Abstract: Collaborative Design Facility (CDF) is a Flanders Make project providing infrastructure to support engineering workflows, both software and hardware. The hardware has been installed in 4 dedicated CDF rooms in Flanders. One of these rooms is located on our campus, and the MSDL summer workshop will take place in this room. In this opening session, I will give an overview of what the CDF project has delivered.

Abstract: SysML has been proposed to become a standard for system engineering design. Although it has achieved several significant milestones in academia and industry, its adoption did not increase as expected due to some concerns, including the informal aspect of the language and its unclear semantics. SysML v2 comes to fill several gaps in its predecessor language. In this talk, I will give a brief introduction to SysML v1 diagrams and the path to SysML v2.

12:00 - 12:30: Break

Abstract: Although UML and SysML diagrams provide high expressivity to describe structural and behavioural aspects of systems, the lack of formal semantics restricts the usage of the language for validation purposes. Several academic works have been proposed to subdue this limitation. In this talk, I will present some research initiatives I have developed where we apply the process algebra CSP as the semantic domain for UML/SysML behavioural diagrams for verification purposes.

13:00 - 14:00: Lunch (at Komida)

Abstract: Blended Modeling is the ability of modifying a model (abstract syntax (AS)) via multiple concrete syntaxes (CS, e.g., visual and textual). The essential complexity lies in (1) bi-directional model transformations, and possibly (2) dealing with a lack of information (e.g., layout). Collaborative modeling further increases complexity due to the occurrence of concurrent edit operations, that have to be merged, possibly involving conflicts. As a solution, we present a decentralized operational versioning system that records changes as they happen, whether these changes were caused by a user (an edit operation) or by a synchronization between AS and CS. We show that by recording dependencies between operations, detecting conflicts and merging becomes trivial. We then see how the same solution can be used as a foundation for live modeling (editing a model or program while executing it) and (omniscient, multi-verse) debugging, non-deterministic (branching) execution and detecting parallel independence/convergence.

Abstract: Digital Twins (DTs) have emerged as a pivotal paradigm in the realm of Industry 4.0 and Cyber-Physical Systems, intertwining the physical and virtual domains to enable advanced analysis, simulation, and optimization of complex systems. The fundamental concept of DTs involves creating a virtual representation of a physical entity, be it a machine, process, or even an entire ecosystem. This digital replica, closely synchronized with its real-world counterpart, facilitates real-time monitoring, data acquisition, and predictive analysis. The integration of sensor data, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, and artificial intelligence algorithms empowers Digital Twins to mimic real-world behaviors, thereby enabling scenario testing, fault prediction, and performance enhancement. DTs appear everywhere, from healthcare to building modelling, from industry to avionics, and yet, despite their omnipresence, there is still no common consensus on their exact definition, architecture and methodology. The diverse array of industries in which Digital Twins are applied highlights their adaptability and versatility, which in turn contributes to the variability in their architectures and designs. This presentation will outline the usage contexts of DTs and their common architectures/designs whilst also focussing on the variability that the family of Digital T offers. Finally, two DT example case studies will be discussed: an egg incubator and a line follower robot.

Abstract: The SmartPort 2025 project aims to optimize the planning and operation of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (PoAB) ecosystem through advanced technologies. The COOCK project we're involved in focusses on the optimization and automation of planning of pilots and tugboats behind the locks of the Port of Antwerp (PoA). This is a collaboration between the UA Department of Transport and Regional Economics (TPR), Antwerp Systems and Software Modelling (AnSyMo) and imec/IDLab. Our work evaluates historical data from the Port of Antwerp to create realistic models and simulations to reproduce and regenerate their data. The result of these simulations can be optimized again and resimulated. AnSyMo performed these simulations using Python(P)DEVS. Furthermore, we ran an analysis using the OR-TOOLS package for optimisation to perform constraint programming written in Python, and we used PROMETHEE, a multi-criteria decision-making method, to evaluate decisions regarding tugboats and pilots. Through a visualization of the simulation (a.k.a. an animation), it is possible to demonstrate how the tugboats execute their tasks inside the port. Also, it provides outputs that were considered in optimisations. The use of constraint programming was to minimise the total costs considering the number of tugboats to be assigned. The goal function seeks to find how to schedule the tugboats and pilots to provide satisfactory service with the smallest cost. Lastly, we used PROMETHEE Visual software to rank these tugboats and pilots. The relevance of this type of investigation remains crucial in improving the decision-making process for daily harbour operations because it is essential to plan pilots, organise tugboats, and anticipate unpredictable scenarios.

17:00 - 17:30: Break

Abstract: In the realm of model-driven engineering, the effective management and representation of complex workflows and their associated artefacts stand as pivotal challenges. This work endeavours to address these challenges by introducing a comprehensive framework designed to model workflows and the intricate web of artefacts they engender. At the crux of this framework lies the seamless integration of ontological constructs, elucidating the underpinnings of organizing information and forging meaningful connections between pertinent conceptual entities. This presentation presents a pragmatic application of the aforementioned framework in the context of maintaining a digital model or twin of the design of a drivetrain monitoring system. By encapsulating the intricate interplay of components, processes, and dependencies, the framework offers a structured approach to distilling the inherent complexity of such systems. Leveraging the ontologies crafted for this purpose, the framework concretizes the semantic relationships between diverse elements, enabling a more holistic understanding of the drivetrain system's behaviour, evolution, and performance. Our contributions extend to the presentation of a detailed account of the ontological constructs employed, including their role in the construction of a coherent knowledge representation paradigm. Furthermore, we highlight the efficacy of our framework through the application scenario of drivetrain workflow modelling and enactment, showcasing how it can facilitate informed decision-making, system optimization, and comprehensive analysis.

Abstract: The aim of this project is to renew a traditional approach to computer-based testing within the domain of Hardware in the Loop (HiL) simulations. In modern engineering practices, computer models are commonly employed to optimize intricate systems. HiL simulations act as virtual substitutes for tangible systems. However, these simulations can be resource-intensive and costly due to their reliance on digital computers. To address this challenge, the project proposes reconsidering the use of analog computers—an exceptional computational method known for its efficiency. Analog computers, operating distinctively from their digital counterparts, could offer advantages for specific testing scenarios. The primary goal is to utilize the capabilities of analog computers for contemporary simulations. This undertaking involves employing Modelica, a specialized computer language, to carefully illustrate complex systems. Additionally, a user-friendly tool will be developed to streamline the configuration process for analog computers. The presentation explores a comparison that involves simulations, mathematical models, and the measurement results of fundamental components, forming a triangular framework within subsystems. This exploration covers various levels, including essential operations like addition, division, and multiplication, extending to more comprehensive constructs. The analysis investigates parameters like time, energy consumption, and costs, with a primary focus on identifying potential errors.

Abstract: A Validity Frame captures the set of contexts in which a model (and its analysis, often by means of simulation) of a system is able to replace that system with respect to questions about a set of salient properties of interest. Even though the utility of validity frames has been reported in current literature, there does not exist any precise and general definition of the concept. In this presentation, I will describe our on-going development of a framework for designing and using validity frames. This framework both uses and supports model management. We have developed an ontology in order to precisely define the concepts of the model validity domain. The framework currently consists of ontological definitions integrated in a workflow model that describes a general experiment, validation experiments, and the construction of validity frames. A simple resistor model validation case-study is used as running example to describe the concepts. The validity frames of different resistor models are computed. How to use the framework in different scenarios is sketched.