In this lesson of Model Based Systems Engineering and the Digital Thread,

we are focusing on how a model based enterprise connects with the digital thread.

As a reminder, I'm going to provide

a brief overview here of the concept of the digital thread.

Two courses in the specialization,

components of the digital thread and implementing the digital thread,

have focused heavily on the digital thread.

And the digital thread has been a topic

interwoven through multiple courses in the specialization.

If we think back through the stages in the product lifecycle,

we can see that data and information is generated at each step along the way.

The quantity of information accumulates throughout the lifecycle into

a large amount of raw data that can be used to describe the life of a product.

The digital thread describes the electronic files

and the data pathways that enable the re-purposing,

reuse and traceability of information in the development,

definition, production and support of a part or system throughout its life.

The thread weaves through connected machines,

factories and supply chains to enable data aggregation,

analysis and action, forming a digital quilt or

digital tapestry that encompasses an entire product or system.

The digital manufacturing and design paradigm emphasizes the use of

technology in the digital thread to rapidly adapt to the forces of change.

Development times are getting shorter.

Manufacturing costs are rising due to increasing demand for raw materials and energy.

Globalization is increasing competition

and the demand for custom configured products continues to grow.

Advances in technology, initially connecting design and manufacturing,

has led to the creation of the digital thread,

extending the digital integration of design and production

throughout the entire product lifecycle by connecting multiple subsystems.

For example, PLM, ERP, MES and MPM.

The digital thread connects conceptual design requirements, analysis,

detailed design, manufacturing, inspection,

operations, refit and retirement.

As a result, a finished assembly can be traced

back to the original requirements and design model.

An unbroken datalink throughout

the lifecycle is another way to think of the digital thread.

So model based is a term that has been applied in front of many different things

these days and the way I classically

frame it for those interested in model based systems engineering is,

all of the engineering disciplines have already transitioned to a model based approach.

We don't talk about model based mechanical engineering.

Model based is simply the way we do it.

The same is true on chip design,

the same is true on all the other engineering disciplines.

Systems engineers are the last ones to represent

their information specifications because while

the data model of the information model behind what we're trying to do is so vast.

As systems engineers make their transition and they move

from documents to higher fidelity representations,

that is model based systems engineering.

The way that bridges into model based engineering is,

remember Systems Engineering is

the connective tissue that brings the project team together.

If we do model based systems engineering in

such a way that we focus not on the needs of the systems engineer,

but focus on the needs of engineering the system and connecting all of these specialists.

Well, then model based systems engineering can

connect model based mechanical engineering,

model based electrical design,

model based software engineering,

in a high fidelity way.

When we get that connection,

that's what's called model based engineering,

it's also known as digital thread;

in some cases it's known as digital tapestry.

The reason that's important is

model based systems engineering is just a journey for

systems engineer so the rest of the world doesn't care about that.

But if we can get to digital engineering that is where we get

radical advances in time to market in cost and

quality because we're moving from

low fidelity transitions between all of the specialists to high fidelity mappings.

If you can get the human out of the middle and you can get

good semantic mappings from the system architecture down into the specific technologies,

well that's where the big win is.

With a valid digital thread throughout the product life cycle and supply chain,

suppliers can trust that data and

their designs will work in their manufacturing processes.

As design changes come through the supply network,

the information is immediately made available to suppliers in an accurate model.

Reliable digital processes eliminate transfer time and data validation time.

Even with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing standards,

drawings require human interpretation.

The vision of a model based enterprise with a digital thread

allows differences between digital models to be flagged automatically.

As I have mentioned before,

a core concept of the model based enterprise and a digital thread,

is the use of a model based definition.

While many activities can be associated with the model based definition,

the essence is that we have a single source of information about our design.

Three principle activities involving model based definition data

are: exchange, visualization and communication.

Communication differs from visualization in that it conveys

additional information such as precise geometry dimensions and supporting documentation.

In a model based enterprise,

it is challenging to exchange 3D geometry along with

metadata and semantic relations as defined in native CAD systems.

Software companies are aggressively addressing these challenges in order to foster

the development of a model based enterprise with the digital thread as its backbone.

Three nonproprietary examples of data exchange standards are JT,

STEP and 3D PDF.

JT is a 3D data format developed by Siemens PLM software and is used for visualization,

collaboration and CAD data exchange.

It can contain any combination of approximate data,

boundary representation surfaces, PMI and model metadata.

The standard for the exchange of product model data,

also known as STEP,

is an international standard: ISO 10303.

STEP can represent an enormous variety of data, including geometric information,

product manufacturing information, product lifecycle support information,

MC manufacturing information, electrical systems information.

STEP is one of the largest standards that exists within the ISO family of standards.

The third standard for communication that we're going to discuss here is 3D PDF.

This is also an international standard ISO 32000.

While most formats for geometric representation focus on the geometry,

product structure and sometimes the product manufacturing information

or PMI can be lost as a result.

Using a PDF brings a set of data definitions,

part of the overall PDF standard that can describe how other data forms can be consumed.

3D PDF also has the capability to contain forms for downstream use cases,

including the collection of data,

digital signatures, digital rights management and the ability to

include data of any type at all within the PDF package as an attachment.

PDF is going through a tremendous revolution where when we traditionally think of PDF,

we're thinking of a way to electronically capture a document.

3D PDF now makes it possible to digitally capture and

share model information about a product or system being designed.

With the digital thread as the backbone of a model based enterprise and JT,

STEP or 3D PDF as a current means to share

information between partners in the extended enterprise,

the next lesson will focus on the business aspects of a model based enterprise.

The Model-Based Enterprise and the Digital Thread

MBSE: Model-Based Systems Engineering

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