Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters:
The Airbus MBSE architecture framework
in CATIA No Magic based on SysML
Dr. Jörg Wirtz , Dr. Fabien Bouffaron - Airbus
November 2020
Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters
–Airbus Helicopters – who are we?
–The Airbus DDMS MBSE vision
–Rationale to develop an Airbus Architecture Framework
–The Airbus DDMS – MBSE Framework
–The e-taxi example
– Next steps of implementation at Airbus & Airbus Helicopters
2 TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
Airbus Helicopters: Who are we?
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Airbus Helicopters at a glance
• A unique global presence
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6.5 bn € turnover in 2014
29 Customer Centers
22,900 employees
to serve about 3,010 operators
in152 countries
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
Supporting customers
operating the most
challenging civil
missions
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Supporting customers
operating the most
challenging military missions
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
The Airbus DDMS MBSE vision
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DDMS Digital Design Manufacturing Service @ Airbus
⮚ Enabling a digital continuity from Design over Manufacturing down to in-Service support
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TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
Mission of the MFT: Develop & mature a common MBSE framework “MOFLT” and
understanding inside Airbus Group for architecting and developing in the right way (effective
& efficient) our products & industrial systems & services in transversal organizations
1. Establish end to end Use case allowing to deliver added value to the business.
2. Organize a single & integrated MBSE team (no more different exploration)
3. Define a governance approach in order to arbitrate the balance efforts between, Platform, resource,
methods & POC in line with DDMS BI roadmap plan
Key challenges:
🡺 MBSE as booster of engineering knowledge capitalization
🡺 Shared and strengthened competences across Airbus Entities team
� MBSE integrated framework (IS /IT)
Integration across domains and from architecture to detailed design
Efficient collaboration in Extended Enterprise
🡺 Unified solution @Group for cash saving and profitability increase
🡺 Simple MBSE supporting efficient development and user ergonomics
MBSE pattern
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DDMS – MBSE Framework
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
Rationale to develop an Airbus Architecture Framework
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Go for SysML – but SysML alone is not enough
• As an extension of UML, SysML offers very good modelling
constructs to describe structure, behaviour, requirements and
parametrics of generic systems – this is why Airbus decided
to base mbse modelling on SysML
• But SysML remains a description language, since it does
not contain further semantics
• I.E.: looking at example on the right side
− Reading the title from blocks and parts in the BDD/IBD we
can assume, that logical or even physical artefacts shall be
described
− The activity ‚detectLossof Function‘ in the act-diagram is it a
function?
• If the SysML described MBSE model shall be reused by a
larger community semantic definitions of objects and more
stringent modelling rules are required to be defined
• Architecture frameworks offer semantic data models to
precise semantics of SysML constructs from OMG Systems Modeling Language (OMG SysML™)Tutorial,
Sanford Friedenthal, Alan Moore & Rick Steiner, Object Management Group
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
Limits of existing Architecture Frameworks
• Typical architecture frameworks (AF‘s) as defined by
ministries of defence (NAF, MODAF, DODAF and
later UAF adopted by OMG) provide precise semantic
constructs especially for mission & operational
analyses
• However the constructs for systems design are rather
poor and methods how to apply are missing
• Other AF‘s have weaknesses at the mission and
operational analyes compared to UAF/NAF and do not
support SysML
• As a conclusion Airbus DDMS decided to develop
their Architecture Framework on the base of
SysML taking best breed from other analysed AF
11 TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
The Airbus DDMS – MBSE Framework
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DDMS – MBSE FrameworkSECAM
(Systems Engineering Core
Architecture Model )
TOOLING & CUSTOMIZATION
DDMS - Entreprise
Architecture
Framework
Integration
SE Technical
PROCESSES
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MOFLT AF
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
Systems Engineering Technical Processes
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SE Technical
processes
What ?
Processes
SysEP1
• Concept of operations (ConOps)
• Stakeholders & Operational system
• Business requirements
SysEP2
• Operational Concept (OpsCon)
• Operational context
• Stakeholder requirements
SysEP3
• System specification
• Functional architecture
• System states and modes
• Traceability SysReqs – StkhReqs
• Traceability SysReqs - functions
SysEP4
• Traceability functions – logical modules
• Traceability logical modules –physical components
• Logical architecture
• Technical Architecture
Process deliverables:Based on ISO 15288
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
Systems Engineering Common Architecture Model
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SECAM
What ?
