Model transfer among CASE tools in systems engineering

Abstract

Systems engineering as a core discipline of technical product development uses a variety of different Computer-Aided Systems Engineering (CASE) tools. Very often the need arises for data transfer between such tools. Currently, due to insufficient interface formats, a labor-intensive manual transfer of data is necessary. A step towards improving data exchange between systems engineering tools along the process life cycle is the definition of standard interface formats such as the application protocol (AP) framework of ISO Standards for the Exchange of Product Data (STEP). The aim of this paper is to analyze and evaluate the implementations of the Systems Engineering Data Representation and Exchange Standard (SEDRES/AP233) information model with regard to supporting data exchange, to propose improvements for the emerging modular AP233 ISO standard and to provide solutions for the observed problems. The solutions proposed in this paper were developed while designing, developing, and using a STEP ISO 10303–SEDRES conformant import and export interface for the tools Teamwork, Statemate, and the requirement management tool DOORS. The developed interfaces demonstrate that the SEDRES information model is an efficient medium for tool and vendor independent transfer of systems engineering information. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 8: 41–50, 2005