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BSS 310 System Engineering
BSS 310 System Engineering
Systems Engineering
Module Outcome for Systems Engineering:
Create a conceptual design of an engineering system and explain the activities required for
development of the system.
Foundational Knowledge on Systems Engineering
Part 1: Chapter 1.1 and partly 1.3 of Systems Engineering Principles and
Practice and slide #1
~Interdisciplinary field of engineering (mix of mechanical, civil etc) that focuses on:
• Planning,
• Design,
• Development,
• Implementation,
• Management of complex systems.
• Ensures that the needs of all stakeholders of a system are satisfactorily met
Categorisation by specialisation:
1. Focuses on the system as a whole (total operation) and its interactions with other
systems and environments. Looks at system from INSIDE and OUTSIDE. Migration
from Component level thinking to System level thinking.
Not only concerned with the engineering design of system, but also how external
factors constrain the design.
External factors such as:
• Identification of customer needs
• System Operational Environment
• Interfacing systems
• Logistic support requirements
• Capabilities of operating personnel
2. Primary purpose: to guide. System engineers are responsible for leading the concept
development (formative) stage of a new system development.
1. Definition of a System
~ systems are everywhere, but system engineers are not
Project - is a system in the making! A project is thus a system of interrelated activities that
must be executed at a predefined time towards the accomplishment of a goal.
System - A system is a set of interrelated components or elements working together
towards a common goal.
Simple Systems:
Semi-Simple Systems:
A washing machine consists of a main clothes tub, an electric motor, an agitator, a pump, a
timer, inner spinning tub, various valves, sensors and controls and performs a sequence of
times operations and auxiliary functions based on an operation mode set by the operator.
Complex systems:
Complex systems have a hierarchical structure; they consist of a number of major interacting
elements, generally called subsystems.
• OPEN/ CLOSED SYSTEMS
Open systems interact and exchange with their surroundings, whereas closed systems
don’t.
All physical systems that have been mentioned earlier- either simple or complex or
engineered or not etc.
⇒ Such as Gautrain
⇒ Radar System
⇒ Pin
Real systems can be either:
⇒ Man-made
⇒ Modified
⇒ Or Natural
Virtual Systems:
~This includes all non-visible or touchable systems
5. Attributes of a System
⇒ A system must be associated with the following attributes; it can be associated
with more but never less:
• (O)bjective
• (B)oundary
• (S)ubsystems or components
• (I)nter-relationship or inter-connectedness of subsystems
⇒ Modularity
• Systems exist in modules/ blocks or sub-systems
• The measure of degree of independency of the respective system blocks or
subsystems is referred to as “modularity”
• The process of dividing a system into modules is referred to as “functional
analysis” which facilitates system analysis
6. Structure of a System
Examples:
Telephone substation, with its distributed lines to the areas that it serves system
Hotel and office building switchboards, with their local line subsystems
And the telephone instruments components of system
At the same time, a telephone substation may be regarded as a subsystem to the city
telephone system, and that, in turn, a subsystem of the national telephone system.
SYSTEM
Communication Information
Material Processing Aerospace
Systems Systems
Systems Systems
Sub-Systems
Components
Data Database
Signal Power Material Thrust
Displays Programs
Receivers Transfer Reactors Generators
Subcomponents
Parts
Functional elements (building blocks) are built out of physical embodiments: such as
material, or powered by electricity.
Example: A TV – main function is to process information from radio frequency signal and
turn it into sound and picture (thus a “signal functional element”), but the TV is built with
materials, uses electricity and it is controlled by a user who generates information inputs
Component building blocks are split into different classes based on different design
disciplines and the technology they represent – 31 component types – and these are split
into 6 categories; these are summarised in table below.
Categories based on Components – things Functional elements
discipline or technology items needed for process - processes
type to happen
Definition of SoS: A set or arrangement of systems that results when independent and
useful systems are integrated into a larger system that delivers unique capabilities.
