The common concept method for citizen modelers in cross-domain engineering addresses the challenge of semantic inconsistencies arising from heterogeneous domain models in production systems engineering by integrating model-driven engineering, citizen modeling and ontology-based knowledge representation into a unified workflow. The proposed approach introduces a lightweight domain-specific modeling language embedded within a Sparx Enterprise Architect MDG extension. This extension enables domain experts, referred to as citizen modelers, to intuitively capture concepts, properties and relations without requiring deep MBSE expertise. A four-phase process guides the creation of a consistent common vocabulary. An AutomationML export maintains semantic integrity and facilitates seamless data exchange with downstream tools. The method was validated by engineering students acting as citizen modelers and in an industrial project. This paper uses a generic conveyor belt example to demonstrate the method. The study indicates that the CC method facilitates efficient, collaborative modeling, semantic alignment and enhanced interoperability across heterogeneous engineering domains.

Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) has gained widespread recognition as a transformative approach for managing complexity in modern systems development. While its adoption has accelerated in domains such as aerospace and defense, the manufacturing sector has been slower to adopt MBSE practices. Literature findings indicate that MBSE offers many perceived advantages, including improved communication, enhanced traceability, and early validation. However, its adoption is often hindered by tool integration issues, organizational resistance, insufficient training, and uncertain return on investment. This paper focuses on these benefits and challenges, with a particular focus on the manufacturing domain. Furthermore, the adoption process itself is examined, as it poses many challenges and significantly influences the long-term success of MBSE initiatives. By conducting a structured literature review, this study aims to provide an overview of the adoption process, as well as the benefits and challenges associated with MBSE implementation in manufacturing companies. The resulting insights are intended to support more informed, evidence-based decisions regarding MBSE adoption in the manufacturing sector.

This paper discusses the challenges and associated risks that companies face due to the growing complexity of systems engineering. It highlights the significance of effective and efficient decision making during the early design phase, known as basic engineering, to mitigate potential risks. The paper recommends the representation of basic engineering data and associated risk models in the AutomationML data exchange format. This tool-neutral approach supports data-driven decisions in the design of production systems and enables continuous data expansion throughout the production system's lifecycle. The implementation of this approach and its potential impact on improving efficiency and risk management in systems engineering are also discussed.

As developing current or future industrial systems becomes increasingly complex, new methods for understandably structuring those systems need to arise. The Reference Architectural Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) provides a framework for describing intermingled industrial applications in the context of Cyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPSs). However, although RAMI 4.0 has been standardized for almost a decade, it still lacks actual industrial applications. Recent use cases have shown that the three-dimensional layout might be oversimplified for describing system architectures. Specifically, problems with the so-called live-cycle axis, which has shown significant shortcomings in capturing the dynamics of industrial processes, need to be tackled. This paper provides an analysis of RAMI 4.0 and an assessment of shortcomings that hinder its applicability. It presents alternative approaches that address these limitations by proposing modifications or replacements of parts of RAMI 4.0. Based on the paper's insights, we provide the research agenda for engineering future manufacturing systems, considering it a base for follow-up projects to ensure industrial readiness.

Highly connected cyber-physical systems and the increasing popularity of the Plug-and-Work approach contribute to rising system complexity. This rise in complexity often hinders manageability and prevents companies from adapting to new technologies. In response, the Reference Architecture Model Industry 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) is introduced as a suitable framework for visualizing interconnections within Industry 4.0 systems and for providing different stakeholder perspectives. While RAMI 4.0 and model-based systems engineering (MBSE) have proven to be effective in managing system complexity, the manual process of resource selection based on product or process requirements, persists. To overcome this challenge, this research extends the RAMI 4.0 domain-specific language (DSL) to enable the mod-eling of resource functionality as capabilities and skills, and to connect those elements to requirements. A capability diagram is incorporated into RAMI 4.0, featuring modeling elements inspired by the Capability-Skill-Service (CSS) model, introduced by Platform Industry 4.0. This paper presents the implementation of the functionality aspects in RAMI 4.0 as well as a proof-of- concept application using the newly introduced elements, while concurrently evaluating the CSS reference model.

Production systems are becoming increasingly complex, as they have to be used to manufacture individualized products with the highest quality. In addition, rapidly changing customer requirements mean production systems are adapted at shorter intervals or designed to be highly flexible right from the start. With increased complexity, the risk of failures in production also rises. Since most failures are associated with high costs, the goal is to avoid them as efficiently and effectively as possible. Hazards identified in an early phase of the design process can be treated directly, and thus time and costs are reduced. For this reason, this paper aims to enable the evaluation of production systems with the Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (FMEA) during the basic design phase of the engineering life-cycle. To do so, the proposed model-based system quality analysis for basic engineering (SQA4BE) approach is implemented in a state-of-the-art software tool targeting model-based systems engineering (MBSE) of such systems, the so-called Reference Architecture Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) Toolbox. The resulting implementation of the approach is evaluated towards practicability by utilizing the example case study of a Fischertechnik screwing machine.

