Development of an Integrated Interface Modelling Methodology to Support System Architecture Analysis

This thesis presents the development and validation of a novel interface modelling methodology integrated with a system architectural analysis framework that emphasises the need to manage the integrity of deriving and allocating requirements across multiple levels of abstraction in a structured manner. The state of the art review in this research shows that there is no shared or complete interface definition model that could integrate diverse interaction viewpoints for defining system requirements with complete information. Furthermore, while existing system modelling approaches define system architecture with functions and their allocation to subsystems to meet system requirements, they do not robustly address the importance of considering well-defined interfaces in an integrated manner at each level of systems hierarchy. This results in decomposition and integration issues across the multiple levels of systems hierarchy. Therefore, this thesis develops and validates following: -Interface Analysis Template as a systematic tool that integrates diverse interaction viewpoints for modelling system interfaces with intensive information for deriving requirements. -Coupling Matrix as an architecture analysis framework that not only allocates functions to subsystems to meet requirements but also promotes consistent consideration of well-defined interfaces at each level of design hierarchy. Insights from the validation of developed approach with engineering case studies within an automotive OEM are discussed, reflecting on the effectiveness, efficiency and usability of the methods

Development of an Interface Analysis Template for System Design Analysis

yesInterface definition is an essential and integral part of systems engineering. In current practice, interface requirements or control documents are generally used to define systems or subsystems interfaces. One of the challenges with the use of such documents in product development process is the diversity in their types, methodology, contents coverage, and structure across various design levels and across multidisciplinary teams, which often impedes the design process. It is important that interface information is described with appropriate detail and minimal or no ambiguity at each design level. The purpose of this paper is to present an interface analysis template (IAT) as a structured tool and coherent methodology, built upon a critical review of existing literature concepts, with the aim of using and implementing the same template for capturing interface requirements at various levels of design starting from stakeholders' level down to component level analysis. The proposed IAT is illustrated through a desktop case study of an electric pencil sharpener, and two examples of application to automotive systems

Application of the interface analysis template for delivering system requirements

yesThis paper presents a structured approach for systems requirements analysis that integrates use case modelling with a coherent flows based approach for describing interface exchanges based on the Interface Analysis Template. The approach is discussed in the context of current frameworks for requirements elicitation from the engineering design and systems engineering domains, and it is illustrated with an automotive case study. This illustrates the strength of the framework to support structured multi-domain and multi-disciplinary analysis of requirements for complex systems

A Framework for Complex Product Architecture Analysis using an Integrated Approach

YesContemporary design decomposition and synthesis analytical tasks at the conceptual design stage reply on functional and structural modelling approaches. There is a wide diversity of elements used by various modelling approaches for information and representation of product architecture, which incurs difficulties for multidisciplinary engineers working across different phases of design in capturing, visualising, sharing and tracing consistent yet common knowledge and elements across the function and structure domains. This prompts for fixation of detail and common modelling knowledge across both functional and structural analytical approaches which is also critical from automatized software perspective. A limitation of existing approaches is that they tend to focus more on ‘what’ and less on ‘how’ (and vice versa). This paper proposes an integrated conceptual product architecting approach that combines and expands the functional and structural modelling approaches, enabling capturing and tracing knowledge coherently through a common binding domain. This is underpinned by the view that most interaction requirements amongst the physical components during structural modelling can be derived from functional modelling. The proposed integrated approach is underpinned by the critical analysis and synthesis of existing approaches in literature dealing with functional and structural architecture analysis, integrated within a Multiple Domain Matrix (MDM) to fuse the knowledge of both solution independent (functional) and dependent (structural) analyses. The proposed framework is illustrated with a case study of solar robot toy, followed by discussion and suggestions for future work

The Use of Function Modelling Methods in Industry: Insights from a Large Scale Study with an Automotive OEM

YesThis paper presents an evaluation study for the System State Flow Diagram function modeling framework based on a large-scale study with an automotive OEM. Technical reports are used to evaluate the usage of the framework within the organization. The paper also introduces a list of the type of problems that engineers are interested in in practical function modelling. The findings suggest that there is a widespread uptake of the framework across the organization and it supports the usage of relevant key engineering tools within the context of a broader model-based Failure Mode Analysis methodology

