Tutorial on
The ADOxx Open-Source Platform: Conceptualize and Design your Domain-Specific Modelling Tool
Instructor
|
Wilfrid Utz
OMiLAB gGmbH
Germany
|
|
|
|
Brief Bio
Wilfrid Utz is reponsible for OMiLAB NPO (www.omilab.org), the non-profit organization headquartered in Berlin supporting the conceptual modelling community organized around emerging topics with respect to domain-specific conceptual modelling. Wilfrid completed his PhD thesis in 2020 at the University of Vienna in the field of metamodel design and knowledge representation using conceptual structures. He has been involved in numerous international research and innovation projects and gained experience in the field of modelling method conceptualization, design, and implementation of modelling tools using the open ADOxx Metamodelling Platform (www.adoxx.org).
|
Abstract
Abstract
The development of domain-specific modelling languages has experienced a growing interest in the past years in industry and academia. This evolution can be attributed to the need to design, describe, and analyze complex information systems coherently and consistently using a specific vocabulary and terminology from different backgrounds: model artifacts are not observed isolated anymore for a specific purpose, but need to be understood in the context of an organization ecosystem. In such an environment, domain specificity enables the modelers to express focused models using tailored domain concepts that are commonly understood by human stakeholders. The semantic transformation enables machine processing to generate model value. To facilitate such a setting, platform support for conceptual modelling is required that adapts iteratively to changing circumstances and domain needs.
This tutorial introduces the open-source metamodeling platform ADOxx (https://adoxx.org/) as an experimentation environment for researchers and practitioners to realize individual meta-models and model processing functionalities for domain-specific conceptual modelling methods as modelling tools. Specific emphasis is given to the practical nature of the tutorial: participants are encouraged to realize their modelling tools in a hands-on setting and experiment with the capabilities of ADOxx to implement meta-models and model processing functionalities from scratch, specialize existing abstract fragments or compose and integrate available outcomes provided by the ADOxx.org community. The prototypes realized as part of the tutorial are available after that for further refinement, assessment, and evaluation. A community for a specific domain forms around common but specific artifacts found in that domain. For the domain of conceptual modelling, the ADOxx meta-modelling environment is such an artifact, having formed a community through projects, realized tools, and knowledge exchange.
As a practical example for the tutorial, a case from the FAIRWork project is utilized that demonstrates how metamodeling is applied to adapt an existing ADOxx-based tool to novel requirements related to decision support systems.
Acknowledgment: This work has been supported by the FAIRWork Project and has been funded within the European Commission’s Horizon Europe Programme under contract number 101049499. This content presented expresses the opinions of the presenters and not necessarily those of the European Commission. The European Commission is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained in this tutorial.
Keywords
meta-modelling, open-source platform, domain-specific modelling, model-value, software tools
Aims and Learning Objectives
The objective of the tutorial is for participants to:
a) Understand the concept of meta-models,
b) Explore the steps of realizing a domain-specific modelling method,
c) Configure and implement model-value functionality,
d) Discover various showcases of model-value and
e) Observe the importance of models beyond their diagrammatic purpose.
Participants are encouraged to implement their own modelling tool prototypes, guided, and facilitated by experienced trainers.
Target Audience
The tutorial targets students, researchers, and practitioners in meta-modelling, and conceptual modelling who have a research interest in this field. The ADOxx platform addresses all researchers interested in creating meta-models, users in designing modelling methods, developers in being able to deploy full-fledged modelling tools, and students who want to learn and understand that “model value” means more than just “drawing diagrams”.
Prerequisite Knowledge of Audience
Basic background in computer science/business informatics is recommended as the hands-on session will introduce meta-modelling techniques and model processing features.
Detailed Outline
Part A: ADOxx Introduction - The foundational part of the tutorial introduces the conceptual background on meta-modelling and conceptualization of domain-specific modelling methods. The agile ADOxx Development and Deployment Process is explained and showcased through various cases from the OMiLAB Community of Practice. These examples exemplify operational and tooling functionality aspects.
Part B: Hands-On Value-Adding Meta-Modelling – The participants will be guided on deriving a conceptual and a platform-dependent meta-model in a selected domain. The aim is to identify and derive model value through platform functionalities (based on AdoScript), which can be easily integrated with APIs, web services, or further re-used. The dynamic meta-modelling, blockchain, and AI-enabled ADOxx platform lets you experiment and realize innovative software tools.
