Towards Certification by Simulation with model-based continuous Engineering Processes showcased on eVTOL Application

Abstract. Aerospace industry OEMs and suppliers are progressing their engineering processes and performance to the next maturity level gearing to digital thread solutions. Current challenges like continuous engineering, virtual certification, distributed development, consolidated virtual proving grounds, homologation, digital twin and operational applications, require well informed decision making in a comprehensive, reliable, traceable and customizable environment. In particular, in aerospace domain, with widespread tight collaborative ecosystems between integrators and suppliers, the capability of tracing each decision and its underlying artifacts becomes a key value of an engineering platform. This paper will outline a middleware approach to reuse generated artifacts and their relationships in a federated engineering environment supporting a “best tool for the job” approach by introducing a layer providing unification and consistency throughout all managed artifacts. Based on an exemplary eVTOL setup, the benefits of integrated data and workflows from specification to virtual design verification are highlighted to motivate their value towards realisation of MBSE methodologies.