Cyber-Physical Digital Factory Architecture as the Enabler of Disembodied Work

Abstract

Digital Twins (DTs), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies have significantly advanced manufacturing digitalization. However, these technologies are typically applied to individual manufacturing processes rather than integrated into a unified cyber-physical manufacturing environment. This paper proposes a cyber-physical digital factory architecture that enables disembodied work, where manufacturing systems can be supervised and operated remotely through eXtended Reality (XR) user interfaces in collaboration between AI-based control and human operators. The architecture integrates synchronized DTs, hierarchical cloud-edge AI, IIoT, and XR teleoperation interfaces into a cyber-physical manufacturing environment. The proposed approach is validated through representative manufacturing operations, including CNC machining, robotic-assisted abrasive finishing, and robotized disassembly. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed architecture for disembodied manufacturing work and provide a reusable cyber-physical framework for future human-AI-controlled digital factories.