Internet Technologies in Factory Automation

One of the most important changes in the technological and economic environment of industrial firms is the increasing diffusion and strongly increasing commercial use of Internet technologies in manufacturing. Both formal and empirical studies verified the significant increase in productivity through intraorganizational applications of modern information and communication technologies in manufacturing processes (Barua & Lee, 2001). Early industrial applications of Internet technologies were limited to single, unconnected solutions for distributed Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems or telecooperation. Now Internet technologies may reach into the automation and control levels of every assembly line. Therefore, it is not surprising that applications of Internet technologies in production processes on the shop floor increase, and automation-technology suppliers combine Internet technologies more and more into their products. While production concepts, such as lean production, world-class manufacturing, and agile manufacturing, inevitably disregard this development, new production concepts arise that fundamentally consider the application of Internet technologies on the shop floor.