Engineering Systems with Standards and Digital Models: Development of a 15288-SysML Grid

The paradigm shift that has spurred the fourth industrial revolution, in what is termed Industry 4.0, has ushered in the need to adopt digital technologies throughout the worldwide industrial base to support system design efforts. The adoption of digital technologies with a digital enterprise and the creation of cyber–physical systems are central tenets of Industry 4.0 and directly support profitable business models, improvements in efficiency, and ensure durable quality for the modern industrial base. However, the techniques for engineering systems require new, improved, digital life cycle process models if Industry 4.0—and the goals for its integrated systems—are to be realized. The development of a technique that improves the life cycles for systems within the digital enterprise is required. The 15288-SysML Grid described herein supports the Industry 4.0 paradigm and its associated digital enterprise. This is accomplished through (1) the application of a modern life cycle process model (i.e., the adapted diamond); (2) the utilization of international standards for systems; and (3) the adoption of the four fundamental aspects of system design supported by model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and the systems modeling language (SysML).