Agent-based simulation platform for cloud manufacturing

Cloud manufacturing is a new manufacturing paradigm which creates an open environment for transactions among the enterprises. Research on transaction modes and regularities in a cloud manufacturing environment is important for promoting the applications of cloud manufacturing. To this end, we design and implement a simulation platform according to the typical transaction processes of enterprises in the cloud manufacturing environment. In the simulation platform, enterprises are encapsulated into Service Agents, and thus the activities of service agents can be used to describe enterprise behaviors. By defining different rules, simulations for different business models can be conducted. Detailed descriptions of the platform architecture, functions, and key technologies are presented. The feasibility of the simulation platform is verified through a case study.