The document discusses using service-oriented architectures (SOAs) and web services to improve flexibility and connectivity in manufacturing. It proposes a cross-layer infrastructure called SOCRADES that connects smart devices on the factory floor to enterprise applications like ERP using standards like DPWS. SOCRADES provides a middleware that supports dynamic discovery and composition of services to enable reconfiguration and integration of shop-floor events with top-floor systems. An initial implementation of SOCRADES was built to demonstrate brokered access to devices and support for dynamic environments.