InTra: Automatic Reduction of Model Complexity and Generation of System Variants - A Tool Demonstration

Abstract

Efficient construction and management of variability is becoming increasingly crucial and poses a growing obstacle for model-based system engineering (MBSE). In this paper, we propose a transformative method that addresses these challenges by automating the creation of system model variants using the model transformation approach InTra (Interaction-based Transformation). The main advantage of this approach is the reduction of the complexity of the system model by using rule-based variants. Even models with a limited number of elements can quickly become confusing and difficult to read due to the high density of relationships. Our proposed approach, offers a way to significantly reduce system model complexity by minimizing the number of connectors through the application of interaction rules. By implementing this approach, we were able to generate an abstracted variant of the original system model with a substantially reduced number of connectors, thereby resulting in an overall decrease in model complexity. Thus, InTra not only improves productivity, but also ensures consistency of the model, leading to an overall higher quality of results and simplification of the model for future maintenance. An additional application of the approach is to generate variants of a system model by selectively activating or deactivating individual rules of a predefined rule catalogue, thus enabling easy variant management.