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Semantics enhanced engineering and model reasoning for control application development

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Abstract

Development of advanced systems requires new methods to improve quality and efficiency of engineering processes, and to assist management of complex models encompassing different engineering disciplines. Methods such as model-driven development and domain-specific modeling facilitate development from this perspective but reduce interoperability and other prospects of rationalizing processes, on the other hand. An approach applying Web Ontology Language (OWL) semantics and reasoning to models is presented with examples to support industrial control application engineering. Using the methods, generalized classifications are inferred from instance models and combined with generic engineering knowledge maintained in ontologies. Reasoning allows identifying assemblies and structures outside the scope of traditional modeling to detect specific structures, flaws and error-prone designs. The semantic descriptions of models allow linking of other engineering related information to support engineering tasks during design. The results indicate that OWL semantics and reasoning can be used as a supplement enhancing typical development practices.

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Notes

  1. This paper is significantly revised from an earlier version presented at the 4th International Workshop on Engineering Knowledge and Semantic Systems (IWEKSS 2012).

  2. MetaObject Facility: http://www.omg.org/mof/

  3. Protégé ontology editor: http://protege.stanford.edu/

  4. In cascade control the output of the primary controller is used for the setpoint of a secondary controller, e.g. in order to handle disturbances or other control problems.

  5. The example process also includes control functionality for temperature and pressure, and generally it might be needed to control also other properties of the process.

  6. For simplicity of the presentation most of the inferences are omitted from the figure, e.g. some type classifications, inverse connections, and nested port connections.

  7. The OWL API: http://owlapi.sourceforge.net/

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Automation Science and Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 692, 33101, Tampere, Finland

    David Hästbacka & Seppo Kuikka

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  1. David Hästbacka
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  2. Seppo Kuikka
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Correspondence to David Hästbacka.

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Hästbacka, D., Kuikka, S. Semantics enhanced engineering and model reasoning for control application development. Multimed Tools Appl 65, 47–62 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-012-1134-9

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