Combining Model-Based Systems Engineering, Simulation and Domain Engineering in the Development of Industrial Automation Systems: Industrial Case Study

Due to increasing complexity, the design of Industrial Automation Systems are becoming more challenging. In that sense, efforts have been driven to develop Model-Based Systems Engineering tools and methods. Despite recent progress, there are still doubts in terms of the practical use and benefits. The main concerns are related to integration among tools and exchange of information between multidisciplinary artifacts. This paper compares Document-Centric Engineering (CAx tools) and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) in light of Industrial Automation Systems using a real domain. Therefore, a MBSE compliant method was developed and tested. Commercial tools such as the Eclipse platform and the ModelicaML language were used to perform abstract modeling while COMOS® from Siemens® was used to develop the multidisciplinary artifacts for project documentation. A Java application was developed to integrate component information between the selected environments. The OpenModelica Compiler was integrated to the platform to allow system and component behavior simulation. Tests have shown that the tools involved on this investigation still need further development concerning maturity and exchange of information from abstract models down to domain specific models. On the other hand, MBSE has proven to be an important tool to match different team approaches and concerns, improving team communication using conceptual-wide and abstract symbols. Connecting abstract ModelicaML models to a simulation environment using Modelica led to a better understanding of systems behavior prior to realization and provided an analysis environment for early detection of project errors and operational failures.