Tradition manufacturing is undergoing a significant change, mainly promoted by emerging technologies like Cyber-physical Systems (CPS) or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), leading to new automated production. The rising number of dynamically interconnected elements leads to an increasing complexity in such systems, which accompanies new challenges during systems engineering and thus leads to reaching the limits of contemporary methods. While the community has recognized this, new approaches recently arose to find solutions for particular parts of this problem. However, as the need for a holistic approach emerges, the Reference Architecture Model Industry 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) has been standardized as a promising framework. While this domain-specific architecture framework is missing specifications to address all aspects of such critical infrastructure, this paper thus proposes a new modeling methodology promoting model-driven engineering (MDE) of current or future production systems based on the peculiarities of RAMI 4.0. To enable mutual architecture development across the entire system hierarchy and all stakeholders, the aspects of model-based systems engineering (MBSE) are considered. The proposed step-by-step guideline is thereby made applicable by a modeling framework called RAMI Toolbox that ensures the engineering of both greenfield and brownfield systems. Finally, the approach, including all artifacts, is evaluated based on a real-world case study proposed by Siemens.

Industrial manufacturing is becoming increasingly complex due to the need to produce individual products with dynamic production processes. This means new methods for engineering flexible production systems, the interconnection between production system, process, and product, need to occur, as contemporary methods are reaching their limits. While varying approaches try to address this problem on a small-scale, the need for holistic methodologies becomes obvious. Thus, this paper proposes a holistic solution by aligning the concepts of the Product, Process, and Resource (PPR) notation for engineering industrial systems according to the Reference Architecture Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0). By doing so, each other’s disadvantages are counteracted. In more detail, RAMI 4.0 is missing a concrete modeling notation allowing it to be practically applied in systems engineering. At the same time, PPR reaches its limits regarding large-scale modeling systems across multiple domains or granularity levels. The result of this work, an applicable PPR modeling notation for engineering complex production systems, could strongly contribute to future Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE) within this area, as a ready-to-use methodology the so-called RAMI Toolbox provides them. Using the agile design science research methodology (ADSRM), the outcome is evaluated based on a real-world case study.

The vision of Industry 4.0 introduces new requirements to Operational Technology (OT) systems. Solutions for these requirements already exist in the realm of Information Technology (IT), however, due to the different characteristics of IT and OT, these solutions often cannot be directly used in the realm of OT. We therefore propose an Industrial Business Process Twin (IBPT), allowing to apply methods of one world to another not directly but, instead, to a representation, that is in bidirectional exchange with the other world. The proposed IBPT entity acts as an intermediary, decoupling the realms of IT and OT, thus allowing for an integration of IT and OT components of different manufacturers and platforms. Using this approach, we demonstrate the four essential Industry 4.0 design principles information transparency, technical assistance, interconnection and decentralized decisions based on the gamified Industry 4.0 scenario of playing the game of Nine Men’s Morris. This scenario serves well for agent based Artificial Intelligence (AI)-research and education. We develop an Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) information and communication model and then evaluate the IBPT component with respect to the different views of the Reference Architecture Model Industry 4.0 (RAMI4.0).

Additive manufacturing and product configurations will become increasingly important in future production systems. This trend brings great opportunities for manufacturing companies, but also inherits challenges to overcome. Resulting from this, a heterogeneous tool-landscape has emerged, where each of the single tools is addressing a particular aspect of the value-creation network. An example for such a tool specifically targeting the engineering of such flexible production systems according to the Reference Architecture Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) has been proposed with the RAMI Toolbox. However, as universal frameworks are too general to deal with all aspects of developing such complex systems, other possibilities for conflictfree engineering of the system need to be available. Thus, the main contribution of this paper deals with proposing a Round-trip Engineering (RTE) approach, that allows to export previously modeled flexible production systems according to the peculiarities of RAMI 4.0 and subsequently reload external elaborated results. Thereby, a major benefit is the application of Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE), which ensures the traceability to the remaining system components. The chosen methodology for bidirectionally exchanging the engineering data is AutomationML, which allows to store exported information from RAMI 4.0 or import such stored information into it. The RTE-approach is thereby evaluated with a real-world case study, the Siemens Fischertechnik industrial plant model.

The Reference Architecture Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) has been proposed to faciliate the discussion and contribute to the standardization of future industrial systems, especially in the area of basic engineering. In order to provide the resulting system model to the heterogeneous detailed engineering disciplines, AutomationML appears to be one of the technology drivers, giving the possibility to exchange respective engineering artifacts. Concluding, the utilization of this standard after applying the theoretical engineering concepts of RAMI 4.0 would strongly enhance the interoperability between industrial systems aligned to the reference architecture on the one hand and provide a practical implementation of its theoretical concepts on the other hand. Therefore, this work-in-progress Paper introduces the first implementation of a bi-directional interface, which interconnects basic engineering with detailed engineering of such systems. As model-based systems engineering (MBSE) with either RAMI 4.0 or AutomationML is currently under broad investigation, already established approaches are used to verify the application of the developed interface. An initial real-world example is taken for use to validate the research goals or challenges of the resulting engineering tool-chain, which can strongly contribute to engineering practitioners of flexible production systems by maxing out the heterogeneous tool-landscape.

