The papers in this special section focus on artificial intelligence-enabled software defined industrial networks. With the development of intelligent manufacturing, new manufacturing modes such as personalized customization and networked collaboration have been widely developed. These new manufacturing modes require frequent data exchanges between manufacturing machines and industrial information systems through the networks, and dynamically change according to the variations of orders, business, and environments, which cannot be supported in traditional manufacturing modes that focus on local and fixed processes. The current industrial network architecture cannot meet the needs of the aforementioned upcoming manufacturing mode. For example, there are many industrial network protocols, forming a complex industrial heterogeneous network, which seriously affects the interconnections between the underlying devices and the upper layer application systems. In addition, the layering information technology (IT) networks and the operation technology (OT) networks in the factory have hindered the developments of the industrial networks and intelligent manufacturing. There is an urgent need to build a flat, efficient, and flexible industrial network to support the new manufacturing modes.

中文翻译：

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客座社论：人工智能支持的软件定义工业网络：架构、算法和应用


本专题部分的论文重点关注人工智能支持的软件定义工业网络。随着智能制造的发展，个性化定制、网络化协作等新型制造模式广泛发展。这些新型制造模式需要制造机器和工业信息系统通过网络进行频繁的数据交换，并根据订单、业务和环境的变化而动态变化，这是注重本地和固定流程的传统制造模式所无法支持的。当前的工业网络架构无法满足上述即将到来的制造模式的需求。例如，工业网络协议众多，形成复杂的工业异构网络，严重影响底层设备与上层应用系统的互联互通。此外，工厂内分层的信息技术（IT）网络和操作技术（OT）网络阻碍了工业网络和智能制造的发展。迫切需要构建扁平、高效、灵活的产业网络来支撑新型制造模式。