Towards an Integrated Approach to Verification and Model-Based Testing in System Engineering

yesEngineering design in general and system design of embedded software have a direct impact on the final engineering product and the software implementation, respectively. Guaranteeing that the models utilised meet the specified requirements is beneficial in detecting misbehaviour and software flaws. This requires an integrated approach, combining verification and model-based testing methodology and notations and methods from system engineering and software engineering. In this paper, we propose a model-based approach integrating various notations utilised in the functional design of complex systems with formal verification and testing. We illustrate our approach on the cruise control system of an e-Bike case study

Evaluation of the Impact of Collaborative Research on Robust Design Methodologies: A Large Scale Empirical Case Study with an Automotive OEM

YesThe evaluation of impact of collaborative research on robust design methodologies and methods is important to both academic and industry stakeholders. This paper introduces a framework for impact evaluation which combines the broader framework adopted for the academic research impact assessment with the organisation viewpoint centred on business results, process improvement and product development teams capability improvement. A large scale empirical study conducted with evidence from technical reports on workplace projects from an automotive OEM proved the validity of the proposed framework

Complex Product Architecture Analysis using an Integrated Approach

yesProduct design decomposition and synthesis is a constant challenge with its continuously increasing complexity at each level of abstraction. Currently, design decomposition and synthesis analytical tasks are mostly accomplished via functional and structural methods. These methods are useful in different phases of design process for product definition and architecture but limited in a way that they tend to focus more on ‘what’ and less on ‘how’ and vice versa. This paper combines a functional representation tool known as System State Flow Diagram (a solution independent approach), a solution search tool referred as Morphology Table, and Design Structure Matrix (mainly a solution dependent tool). The proposed approach incorporates Multiple Domain Matrix (MDM) to integrate the knowledge of both solution independent and dependent analyses. The approach is illustrated with a case study of solar robot toy, followed by its limitations, future work and discussion

Complex Product Architecture Analysis using an Integrated Approach

yesProduct design decomposition and synthesis is a constant challenge with its continuously increasing complexity at each level of abstraction. Currently, design decomposition and synthesis analytical tasks are mostly accomplished via functional and structural methods. These methods are useful in different phases of design process for product definition and architecture but limited in a way that they tend to focus more on ‘what’ and less on ‘how’ and vice versa. This paper combines a functional representation tool known as System State Flow Diagram (a solution independent approach), a solution search tool referred as Morphology Table, and Design Structure Matrix (mainly a solution dependent tool). The proposed approach incorporates Multiple Domain Matrix (MDM) to integrate the knowledge of both solution independent and dependent analyses. The approach is illustrated with a case study of solar robot toy, followed by its limitations, future work and discussion

Design & implementation of a bespoke MRPII system for a small and medium enterprise (SME) manufacturing company

NoDue to significant challenges and increase in competition within the global environment, manufacturing companies need to focus on Manufacturing Planning and Control (MPC) systems in order to gain a competitive edge. This research paper describes a contribution towards the design and implementation of a bespoke MRP II system for a SME company dealing in tool reclamation. The paper covers the investigation of currently available MRP II systems and also investigates the present MPC system of the concerned SME company. On the basis of these investigations, a new/bespoke design has been proposed and developed for an MRP II system that is tailor-made for the aforementioned company. The newly designed MRP II system has been developed (using MS Access and Visual Basic for Application i.e. VBA) as a database planning tool of MPC system and contains the critical modules Demand Management (DM), Rough Cut Capacity Planning (RCCP), Master Production Scheduling (MPS), Material Requirements Planning (MRP), and Capacity Requirements Planning (CRP). The bespoke MRP II system has been tested within the real manufacturing environment existing in the SME company with positive results. The key outcome of the research has shown that even small SME’s can design and implement their own MRPII system, which is particular and relevant to their own special manufacturing environment, using a minimal of time, software and financial resources