System of Systems

In general, “system of systems” (SoS) is a term that has been used since the 1950s to describe systems that are composed of independent constituent systems that act jointly towards a common goal while producing synergy between them. 

Recently, there has been an acceleration of market pressures in manufacturing such as sustainability, digital transformation, and increasing competition. The response has led to the connecting of more and more systems. Some of these connected systems extend to the enterprise level and even beyond to include partners, other companies, industry clusters, and even general society. The result is a more interconnected and complex SoS environment. 

“Yokogawa defines System of Systems (SoS) as a collection of independently operated and managed systems connected to form a larger system that delivers synergies and emergent value to all stakeholders in a plant, enterprise, supply chain, or society ecosystem.”