Levels of SoS
Could be completely integrated from early development phase, the independent systems
are designed for the SoS. (Simple system)
Multiple systems could be loosely joined for a limited purpose or time span to perform a
needed mission (Complex system)
CATEGORIES OF SoS:
Ordered from how loosely to tightly coupled the component systems are:
Collaborative
Acknowledged
Directed
Tightly coupled
Systems of Systems: Attributes/characteristics
1. Operational Independence of individual System
SoS composed of systems that are independent and useful in their own right
If an SoS is disassembled into individual component systems, these
component systems should be capable of performing useful operations
individually from each other
2. Managerial Independence of Individual System
Component systems of SoS can operate independently to achieve intended
purpose
These component systems are individually acquired and integrated
They can serve purposes that aren’t necessarily part of the larger SoS
3. Geographic Distribution
Geographic dispersions of individual components in a system are often large
Often these component systems only exchange information and knowledge
with one another
4. Emergent Behaviour
SoS performs functions and carries out purposes that are not necessarily
associated with any of the individual component systems
These behaviours are emergent properties of entire SoS and not the
behaviour of the component systems
5. Evolutionary Development
Development of SoS is evolutionary over time
Components, functions and purposes can be removed or added or modified
as experience of system grows over time
Thus, SoS is never fully formed or complete
6. Self-Organisation
An SoS has a dynamic organisational structure that is able to respond to
changes in the environment AND to change goals and objectives of SoS
7. Adaption
Similar to dynamic organisation
The very structure of the SoS will be dynamic and respond to external
changes and perceptions of environment
~Enterprise Systems
-An Enterprise could consist of many SoS’s
Enterprise Systems
Physical Complexity
3. Modelling Systems Complexity Virtual Complexity
Recall definition of complex system , characterised by:
Physical Complexity
1. Complexity based on multiplicity -
⇒
⇒
⇒ IF then
Physical Complexity
o
⇒
⇒ IF then
4. Systems Requiring Systems Engineering
The characteristics of a system whose development, test and application require
systems engineering:
Is an engineered product ---> satisfies a specified need
Consists of diverse components that have intricate relationships with one another
---> multidisciplinary and relatively complex
Uses advanced technology in ways that are central to the performance of its
primary functions ---> involves development risk and often a relatively high cost
• Engineered product
• Contains diverse components
• Uses advanced technology
Systems Interaction
Part 1: Chapter 3: [3.4 & 3.5] of Systems Engineering Principles and Practice
and slide #4
Learning outcomes for this section:
• Use context diagram to show how systems interact with their environments and vice versa
• Effectively explain the concepts of interaction and interfacing in a diversified system environment
• Identify and differentiate the different types of interactive environments
1. Context Diagramming
What is a Context Diagram?
• Can also be used to show the internal interactions that take place within a system as
rightly represented in the system’s structural diagram.
~Intra-interactions: interactions amongst the elements in a system
SYSTEM BOUNDARIES:
Identifying boundaries can be difficult – hard to identify what is part of the system and
what is part of the environment.
- the system will be taken as that of the product being developed since we are looking at
development side of SE
General notes:
- human users or operators are consider as external entities
2. Interactions
• The interactions between the external entities and the system
• The interactions amongst the elements of the system
The interactions are represented by arrows these arrowheads represent the direction of
flow of a particular interaction
3. The System
• Single geographic figure on diagram
• It is an oval, circle or rectangular object in the middle of the context diagram
• Only the name of the system is written withim
• Data
• Signals
• Materials
• Energy
• Activities
EXAMPLES:
Coffee
Machine:
Automobile:
Grading System:
Interactions:
Communication between two or more elements in a system is affected by the
interface connecting these two interacting entities.
Electrical
Mechanical
Hydraulic
Human and
Pneumatics
Functional interactions and Physical interfaces
Interface Elements:
Connectors
Facilitates the transmission of electricity, fluid, force, etc. between components
Isolators
Inhibits such interactions
Converters
Alter the form of interaction medium
These interfaces are embodied in components and subcomponents, which can be
thought of as interface elements
Secondary:
• Support Systems
The part of the infrastructure of the system on which it depends for carrying out its
missions.
