ABSTRACT
Automotive products carry a high level of mechatronic (electromechanical) components. Mechanical operations are controlled by embedded software that runs on electronic devices. The ever increasing complexity of mechatronic products of modern cars – like drive-by-wire systems – means that a very broad range of simulation must be used in the early phases of the development process to predict the product characteristics. However, the activities in the preparative development departments of leading German car manufactures show the challenges by the development of mechatronic products and the need for simulation of mechatronic systems. For an early validation of vehicle functionalities a range of special simulators is used for specific domains – like mechanics, electronics and software. To provide timely simulation, review and debugging for complete mechatronic components, these simulators need first to be coupled with one another to have an interdisciplinary behavior.
The objective of our approach is the development of a framework for the cooperative development, validation and simulation of complex mechatronic system behavior using Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) with web services. The framework has services for simulator registration, simulator connection, simulation coordination and synchronization, behavioral model deployment, data monitoring, recording, and services for additional benefits like debugging or simulation repository. The feasibility of our approach is shown by a case study that demonstrates service-oriented simulation coupling of an automotive mechatronic system.
© Copyright by K.G. Saur Verlag 2008
