A specification language for automated design space exploration of production systems

Integrating simulation in the design process of production systems allows the predicted performance of design alternatives to be compared. However, many iterations of specifying the design, constructing the simulation model, performing simulation experiments, and evaluating the simulation results for each (re)design are required. The process of specifying, modelling, simulating, and evaluating a design can be automated using a framework for automated design space exploration of production systems. This paper presents a formal specification language for the design space of a production system topology. Using the specification of the design space, feasible designs can be generated. The language supports the specification of component types, component instances, and constraints such as how many instances of a type are allowed and how components are allowed to be connected. The specification language is validated through an adaptation of an industrial case study

Human-Centered Design Using System Modeling Language

The human user is important to consider during system design. However, common system design models, such as the system modeling language, typically represent human users and operators as external actors, rather than as internal to the system. This research presents a method for integrating human considerations into system models through human-centered design. A specific system is selected to serve as the case study for demonstrating the methodology. The sample system is analyzed to identify the task and information flow. Then, both system- and human-centered diagrams are separately created to represent different viewpoints of the system. These diagrams are compared and analyzed, and new diagrams are created that incorporate both system and human considerations into one concordant representation of the system model. These new views allow systems engineers and human factors engineers to effectively communicate the role of the user during early system design trades

Tradespace and Affordability – Phase 2

MOTIVATION AND CONTEXT: One of the key elements of the SERC’s research strategy is transforming the practice of systems engineering – “SE Transformation.” The Grand Challenge goal for SE Transformation is to transform the DoD community’s current systems engineering and management methods, processes, and tools (MPTs) and practices away from sequential, single stovepipe system, hardware-first, outside-in, document-driven, point-solution, acquisition-oriented approaches; and toward concurrent, portfolio and enterprise-oriented, hardware-software-human engineered, balanced outside-in and inside-out, model-driven, set-based, full life cycle approaches.This material is based upon work supported, in whole or in part, by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)) under Contract H98230-08- D-0171 (Task Order 0031, RT 046).This material is based upon work supported, in whole or in part, by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)) under Contract H98230-08- D-0171 (Task Order 0031, RT 046)

Modeling and verification of Functional and Non-Functional Requirements of ambient Self-Adaptive Systems

International audienceSelf-Adaptive Systems modify their behavior at run-time in response to changing environmental conditions. For these systems, Non-Functional Requirements play an important role, and one has to identify as early as possible the requirements that are adaptable. We propose an integrated approach for modeling and verify- ing the requirements of Self-Adaptive Systems using Model Driven Engineering techniques. For this, we use Relax, which is a Requirements Engineering language which introduces flexibility in Non-Functional Require- ments. We then use the concepts of Goal-Oriented Requirements Engineering for eliciting and modeling the requirements of Self-Adaptive Systems. For properties verification, we use OMEGA2/IFx profile and toolset. We illustrate our proposed approach by applying it on an academic case study

A Review on Software Performance Analysis for Early Detection of Latent Faults in Design Models

Organizations and society could face major breakdown if IT strategies do not comply with performance requirements. This is more so in the era of globalization and emergence of technologies caused more issues. Software design models might have latent and potential issues that affect performance of software. Often performance is the neglected area in the industry. Identifying performance issues in the design phase can save time, money and effort. Software engineers need to know the performance requirements so as to ensure quality software to be developed. Software performance engineering a quantitative approach for building software systems that can meet performance requirements. There are many design models based on UML, Petri Nets and Product-Forms. These models can be used to derive performance models that make use of LQN, MSC, QNM and so on. The design models are to be mapped to performance models in order to predict performance of system early and render valuable feedback for improving quality of the system. Due to emerging distributed technologies such as EJB, CORBA, DCOM and SOA applications became very complex with collaboration with other software. The component based software systems, software systems that are embedded, distributed likely need more systematic performance models that can leverage the quality of such systems. Towards this end many techniques came into existence. This paper throws light into software performance analysis and its present state-of-the-art. It reviews different design models and performance models that provide valuable insights to make well informed decisions

Architecture-based Evolution of Dependable Software-intensive Systems

This cumulative habilitation thesis, proposes concepts for (i) modelling and analysing dependability based on architectural models of software-intensive systems early in development, (ii) decomposition and composition of modelling languages and analysis techniques to enable more flexibility in evolution, and (iii) bridging the divergent levels of abstraction between data of the operation phase, architectural models and source code of the development phase

A Reference Architecture for Cubesat Development

Developing a space vehicle is a complex and detailed process, and while CubeSats are smaller and more accessible than traditional satellites the design process is relatively unchanged. Creating a viable space vehicle design requires detailed analysis of a set of mission needs in order to define the mission, with this need set used to then create the specific mission requirements. These requirements are used to formulate a concept of operations, and then move into developing a physical system for executing the mission. The successful production of CubeSats within an organization is contingent upon the accurate execution of the general CubeSat Development Process. This research presents a tool to facilitate more complete, streamlined, and transferable products throughout the course of a general CubeSat Development Process. The reference architecture is capable of displaying both organizational and systems level architectures, both linked together and in support of consistent and repeatable structure to be given to users intending to produce a complete mission and system design. The architecture incorporates a suite of repositories to assist users in hardware integration and requirements traceability, including component, activity, and regulatory libraries; in addition to parametric diagrams to facilitate requirements verification and constraint analysis

Early Detection of Design Errors in the Life Cycle of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: A SysML Approach

The widespread of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in various application domains has questioned the design methods used by UAV manufacturers. Migration from document centric approaches to Model-Based ones has stimulated research work on modeling languages and tools that reduce cost development and time to market. Among the various benefits one may expect from using a Model-Based System Engineering approach, the paper essentially considers a model as a reference for early detection of design errors in the life cycle of UAVs. The paper proposes designers to model the UAV in SysML and to use the free software TTool for safety analysis. TTool includes a SysML model editor, a model simulator and formal verification modules that rely safety analysis on mathematics rather than chance. The method associated with SysML and TTool is applied to a UAV in charge of taking pictures

Tradespace and Affordability – Phase 1

One of the key elements of the SERC’s research strategy is transforming the practice of systems engineering – “SE Transformation.” The Grand Challenge goal for SE Transformation is to transform the DoD community’s current systems engineering and management methods, processes, and tools (MPTs) and practices away from sequential, single stovepipe system, hardware-first, outside-in, document-driven, point-solution, acquisition-oriented approaches; and toward concurrent, portfolio and enterprise-oriented, hardware-software-human engineered, balanced outside-in and inside-out, model-driven, set-based, full life cycle approaches.This material is based upon work supported, in whole or in part, by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)) under Contract H98230-08- D-0171 (Task Order 0031, RT 046).This material is based upon work supported, in whole or in part, by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)) under Contract H98230-08- D-0171 (Task Order 0031, RT 046)