In recent years, the manufacturing industry sector has undergone major changes. Better known by the term Industry 4.0, this trend describes the transformation of centrally managed production systems towards decentralized value creation networks. As this leads to a strong increase regarding complexity, engineering such current or future manufacturing systems becomes a difficult task. An example for such a challenging engineering process is the selection of technical implementations fulfilling all requirements and performing the needed functions. In order to support this process, model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and its expressions like model-driven architecture (MDA) proved to be promising approaches. However, semi or fully automated model transformations, which could deal with the aforementioned issue, are still yet widely unexplored in the industrial area. Therefore, this paper introduces an approach transforming the logical architecture of a system into its technical implementation by utilizing AutomationML. As the goal is to perform this step automatically, additional tool support is provided by developing specific software. The results of this approach are thereby evaluated by a real-world case study, which is applied according to the concepts of the Reference Architecture Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0).

The fourth industrial revolution resulted in the emergence of new ways for engineering production lines with the goal to optimize manufacturing processes by reducing expenses at the same time. This trend is mainly supported by the application of interconnected components, which are managed in a distributed way, as impelled by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or Cyber-physical Systems (CPS). While the complexity of these Systems of Systems (SoSs) is constantly rising, requirements engineering before actual implementing the system becomes increasingly difficult. Thus, comprehensive frameworks providing a foundation for model-based systems engineering, like the Reference Architecture Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) or the Software Platform Embedded Systems (SPES), have been introduced. Although providing a standardized methodology, missing formalizations impede the modeling of systems according to detailed architectural specifications. To address these issues, this paper introduces an approach for eliciting, specifying and managing requirements according to a particular process and aligned to architectural standards. In the end, the result is evaluated by a real-world case study. The outcome of this work will either verify the future system to develop by ensuring traceability or enable interoperability by dealing as a consistent reference point across viewpoints, systems or even domains.

Engineering of vehicular embedded systems is a difficult task, as the ongoing integration of Cyber-physical Systems (CPS) or automation potentials during vehicle development leads to increasing complexity. In particular, to develop current or future Electric Vehicles (EV) is challenging due to different domains to consider while engineering the sub-components of the vehicle itself. Thus, in order to enable a mutual development of vehicular embedded systems on multiple abstraction levels, the Software Platform Embedded Systems (SPES) has been introduced. To cope with the complexity, this framework introduces viewpoints and hierarchy layers in shape of a matrix. However, while additionally multiple domains have to be considered when developing an EV, the SPES methodology is also missing specifications, impeding its application in actual industrial scenarios. To deal with both of the mentioned issues, this paper introduces an approach for Model-based Systems Engineering of electric vehicle systems based on SPES. By doing so, this framework is further refined by an architecture definition based on the ISO 42010 and a corresponding development process. By utilizing the EV use case, the outcome is thereby validated towards its industrial feasibility, which will enhance the applicability of SPES on the one hand and contribute to the Automotive area by dealing with the increasing complexity while engineering vehicular embedded systems on the other hand.

Accompanied by the fourth industrial revolution, current and future manufacturing systems are undergoing a major transformation. Driven by the integration of cyber-physical systems and the thereby resulting autonomy of its single components, organizing the interplay of its physical counterparts becomes more and more challenging. In order to structure and realize such an industrial system in a collaborative manner, the Reference Architecture Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) has been developed. However, although being widely accepted by the community, the standardized architecture is missing actual industrial applications. A major reason for this issue might be missing specifications in the standard itself, hindering the mutual development of such a critical infrastructure at the right level of detail. Thus, in order to counteract the mentioned problem, this work delineates the alignment of RAMI 4.0 with a well-established framework for specifying enterprise architectures, named The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF). By coalescing the system development concepts of RAMI 4.0 and TOGAF, both of the approaches could benefit from each other. The result is thereby evaluated with an actual industrial case study.

The transformation from original production line manufacturing towards complex value creation networks causes new challenges for manufacturing companies to stay in touch with or even delimit from the competition. This new trend, resulting from the emergence of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), offers new automation possibilities by interconnecting all system components with each other. However, as those components, mainly known as Cyber-physical Systems (CPS) are usually systems themselves, the complexity of such a manufacturing system continously rises, which even has to be classified as a complex System of Systems (SoS). Having recognized the issue of the upcoming difficulties when engineering such a system, several German institutes introduced the Reference Architecture Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0), a three-dimensional framework that offers standards or methods for developing system architectures on basis of different views. Nevertheless, at the current point of view, this approach though looks good on paper, but almost none practical applications are existing yet. Thus, this paper focuses on the model-based development of system architectures according to the specifications of RAMI 4.0 in order to evaluate the practical applicability of this reference architecture for usage in actual industrial projects. This is done by utilizing two actual industrial case studies, whose models are created with the help of a specifically designed software tool, the so-called RAMI Toolbox. Based on the outcome of this work, the usage of RAMI 4.0 for application in the industrial area could be sustainably consolidated.