Integrated process planning and scheduling in networked manufacturing systems plays a crucial role nowadays and in the forthcoming context of Industry 4.0 to enable effective and efficient decisions, and to improve the business market, based on collaboration, along with computer-based distributed manufacturing and management functions. In this paper some insights regarding a literature review carried out about this main subjects analysed are presented and discussed. Moreover, a framework for integrated process planning and scheduling in networked manufacturing systems is proposed and briefly described, along with some main underlying issues, which are further discussed. Thus, the main purpose of this research consists on presenting a proposed methodology, based on the study conducted, to enable to further assist either academia or industry to develop new tools, techniques and approaches for integrated process planning in networked manufacturing environments. The findings and contributions of this research can help in the implementation and improvement in distributed manufacturing environments, to be linked with small and medium enterprises, to further expand their potentialities through well suited integrated process planning and scheduling decision making processes.

The intensifying of the manufacturing process and increasing the efficiency of production planning of precise and non-rigid parts, mainly crankshafts, are the first-priority task in modern manufacturing. The use of various methods for controlling the cutting force under cylindrical infeed grinding and studying its impact on crankpin machining quality and accuracy can improve machining efficiency. The paper deals with developing a comprehensive scientific and methodological approach for determining the experimental dependence parameters’ quantitative values for cutting-force calculation in cylindrical infeed grinding. The main stages of creating a method for conducting a virtual experiment to determine the cutting force depending on the array of defining parameters obtained from experimental studies are outlined. It will make it possible to get recommendations for the formation of a valid route for crankpin machining. The research’s scientific novelty lies in the developed scientific and methodological approach for determining the cutting force, based on the integrated application of an artificial neural network (ANN) and multi-parametric quasi-linear regression analysis. In particular, on production conditions, the proposed method allows the rapid and accurate assessment of the technological parameters’ influence on the power characteristics for the cutting process. A numerical experiment was conducted to study the cutting force and evaluate its value’s primary indicators based on the proposed method. The study’s practical value lies in studying how to improve the grinding performance of the main bearing and connecting rod journals by intensifying cutting modes and optimizing the structure of machining cycles.

In intelligent manufacturing, the phase content and physical and mechanical properties of construction materials can vary due to different suppliers of blanks manufacturers. Therefore, evaluating the composition and properties for implementing a decision-making approach in material selection using up-to-date software is a topical problem in smart manufacturing. Therefore, the article aims to develop a comprehensive automated material selection approach. The proposed method is based on the comprehensive use of normalization and probability approaches and the linear regression procedure formulated in a matrix form. As a result of the study, analytical dependencies for automated material selection were developed. Based on the hypotheses about the impact of the phase composition on physical and mechanical properties, the proposed approach was proven qualitatively and quantitively for carbon steels from AISI 1010 to AISI 1060. The achieved results allowed evaluating the phase composition and physical properties for an arbitrary material from a particular group by its mechanical properties. Overall, an automated material selection approach based on decision-making criteria is helpful for mechanical engineering, smart manufacturing, and industrial engineering purposes.

The paper presents a constructing methodology for a modern approach to tools selection and solving the problem of assigning optimal cutting parameters for specific production conditions. The mathematical formulation determining the extreme values of the technological process optimality criteria is obtained. A system of technical and economic quality indicators for cutting tools is proposed. This system allows principles’ implementation of decentralization and interoperability “Industry 4.0” via finite element modeling of the cutting process based on solving the problem of orthogonal free cutting modeling. The proposed methodology further usage is possible by creating a standardized database on the parameters of the tool: the adhesive component of the friction cutting coefficient for processing of a specific pair of cutting and tool materials (or tool coating material) and the impacts of the cutting-edge radius on cutting efficiency of a particular material.