Lessons learned using FMI co-simulation for model-based design of cyber physical systems

Abstract

Model-Based Design is an effective way to carry out CyberPhysical Systems (CPS) development. One of the main sets of challenges in CPS projects is dealing with the highly heterogeneous nature of the development teams. These challenges can be brought to the forefront by focusing on model integration through standards, such as the Functional Mockup Interface (FMI). We report on a case study of the application of an FMI-based workflow to the development of a Heat Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system of a building. We report on ten challenges and lessons learned when using the FMI standard, focusing on collaborative aspects and model integration. As a conclusion we provide recommendations and examples for dealing with the CPS development challenges assessing to that end the importance of the FMI standard.