Concepts
• SECAM is an abstract meta-model, created to
ease communication between different kinds of
systems
• SECAM is a generic pattern for multiple level of
abstraction : System of Systems, End products
(SoI), Systems, Subsystems, Components, and
interfaces with detail design
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
DDMS MBSE MOFLT AF
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Generic and common MBSE framework (Method & Tool (SysML & CAMEO)) at
Airbus Group level, in order to harmonize practices, share a common frame of
reference, pool development efforts, facilitate internal mobility by focusing only on the
area of interest without reviewing the MBSE & Tools principles.
Focusing on the design of System of Interest through the Mission & Operational
Analysis, Functional, Logical and Technical Architectures, according two point of
views :
• Method : Tool & Language agnostic
• Handbook : Tool : CAMEO & Language : SysML (in line with DDMS
Roadmap)
• Training : Step By Step guide for end-user
DDMS MBSE Method DDMS MBSE Handbook
DDMS MBSE Plugin
DDMS MBSE Training
DDMS MBSE Exemple
(E-Taxi)
MOFLT AF
How ?
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
DDMS AF deliverables & deployment
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DDMS MBSE Method
DDMS MBSE Handbook
DDMS@SpS :
Space & Ground Segment
DDMS@Eurodrone
DDMS@FCAS
DDMS@Airbus Helicopter
(Tiger)
DDMS@Airbus Commercial
(Next Gen)
ADJUSTMENT
&
DEPLOYMENT
DDMS MBSE Plugin
MOFLT
AF Un
iform
iza
tion
The generic approach defined at
DDMS level, requires to be
adjusted according to project
constraints.
MBSE Coach
DDMS MBSE Training
WHY ? WHAT ?
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
The e-Taxi example in DDMS – MBSE Framework
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Operational Analysis overview – Example (E-Taxi)
03/09/2020 DDMS : WP3 - MOFL AF : Overview – Coordination with AH19
Operational Concepts– Example (E-Taxi)
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TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
Operational L1
Logical Architecture – Example (E-Taxi)
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Functional L2
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
This pattern is repeated for L3 and L4 and so on
Next steps of implementation at Airbus & Airbus Helicopters
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Airbus DDMS MBSE AF Roadmap
October
November
December
2021
• MOFL (Method & Handbook) v 4,0 : Multi-level + E2E Consistency
(Process & SECAM) + Overview
• Technical Architecture v2,0 : Method & Handbook + Profile
• Multi-Level Approach v2,0 (Bottom-Up) : Method & Handbook + Profile
• MOFL (Plugin) v 4,0 : Automation Helper (AMA) / Validation Rules (AMV) /
MBSELab (AMR)
• 3DX Integration
• MOFL (Method & Handbook) v 3.2 : Requirement Traceability / Model
Execution / Modes & States
• Technical Architecture v1.1 : Method & Handbook + Profile
• Multi-Level Approach v1.1 (Configuration Management) : Method &
Handbook + Profile
• MOFL (Plugin) v 3.2 : Automation Helper (AMA) / Validation Rules (AMV)
• MOFL (Method & Handbook) v 3.1 : Interfaces / transition from SoS /
Automation Specification
• Technical Architecture v1.0 : Method
• Multi-Level Approach v1.0 (Top-Down) : Method
• MOFL (Plugin) v 3.1 : AMP / AMC
DDMS : WP3 - MOFL AF - PI0.2 – System Demonstration 43 25/08/2020
Next steps MBSE Airbus Helicopters
• Currently Airbus Helicopters is performing a proof of concept of the Airbus DDMS-MBSE AF
on a Tiger MKIII use case
• Within this POC 10 users were trained on the MBSE Handbook version 3.0 and used the
toolset with good success
• In December 2020 Airbus Helicopters will decide about the operational appliance of the
method and the further roll out of Catia Magic toolset integrated into the 3D Experience
platform
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TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
MBSE SECAM AF – Principles
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Separation of :
• Problem Space (System seen as a Black-Box)
• Solution Space (System seen as White-Box)
� Avoid any confusion between stakeholders
responsible for the need (Problem) and the
solution
Co
mp
lete
ness &
Co
nsis
ten
cy
Progressive, Logical and Structured MBSE Approach
TDSE:Applying MBSE at Airbus Helicopters: Dr. Jörg Wirtz, Fabien Bouffaron20/11/2020
Mission Analysis – Example (E-Taxi)
27 DDMS : WP3 - MOFL AF : Overview – Coordination with AH03/09/2020
Operational Analysis – Example (E-Taxi)
03/09/2020 DDMS : WP3 - MOFL AF : Overview – Coordination with AH28
Functional Architecture – Example (E-Taxi)
03/09/2020 DDMS : WP3 - MOFL AF : Overview – Coordination with AH29
Logical Architecture – Example (E-Taxi)
03/09/2020 DDMS : WP3 - MOFL AF : Overview – Coordination with AH30