A Meta-Model to Connect Model-based Systems Engineering with Product Data Management by Dint of the Blockchain

摘要

Complexity in automotive electrics/electronics development increases steadily due to new technologies, e.g. autonomous driving. Knowledge and hence development is more distributed among equal engineering partners and suppliers who become more and might join ad hoc, e.g. a start-up provides a new software faster and cheaper. Development artifacts have to be reconciled and traceability between E/E systems and their components has to be ensured to avoid errors, incompatibilities, and high coordination effort. Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) starts early in the development process by defining formal models which link and trace all system elements. However, there still is a gap between MBSE and later product data and lifecycle management (PDM/PLM) because these disciplines have different meta models. This paper presents a framework, methodologically and technologically, to bridge this gap. Therefore, the Blockchain technology provides valuable mechanisms for engineering collaboration. MBSE methodologies are assessed, aligned with PDM/PLM, and prototypically implemented.