PublicationFeb 26, 2025
Next-Generation Design Tools for Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) promote new transportation paradigms such as connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV), multi-modal and demand-responsive transport systems, and enable the transportation electrification by sustainable operation of electric vehicles. Methods and tools are needed to explore the possible design space for emerging transportation paradigms, which support evaluation of system design alternatives and verification of system properties. In this work, we propose a model-and simulation-based systems engineering framework for capturing design decisions and evaluating control strategies for ITS design. In addition to capturing and evaluating different design decisions, the proposed solution allows users to guide design decisions by systematic comparison and evaluation of system configurations and control strategies.
PublicationJan 7, 2014
Supporting Concurrent Development of Requirements and Architecture: A Model-based Approach
A system’s requirements and its architecture are usually developed at least partly in parallel. This demands a continuous and automated assessment to confirm that the architecture conforms to its requirements. To enable such an assessment, the stepwise formalization of informal requirements has been proposed. However, there is no canonical set of artifacts and analysis techniques that has been evaluated for this task in practice yet. In this paper we propose an artifact model and a process that enables the continuous conformance assessment between requirements and architecture in a model-based context. We evaluate both in a development project with a group of students.
PublicationNov 14, 2018
Test-driven conceptual design of cyber-physical manufacturing systems
Today, manufacturing system engineering companies face three major trends: First, the systems have to implement more functions and, hence, grow in complexity. Then, besides mechanical engineering discipline the electrical and software engineering disciplines contribute more and more to the functionality of the system and, hence, require increasing efforts. And finally, the integration of the components from the individual engineering disciplines has become a costly task taking up to 25% of the p...»
PublicationJun 28, 2016
MaCon: Consistent Cross-Disciplinary Conception of Manufacturing Systems
Conceptual designs of manufacturing systems contain input from all engineering disciplines involved in the life cycle of such systems. For their efficient and consistent conception, information about the elements of a conceptual design and their relationships have to be sufficiently precise but preferably abstract. We employ a cross-disciplinary modeling technique to capture this information together with consistency checking including simulation to accomplish such a challenging task. In this paper, we demonstrate our approach with a tool prototype. Based on an industrial example, we highlight how the features of the tool prototype can effectively support tasks in conceptual design. To illustrate this effectiveness, we visualize the modeling work flow and the results of the consistency checks based on data collected during tool usage.
PublicationFeb 1, 2016
From Conception to Refinement in Mechatronic Systems Engineering
The complexity of mechatronic systems increases constantly due to market requirements. Traditional engineering approaches have troubles coping with the desired functionality. A major problem is the early and continuous integration and coordination of engineering disciplines (i.e. mechanic, electric, and software). To address this situation and to enable a concurrent engineering of participating disciplines, a model-based approach to early conception and subsequent refinement of mechatronic systems is proposed in this paper. This approach allows specifying a high-level mechatronic concept within a single editor and the refinement of this concept by integrating it with established engineering tools. In particular, the paper outlines the technical and methodical integration of discipline-specific tools such that refinement steps can be tested automatically and continuously. The suitability of the approach is shown along selected examples. Finally, the paper finishes with a reflection on the current state and an outlook on future research activities.
PublicationDec 13, 2015
Integrated Requirements and Systems Modeling in the Mechatronic Development Process
Manufacturing systems continuously increase in complexity due to higher customer expectations regarding their purpose and flexibility of use. In addition, the growing meaning of electronic and software components in manufacturing systems complicates the engineering since the interaction of different disciplines leads to increasing coordination efforts and problems regarding the interfaces between these disciplines. For these reasons, development processes in this context need to be adapted continuously to the present situation. To face these challenges, the suitable handling of arising requirements is one key factor for the success of engineering processes. Therefore, a modeling technique for an integrated requirements and systems modeling in the mechatronic development process is presented in this paper. After a summary of approaches for model-based development and requirements engineering in the context of mechatronic systems, the modeling technique is illustrated on a meta-model level. To demonstrate the feasibility, the proposed approach is applied to a miniaturized packaging machine, which is currently developed at the Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management (iwb) of Technische Universitaet Mueunchen for benchmarking engineering methods and tools. Excerpts of this application are outlined in this paper as well as the results of a discussion with experts from the machine tools industry regarding the presented modeling approach. Finally, an outlook with respect to possible enhancements of the modeling technique is given.