Design and Implementation of Cloud-Based Collaborative Manufacturing Execution System in the Korean Fashion Industry

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

（1）The logic and layout of the paper are somewhat strengthened; 

(2)In this paper, there is no specific research question, so what is your research question in this study?

(3)Literature review part is missing, in MES design and implementation study, what have been done?  what is the research gap?  

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 1 Comments

Point 1: The logic and layout of the paper are somewhat strengthened.

Response 1: I agree with what you pointed out, as our paper covers a rather broad scope, such as smart manufacturing and MES.

In this regard, the following two points pointed out by you and the requirements suggested by Reviewer 2 have been revised.

Point 2: In this paper, there is no specific research question, so what is your research question in this study?

Response 2: In the introduction of this paper, we presented five research questions to be solved through cloud-based collaborative MES, a development system.

• Line 95 - 107

Point 3: Literature review part is missing, in MES design and implementation study, what have been done?  what is the research gap?

Response 3: We conducted a comparative analysis in consideration of MES functions and service types through a literature review related to the MES system. In this regard, we have added the MES comparison table and additional references.

• Line 299 - 307
• Table 1.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Your work can be improved by taking into account the following concepts and references:

In a "order-design-production-delivery" value chain (known as Make-To-Order, MTO, or Build-To-Order, BTO, business model), inventory, work-in-process can be substituted by information. Based on this concept, Martinez-Olvera (2008) introduced the concept of a virtual manufacturing execution information system (VMEIS), a BTO business model-based information-tracking MES

developed specifically for handling the specific characteristics (that is, the execution of the manufacturing plan in the distributed production environment) of the SME VESC.

 This last refers to the following: the nature of the virtual enterprise (VE) model fits the unique features of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), making them ideal candidates to work in an e-business environment, as SME VE e-supply chains (VESCs). The outsourcing strategy of the SME VESC presents the challenge of executing the manufacturing plan in a distributed production environment that demands competing for capacity, management of manufacturing resources not owned, and meet delivery commitments without direct control of the product flow (current production planning and control systems have problems to handle this situation).

 Moreover, Martinez-Olvera (2022), proposed a set of basic requirements for the development of the Sustainable Mass Customization 4.0 (SMC4.0) Information Flow Model. In an SMC4.0 refers to the use of a re-configurable CPS as the basis of a  mass customization production system,

 Martinez-Olvera, C. “Entropy as an assessment tool of supply chain information-sharing”, European Journal of Operational Research, 185 (2008) 405–417.

 Martinez-Olvera, C. “Towards the Development of a Digital Twin for a Sustainable Mass Customization 4.0 Environment: A Literature Review of Relevant Concepts”, Automation 2022, 3, 197–222. https://doi.org/10.3390/ automation3010010.

Author Response

Response to Reviewer 2 Comments

Point 1: In a "order-design-production-delivery" value chain (known as Make-To-Order, MTO, or Build-To-Order, BTO, business model), inventory, work-in-process can be substituted by information. Based on this concept, Martinez-Olvera (2008) introduced the concept of a virtual manufacturing execution information system (VMEIS), a BTO business model-based information-tracking MES developed specifically for handling the specific characteristics (that is, the execution of the manufacturing plan in the distributed production environment) of the SME VESC.

This last refers to the following: the nature of the virtual enterprise (VE) model fits the unique features of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), making them ideal candidates to work in an e-business environment, as SME VE e-supply chains (VESCs). The outsourcing strategy of the SME VESC presents the challenge of executing the manufacturing plan in a distributed production environment that demands competing for capacity, management of manufacturing resources not owned, and meet delivery commitments without direct control of the product flow (current production planning and control systems have problems to handle this situation).

Moreover, Martinez-Olvera (2022), proposed a set of basic requirements for the development of the Sustainable Mass Customization 4.0 (SMC4.0) Information Flow Model. In an SMC4.0 refers to the use of a re-configurable CPS as the basis of a mass customization production system,

• Martinez-Olvera, C. “Entropy as an assessment tool of supply chain information-sharing”, European Journal of Operational Research, 185 (2008) 405–417.
• Martinez-Olvera, C. “Towards the Development of a Digital Twin for a Sustainable Mass Customization 4.0 Environment: A Literature Review of Relevant Concepts”, Automation 2022, 3, 197–222. https://doi.org/10.3390/ automation3010010.

Response 1: In the first paper (Martinez-Olvera (2008)) you recommended, we included a method for measuring uncertainty in information sharing in the value chain, which is the core content of the paper, as an “intelligent function of MES”. In addition, we considered it as an important function that must be included in the collaborative MES if corporate collaboration in the value chain is actively carried out, and the necessary references were added in the recommended thesis. And we judged that the implementation of entropy function needs to be carried out in future research.

We revised the text and added references as follows:

• Line 384 - 400
• Line 1011 - 1019

Response 2: Regarding the applicability of the DT (Digital Twin) technology presented in the second paper (Martinez-Olvera (2022)) you recommended;

1) Through the cloud-based collaborative MES proposed in this paper, parts and product management, resource management such as workers and facilities, and process management are efficiently performed,

2) If a bidirectional control through automation is implemented, we judged that the application of DT technology is possible.

In this regard, we added the possibility of applying DT technology to future works chapter.

We revised the text and added references as follows:

• Line 891 - 897

Line 1052 - 1053

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

After modification, this paper has become better.