We are happy to announce another important publication stemming from the research conducted in Tec4MaaSEs.
The article “Designing a manufacturing as a service ecosystem through distributed value networks and structured volume-variety dynamics” by Kaparis, K., Georgiou, A. C., Lounis, S., Tsaples, G., Mourtos, I., Zois, G.,Sifaleras, A., Watson, K., Casla, P., Turkay M. and Ozcan, M.was published in the International Journal of Systems Science: Operations & Logistics.
The authors in this paper advances the Manufacturing-as-a-Service paradigm through the Tec4MaaSEs (T4M) project, where production and manufacturing processes are delivered as on-demand services using advanced Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies, in order to create a resilient ecosystem of distributed value networks.
Paper Abstract: This paper advances the Manufacturing-as-a-Service paradigm through the Tec4MaaSEs (T4M) project, where production and manufacturing processes are delivered as on-demand services using advanced Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies, in order to create a resilient ecosystem of distributed value networks. This idea is based on a highly configurable Digital Twin architecture that dynamically adapts to fluctuations in supply and demand, enabling collaboration and optimization across diverse manufacturing scenarios and various stakeholders. Although Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms promise to enable dynamic configuration of distributed production systems, most existing implementations exhibit limited ability to handle multi-actor processes involving diverse service types, heterogeneous data, and coordination needs. This work presents T4M, a MaaS framework that combines production planning, semantic interoperability, and service modeling to support the flexible composition of manufacturing value chains. A key innovation lies in its iterative feedback structure, allowing analytics and planning functions to co-evolve with service configurations. To structure the design space, we introduce a three-dimensional framework encompassing product–process variety, granularity, and Functional Integration Level (FILe). These dimensions guide the functional specification of platform services and determine where analytics and automation provide tangible value. The framework is instantiated through three representative value networks (VN1–VN3), each illustrating distinct demands in terms of information flows, coordination intensity, and decision complexity. Our analysis shows that effective MaaS ecosystems must align digital mechanisms not only with physical production resources, but also with the informational structure and functional logic of each setting. In particular, the volume–variety concept, and more specifically the notions of granularity and FILe, emerge as key enablers in identifying the level of platform integration and the appropriate scope in shaping MaaS ecosystems. These insights support the development of collaborative, resilient, and circular industry practices.
You can find the article by following this link: Designing a manufacturing as a service ecosystem through distributed value networks and structured volume-variety dynamics
To cite this paper you can use the following citation: Kaparis, K., Georgiou, A. C., Lounis, S., Tsaples, G., Mourtos, I., Zois, G.,Sifaleras, A., Watson, K., Casla, P., Turkay M. and Ozcan, M. C. (2025). Designing a manufacturing as a service ecosystem through distributed value networks and structured volume-variety dynamics. International Journal of Systems Science: Operations & Logistics, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23302674.2025.2597349
Stay tuned for more academic outcomes of the T4M project.