Model-Based Product Development

The process is based on a model built upon relationships. The model replaces a document-based design. The model is typically created by the Systems Engineering team who converts system purpose into structure, behavior, and requirements.  The model is considered the single source of truth.

The model must remain relevant throughout the product life cycle. This is one of today’s biggest challenges. The model typically becomes a Systems Engineering artifact and has limited use through the development and manufacturing process.  A Digital Engineering process keeps the model relevant through the product life cycle and operates as a single source of truth.

For the purpose of realizing the model in the electrical and electronic domains, the model must be decomposed into E/E subsystems. These subsystems are further decomposed into functional elements as Electronic Control Units (ECU), sensors, busses, and connections.

Realizing the model in the electrical and electronic domain requires a logical structure of design elements with the associated behavior and requirements. Model creation can be done with Vitech’s GENESYS product with the appropriate guidelines for model content.  For instance, the model does not typically contain specific component identification such as part numbers.

When the design transitions from System Engineering to the implementation team, a design envelope must be clearly defined. The design team then knows what are the acceptable parameters in terms of cost, weight, size, power, etc.

Architecture verification is a design step prior to a detailed design where a partial detailed design is used to verify model requirements that can be met at high confidence. If a requirement can not be met at this phase, Systems Engineering must alter the model in the context of the entire system to enable a realizable implementation of the mode.

Once the design is verified at the architecture level meaning the verification requirements are met with high confidence, the design can move to detailed design. At this point domain-specific electronic and electrical design practices and tools are used to design a manufacturable product.  Learn more about transitioning to electrical design.

The model must remain relevant through the product development process. This is accomplished through verification gates which are comprised of a set of verification requirements. The design can not proceed to the next development phase until the gate requirements are satisfied.  This ensures the product is consistent with the model.

As the design moves through each verification gate, the model must be updated to reflect the verification requirement status. This allows Systems Engineering to monitor the design progress in terms of meeting verification requirements. As the design progresses through the implementation process, Systems Engineering has a window into its model consistency.

Throughout the Digital Engineering process, discussions that lead to decisions must be recorded and retained for traceability. The Digital Thread provides the mechanism to hold those critical digital conversations.