Interoperability in systems engineering: the 4 Prostep ivip project clusters

The Prostep ivip is a non-profit association that promotes standards and best practices for digitalization as an independent platform. Prostep has a considerable number of ongoing projects on CAD, systems engineering, PLM and related topics that primarily support customers in the automotive and aerospace industries. These are organized in four project clusters.

I myself worked there for several years in the working group for ReqIF standardization. The following is a brief overview of the work and results from last year's Prostep annual report.

The Prostep ivip Association

Prostep is divided into two areas: the commercial arm of the company and the Prostep ivip association. The commercial arm offers software solutions and consulting services in the field of product lifecycle management (PLM). This division focuses on the optimization of product development processes and the integration of IT systems in various industries such as the automotive and aerospace industries.

The Prostep ivip association, on the other hand is an independent organizationwhich brings together companies, research institutions and universities to jointly develop standards and best practices in the field of PLM and digitalization. The association promotes the exchange of knowledge and collaboration between members in order to drive innovation and support the digital transformation in the industry.

If you would like to know more about the activities of the Prostep ivip association, you can download the 2023 Download annual reportwhich goes into detail on almost 70 pages.

How Prostep ivip works

I myself was for many years part of the working group responsible for the standardization of the Requirement exchange format ReqIF was responsible. Prostep managed to get the three groups of users, tool manufacturers and service providers to work together peacefully - not always an easy task. Prostep knows how to ensure added value for all parties involved and then get the participants to work together in a focused manner.

As Prostep acts as the interface between these three groups, many topics deal with interoperability. ReqIF is a good example of this, as it enables the loss-free exchange of requirements between OEMs and suppliers.

In 2023, there were a total of 25 active project groups with the participation of over 80 member companies that dealt with various aspects of cross-company collaboration in the past year.

Prostep ivip annual report

The four Prostep ivip project clusters

Prostep ivip's activities can be organized into four project clusters:

1. OpennessThis cluster promotes openness and integration capability in PLM and engineering IT in order to ensure digital consistency in heterogeneous system landscapes. This involves more strategic goals, such as the Code of PLM Openness (CPO).
2. International standardizationThis cluster aims to establish international standards that improve cross-company collaboration. By harmonizing requirements from different industries and creating uniform guidelines, the independence of companies from specific IT systems and suppliers is strengthened. Here we find the standardization of ReqIF at the OMG as well as other ISO and DIN standards.
3. Product collaborationThe focus of this cluster is on improving collaboration in product development and production. The use of digital tools and platforms promotes the integration of IT systems in production in order to enable more efficient and flexible production planning and execution. Here we find, for example, special topics such as cloud-based production collaboration.
4. Data-Driven Engineering CollaborationThis cluster promotes cross-domain and cross-company collaboration in product development through the use of data-driven approaches. It supports the development and implementation of standards that facilitate the exchange and integration of data in model-based development in order to make effective use of the digital twin and other innovative technologies. ReqIF appears here again, but in the context of use, not standardization.

SysML and MBSE

The topic of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is addressed as part of the "Data-Driven Engineering Collaboration" cluster. MBSE is emphasized as a central approach for the systematic and model-based development of complex systems. The report emphasizes the importance of MBSE in improving collaboration across domains and as a basis for the use of digital twins and simulation-based processes. It is also pointed out that MBSE plays an important role in various project groups, especially in connection with the standardization and integration of data models.

MBSE has a supporting role, with SysML as the notation for structuring, but is not the main topic in any working group.

SysML is discussed in particular in the context of MBSE and model-based development in projects. SysML plays an important role in the definition and structuring of system models used for collaboration and data exchange between different disciplines and organizations. The report emphasizes that SysML is a central part of the technical infrastructure needed to implement MBSE. However, whether and how interoperability can be ensured remains an open question.

A contribution to overcoming the challenges of the automotive industry

The automotive industry in particular is currently facing enormous challenges and is looking for solutions. Projects such as Collaborative Digital Twins (CDT) could help to enable agile product development and thus promote innovation and sustainability in the industry.

However, the work of Prostep itself is not necessarily geared towards the speeds we need today. It often takes years before the working groups deliver actionable results. And even then, often only a small number of companies implement the results. This is less the fault of Prostep than a general problem of large companies that are slow to change direction.

Conclusion

Even if the Prostep ivip is relatively slow, the results of its work are often valuable. It is also possible for non-members to benefit from the results of the work. And I recommend that automotive and aviation companies at least follow the activities of the Prostep project clusters.

Image source: 2023 Prostep ivip annual report