainability analysis of the cyber production technology in manufacturing.