From conception to refinement in mechatronics systems engineering

The complexity of mechatronic systems increases constantly due to market requirements. Traditional engineering approaches have troubles coping with the desired functionality. A major problem is the early and continuous integration and coordination of engineering disciplines (i.e. mechanic, electric, and software). To address this situation and to enable a concurrent engineering of participating disciplines, a model-based approach to early conception and subsequent refinement of mechatronic systems is proposed in this paper. This approach allows specifying a high-level mechatronic concept within a single editor and the refinement of this concept by integrating it with established engineering tools. In particular, the paper outlines the technical and methodical integration of discipline-specific tools such that refinement steps can be tested automatically and continuously. The suitability of the approach is shown along selected examples. Finally, the paper finishes with a reflection on the current state and an outlook on future research activities.