Philipp Nenninger

Model Driven Development Challenges in the Automation Domain

Model driven development has evolved to a mature methodology and technology usable for some industrial settings. Within the automation domain it is an upcoming approach. This paper addresses challenges present in the automation domain when it comes to the usage of model driven development. Quality, life cycle, legacy systems, mental approach and safety challenges are briefly discussed.

Feasibility of Energy Harvesting in Industrial Automation Wireless Networks

Abstract The energy consumption of industrial wireless devices and the resulting requirement for battery changes is one of the limiting factors of this technology. In this paper, an overview over the special requirements of wireless systems with a focus on energy consumption is given. This is then matched against the possibilities provided by energy harvesting in an industrial environment in order to evaluate the feasibility of fully autonomous devices. Experimental results from the deployment of energy harvesting methods in a simulated process as well as results from an integrated autonomous temperature transmitter are given.

On the Energy Problem of Wireless Applications in Industrial Automation

Abstract With the standardization of communication done, reliable power sources are the main challenge faced by wireless system in industrial automation. While primary cells are suitable power sources, they still require maintenance after several years which increases the total cost of a wireless network. In this paper we analyze the state of the art with primary cells and the standard electronics and show possible approaches to increase the service life of wireless industrial devices.

Scalable Problem-Oriented Approach for Dynamic Verification of Embedded Systems

Abstract A model-based problem-oriented approach for the dynamic verification of functional properties of embedded systems is presented. It is a generic and scalable approach, especially useful in systems where embedded devices are tightly coupled to physical processes. A set of modeling guidelines and abstraction layers are proposed that provide a better understanding and visibility of an applications behavior and resource usage, and of the interactions between the different components of an embedded device and the physical process it interacts with. An application example is given for the design and verification of a digital PID controller that integrates Simulink models, SystemC models and an ARM Cortex-M3 processor emulator.

Testing with Large Parameter Sets for the Development of Embedded Systems in the Automation Domain

Testing of current devices in the automation domain cannot be done mathematically exhaustive due to the huge number of possible test cases and, even more important, the tremendous amount of time for the execution of all test cases.Thus, a dramatic reduction is needed in the testing domain.This paper discusses two possibilities for the reduction of test case execution time by reducing the number of ”parameter set” permutations, recursive backtracking and pairwise testing.Testing of devices in the automation domain is based on their behavior (black box testing) and the parameters of the devices,which influence the behavior.The combination of a parameter model including constraints between parameters, recursive backtracking and pairwise testing can result in the reduction of the parameter permutation space by more than 99%. This paper presents the current status of this reduction and proposes a future direction towards a structured reduction of test cases based on the reduction of the ”parameter set” permutations.

Test Case Mutation in Hybrid State Space for Reduction of No-Fault-Found Test Results in the Industrial Automation Domain

During development of a device a large set of testcases is executed to ensure the qualitative requirements. Nevertheless because of timing issues it is not possible to perform all possible test cases and therefore it is not possible to guarantee a product that works always as expected by the end user.Finding the root cause of failures in returned devices is still largely manual work by an expert because the exact system and environment state is not known.In this paper we present an approach which allows automatic mutation of test cases for hybrid systems to reproduce failures based on vague user descriptions.

Human machine interface for Virtual Prototyping of Industrial Instruments

Instrumentation is an important part in the industrial automation domain as it is fundamentally required for process control loops. Virtual Prototyping (VP) as prime technology is considered as a novel approach to aid in the development Industrial Instruments. However, using state-of-the-art VP technologies requires a high degree of expertise, thereby limiting its usability among multi-disciplinary teams. This paper proposes a new approach for easing the use of VP technologies among different domain experts. It provides common grounds for domain experts to productively interact and share knowledge already in early stages of development. This is done by extending an existing virtual prototype of an Industrial Instrument with an integrated interfacing methodology. In this paper, the design, implementation, and integration of a custom HMI for an industrial temperature transmitter instrument are presented. This includes the verification and validation of the VP-enhanced development process. The presented evaluation shows the encapsulation of the complexity of Virtual Platform-based development process to enable agile development of Industrial Instruments.

On the Importance of Tailorable Processes in the Development of Embedded Industrial Automation Systems

Abstract Due to increasing complexity in embedded devices for industrial automation, conventional development processes put growing strain on the developers of these systems. For future generations of devices, it is therefore necessary to adapt the development process in order to be able to deliver the reliability required for these devices. In this paper, testing of embedded systems is taken as an example of how the increase in complexity drives the need for new approaches and how model-based testing can be employed to offset these effects.

Message from CORCS-IEESD 2017 Workshop Chairs

CORCS-IEESD Introduction

Framework for dynamic verification of multi-domain virtual platforms in industrial automation

A crucial part in the development of embedded systems in the industrial automation domain is their verification using simulation-based techniques. A comprehensive set of domain-specific modeling and simulation tools are available for this purpose, but they can only focus on certain aspects of a design. This paper presents a co-simulation framework for bringing them together in a structured and standardized way. The results are multi-domain virtual platforms where overall dynamic verification is possible. The advantage of multi-domain simulation models becomes clear when one recalls that embedded systems are used to interface with a physical environment. Often, they are coupled and cannot be tested in separation. Having a framework where physical and digital domains can interact in a correct and reproducible manner opens up new possibilities for embedded system developers. We demonstrate the capabilities of our framework by adding a co-simulation scheme between SystemC and the VHDL-AMS simulator SMASH, and present its application in an industrial case study for the verification of a new Rogowski Current Coil Transducer (RCCT) electronic front end architecture and its embedded controller software algorithm.