CONCURRENT ENGINEERING: Research and Applications A Conceptual Framework for the Collaborative Modeling of Networked Manufacturing Systems

A manufacturing system is a product, and has to be designed as any other product. Therefore, a need for adequate methodological support and tools for modeling, structuring, and control of the next generation manufacturing systems is recognized. In this study, the adaptive distributed modeling framework for collaborative design and operations of network manufacturing systems is presented. In manufacturing networks, several autonomous partners participate in dynamic design of a manufacturing system, its implementation, and adaptation. In this context collaborative modeling, structuring, and control in distributed manufacturing environment play a vital role. The proposed modeling framework introduces the common modeling space and enables a collaborative definition of modeling building blocks, model design, simulation, and operations support of distributed manufacturing systems in a dynamic environment – which is the realistic nature of the global manufacturing. The prototype of the framework is elaborated in a case study.