Virtual Testing Workflows Based on the Function-Oriented System Architecture in SysML: A Case Study in Wind Turbine Systems

Abstract

Wind turbines (WT) are complex multidisciplinary systems containing a large number of mechanical, control, and electrical components. Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) provides an approach for cross-discipline development to address the system complexity and focuses on creating and utilizing domain models as the primary means of information exchange. The domain models predict system behaviors and can support system validation through virtual testing at an early stage of system development. However, the further the WT development proceeds, the more system parameters are set, and the more domain models and virtual tests are involved. Therefore, it is necessary to design a framework of virtual testing workflows of WTs to support virtual validation processes as well as to automate those workflows. To achieve this goal, this contribution shows how standardized virtual testing workflows can be designed and linked to hierarchical and functional system architectures modeled in the Systems Modeling Language (SysML). The virtual testing workflows enable to trigger simulations of domain models and handle system parameters participating in the simulations, thus ensuring data consistency. Furthermore, to facilitate modular management and reuse of domain models, the domain models are classified according to model purposes, model fidelities, and system scopes. The virtual testing workflows are structured corresponding to the classification of the domain model, thereby forming a nested framework. To verify the feasibility of the proposed workflows, a virtual testing process of WT components (i.e., bearings) inside the system context with different model purposes and different model fidelities is demonstrated. It is shown that virtual testing workflows are systematically organized so that engineers can easily virtually (re-)validate the systems.

Function-Oriented Development of Complex Mechatronic Products From an Hto Perspective: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Modular product architecture (Schuh et al, 2018;Schuh et al, 2019), requirements engineering (Allmann, 2017;Ehring et al, 2020), integration of geometrical and functional data (Cohrs et al, 2014), functional safety (Kaiser et al, 2013;Ehring et al, 2020), and information management (Friedrich, 2011) employ a function-oriented look at the system. Most of the publications include a data structure for the development artefacts (such as requirements, functions, solutions, and relations) (Aksoy et al, 2021;Allmann, 2017;Denger et al, 2012;Ehring et al, 2020;Friedrich, 2011;Husung et al, 2022;Jacobs et al, 2022;Wyrwich et al, 2021;Spütz et al, 2021;Zhang et al, 2022;Politze and Bathelt, 2009;Politze and Dierssen, 2008;Renner, 2007;Stark et al, 2010). Multiple publications base function-oriented product development on an MBSE approach using the RFLP model (Denger et al, 2012;Ehring et al, 2020;Jacobs et al, 2022;Wyrwich et al, 2021;Zerwas et al, 2021;Spütz et al, 2021;Zhang et al, 2022;Renner, 2007).…”

Reusable workflows for virtual testing of multidisciplinary products in system models

“…These models typically address different (sub-) system levels and their parameters in the system model (wind turbine, drive train, bearings, ...). There are already approaches to describe virtual testing workflows over several hierarchy levels using function-oriented system models [10][11][12]. However, these are not modular, only valid for the specific use case and are therefore difficult to be efficiently reused.…”

“…Therefore, compared to activity diagrams, sequence diagrams can be created and used at any hierarchical level of the system model. For function-oriented SysML system models, several approaches for modeling workflows with the integration of complex domain models exist [10][11][12][23][24][25]. The approaches usually use activity diagrams to model the workflows in system models.…”

Flow Heuristics for Functional Modelling in Model-Based Systems Engineering

“…The increased digital integration of PD&D activities, with increased reliance on simulation-based validation of designs, offers a great potential for the adoption of the MBSE tools, as demonstrated by many examples (e.g. Zhang et al, 2022). However, consistent deployment of MBSE across multi-disciplinary systems with complex multi-physics behaviours is still a challenge that requires further development and adaption of methods.…”