Abstract

This chapter presents an industrial-strength Model-Based Product Line Engineering (MBPLE) approach and its integration into an end-to-end, model-based development process at a high-technology company. The approach is embedded in an End-to-End ModelBased Engineering (E2EMBE) framework that connects multiple domain-specific models via a digital thread and enforces a Single Source of Truth (SSOT)1 for all engineering artifacts. Building on ISO/IEC 26580 feature-based product line engineering,2 the method uses feature models to manage variability across SysML-based system models and other discipline-specific models. A hierarchical MBSE framework structures operational, functional and structural architectures and enables the definition of 150% models from which product-specific configurations are derived. Variability is captured through starting, atomic and propagated variation points that are systematically traced from high-level capabilities and use cases down to hardware and software components. The approach is realized with widely used tools such as IBM Rhapsody, Capella and PTC Pure::Variants,3–5 complemented by custom integrations for automated feature propagation. The proposed method aims to reduce development time and non-recurring costs while improving reuse, consistency and quality for complex, often safety-critical systems in a highly regulated environment.

Keywords

feature catalogue, variation points, controlled reuse, configuration management, pure::variants