Application of the generic modelling method for system of systems to manufacturing domain

Meeting challenges of the competitive market, modern manufacturing systems are evolving to heterogeneous and distributed network of systems which can be seen as an application of systems of systems (SoS). There is a challenge to develop adequate modelling techniques and tools which would be able to capture paradoxical nature of SoS with its evolving boundaries and requirements, network centricity, heterogeneous composition, and distributed facilities in order to visualise, to design and to analyse modern manufacturing systems. The paper describes results of the first stage of an on-going research. The stage is dedicated to an application of the method based on modelling of SoS characteristics and interfaces between component systems to a conveyor-based pallet transferring system. With control of decentralization, each module of such a system can be seen as a subsystem for a SoS. The results of the application show that the method applied allows to provide description of the production system, and the model can automatically evolve with modifications in the system like for instance increase of the components. In the next stage of the research, the method will be applied to a more complex use case from the domain of composite materials manufacturing which can be considered as a SoS application, the development of a software environment for modelling and simulation is planned.