Tutorial on
Engineering as a Service (EaaS): Digitizing Engineering along the PLC
Instructor
|
Stephan Rudolph
Institute for Aircraft Design, University of Stuttgart
Germany
|
|
|
|
Brief Bio
Stephan Rudolph holds the academic degrees of Dipl.-Ing., Dr.-Ing. and Priv.-Doz. in aerospace engineering from the faculty of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Stuttgart, Germany. Stephan is Head of the Design Theory and Similarity Mechanics Group and teaches several courses on digital engineering in the MSc specialization "Information Technology in Aerospace Engineering". In 2021 Stephan has been appointed adjunct associate professor at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. Besides, Stephan is co-founder and associate of a small German engineering company Ingenieurgesellschaft für Intelligente Lösungen und Systeme mbH, a high-tech SME, specializing in digital design automation. Stephan’s research interests include formal methods in Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) and formal engineering design synthesis methods using graph-based design languages, automatic model generation and design evaluation methods.
|
Abstract
The flow of information in the design of complex systems is usually distributed across many companies, disciplines and software tools. As a result, a robust, smooth and efficient exchange of data between the software tools is very often difficult, incomplete and potentially error-prone.
The tutorial shows how the desired digital consistency of data, digital interoperability of tools and digital continuity of processes of all information flows along the product life cycle (PLC) can be achieved by means of so-called graph-based design languages. For this purpose, abstract ontologies are used in graph-based design languages, which serve as a thesaurus and of which the desired vocabulary can be instantiated using rules and translated into executable simulation models by an associated design language compiler.
This holistic approach to automated model generation speeds up the design process significantly, shows the successive mapping of engineering requirements into the final product design, enables shorter time to market by eliminating tedious routine tasks and supports the front-loading with detailed engineering analysis tools already in the early design phase. The digital modeling methodology is explained and demonstrated using two larger engineering design examples, the design of the satellite power supply and the design of a Formula Student racing car of the 2023 season.
Keywords
Model-Driven Systems Engineering (MBSE), V-Model, Model-driven Architecture (MDA), Model transformations (M2M, M2T), design of complex systems
Aims and Learning Objectives
The participants will experience graph-based design languages as a means to ensure the digital consistency of data, the digital continuity of processes and the digital interoperability of tools along the product life-cycle (PLC). The mechanism of modeling disciplinary information for geometry (for a CAD-kernels such as NX, CATIA or OpenCASCADE), for continuum mechanics (for solvers such as ANSYS, ABAQUS or ELMER), for controls (for MATLAB or OCTAVE) and for many more other domains with appropriate software programs by a unified digital representation in the form of graph-based design languages will be explained. Several examples, starting with increasing engineering complexity from a simple coffeemaker design to a satellite power supply onto the generation of the complete drivetrain of a Formula Student racing car of the 2023 season will be used to exemplify the digital modeling and model generation capabilities.
Target Audience
The targeted audience is two-fold:
- engineers (i.e. experts familiar with engineering modeling) who want to see how complex real-world engineering design problems can be digitally modeled and digitally executable by formal modeling
languages such as graph-based design languages, and
- computer scientists (i.e. experts familiar with modeling languages) who want to see how concepts Engineering as a Service (EaaS): Digitizing Engineering along the PLC from the Model driven architecture (MDA) approach with models and model transformations can be
successfully applied to automate real-world engineering design problems.
Prerequisite Knowledge of Audience
Basic knowledge of object-oriented programming (classes, objects, associations, inheritance), MBSE in general and visual modeling (e.g. with UML or SysML) in particular is advantageous for the participants' understanding. However, everything necessary is always briefly introduced. In addition, the schedule is not too tight, so that comprehension questions can also be asked in the overview presentations. The ideal audience is either
- “engineer” with an typical engineering background (CAD, FEM modeling and simulation experience) from design and systems engineering (MBSE V-Model), or is
- “computer scientist” with a typical background computer science background in programming (object-oriented modeling, visual modeling languages and MDA) and basic knowledge of engineering concepts, or both.
Detailed Outline
Introduction to the problem of digital modeling along the product life-cycle (10 mins)
- digital consistency of data
- digital continuity of processes and
- digital interoperability of tools
Introduction to graph-based design languages (30 min)
- abstract ontologies, design languages with vocabulary, rules and production systems
- digital modeling of design languages as models, model transformations and activities
Demonstration of practical example (simple)
- coffee maker design (20 mins)
Demonstration of practical example (medium)
- satellite power supply (30 mins)
First question and discussion round (20 mins)
Demonstration of practical example (medium)
- Formula Student racing car for the 2023 season (50 mins)
Second question and discussion round (20 mins)