Operator as a Service: A New Concept for Remote Supervision of Automated Manufacturing Lines

This paper introduces the Operator as a Service (OaaS) concept, a novel paradigm for human labour in the era of Industry 4.0. OaaS empowers skilled operators to remotely oversee and control multiple flexible smart manufacturing lines through advanced technologies such as digital twins and remote collaboration. By transitioning from on-site, full-time operators to specialized remote operators available on demand, OaaS optimizes human resource utilization and facilitates the transition towards more flexible and responsive manufacturing systems. This paper presents the OaaS architecture, discusses its potential benefits for enhancing operational efficiency and adaptability in semi-controlled manufacturing environments, and validates its feasibility through a real-world testbed involving a fully automated assembly line. The results demonstrate the potential of OaaS to address the challenges of maintaining human oversight and ensuring operational flexibility in increasingly complex and interconnected manufacturing systems.