It is necessary to provide interfaces that are compatible with and capable of utilising
these support systems
Such as: Filling stations and suppliers for automobiles
• System Housing
Stationary systems are installed in an operating site, which imposes compatibility
constraints on the system
Such housings can provide protection for system from elements; rain, humidity etc
• System handling and environment
Many systems require transport from manufacturing site to operating site, these
impose special conditions around which system must be designed
Inhibitors:
• Threats
External entities (either man-made or natural) that pose a threat to system
Natural example: weather
Man-made example: theft
System Design: Concept Development Stage
Part 1: Chapter 4: [4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.5, 4,6]
Part 2: Chapters 6, 7, 8 of Systems Engineering Principles and Practice and
slide #5
Ability to:
Define and differentiate between system development process and system life cycle
Identify and explain the different phases of system design and development in the
concept development stage
Adapt this knowledge to designing and developing systems in the real world
Create functional block diagrams
The parts of the concept development stage will now be broken up even further
⇒ Objective Analysis:
A process of developing and refining the objectives of the system
Overarching
objective
Primary
objectives
Secondary objectives
OPERATIONAL SCENARIO:
How to create operational requirements that truly represent the full operational situations:
o Extensive study of the operational environment
o Discussions with experienced users of the predecessor and similar systems
o A detailed understanding of past experience and demonstrated efficiencies of current
systems
o Establishment of the user priorities for the required improvements, in particular, those
that appear most difficult to achieve
Storage of the system and its components
Transportation of the system to its operational site
Assembly and preparing system for operation
Extended deployment in the field
Operation of the system
Routine and emergency maintenance
System modification and upgrading
System disposition
System operational requirement:
o Deals with conversions of systems objectives into quantifiable measures for
subsequent phases ahead
INPUT FUNCTIONS:
TRANSFORMATIVE FUNCTIONS:
• Heat water
• Mix hot water with coffee grinds
• Filter out coffee grinds
• Warm brewed coffee
OUTPUT FUNCTIONS:
• Provide Status
• Facilitate removal of materials
• Dissipate heat
• The user
• The power source (assumed to be an electrical outlet)
• The environment
System Design: Engineering Development Stage
Part 1: Chapter 4: [4.2 & 4.3]
Part 2: Chapters 10, 12, 13 of Systems Engineering Principles and Practice and
slide #6
• Be able to identify and explain the different phases of system design and development in the
engineering development stage
• Be able to adapt this knowledge to designing and developing new systems in the real world
⇒ Requirements Analysis :
• Analysing the system functional specifications
o With regard to the functional specifications derivation from operational
and performance requirements
o And the validity of their translation into subsystem functional
requirement
⇒ Prototype Development:
• Typical activities include:
o Identifying issues of physical implementation especially with regards to
unproven technology
o Determine the level of analysis, development and test required to reduce
risks to acceptable values
⇒ Development Testing:
• Typical activities include:
o Creating test plans and criteria
o Conducting tests of critical components
⇒ Requirements Analysis :
• Typical activities include:
o Analysing the system design requirements for consistency and
completeness
o Identifying requirements for all external and internal interactions and
interfaces
⇒ Design Validation:
• Typical activities include:
o Conducting test and evaluation of engineered components with respect
to functions, interfaces, reliability, maintainability and producibility
o Correcting deficiencies
o Documenting product design
⇒ System Integration:
• Typical activities include:
o Integrating the tested components into subsystems and the subsystems
into a total operational system by the sequential aggregation (the
formation of a number of things into a cluster) and testing of the
constituent elements
Tested components subsystems total operational system
Input
Output
Organisation
Integration
Processing of information
BENEFITS
BENEFITS
COST INCOME
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
PROJECT A2
• Evaluation of Alternatives Already in Existence
Design parameters
Direct
Product comparison of
Customer features
requirements design with
competitors
Engineering
specifications
PRESSURE COOKER EXAMPLE
Risk Management? -The act of identifying and minimising risk in system development
Risk Management can be divided into 2 categories:
1. Risk Assessment
Risk Planning
Risk Prioritisation
2. Risk Mitigation
Risk Handling
Risk Monitoring
Risk Likelihood and Consequence Chart
Risk
Criticality
Risk Mitigation:
THE END