(https://intercax.

com)

 (https://twitter.com/intercax)  (https://www.linkedin.com/company/intercax-llc)
 (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc1Hb1fHO8_REoRJWb-UWEw)
 (https://intercax.com/feed/)

MBSE for Railgun Design | Part 5

(https://intercax.com/2018/08/07/mbse-for-railgun-design-part-5/)

 August 7, 2018  Blog (https://intercax.com/category/blog/)

Introduction
In this series we have sought to demonstrate how Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) could
be applied to designing a railgun (Figure 1) which uses electromagnetic elds to accelerate and
launch a projectile at very high velocities. In previous sections, we have described the fundamental
physics, then applied the SysML (http://www.omgsysml.org/) modeling language and Intercax
SysML-compatible software tools to

Model the Concept of Operation

Describe the architecture of the railgun and its larger domain
Connect the architecture model to requirements repositories and CAD geometry, and
Use SysML parametrics to build a mathematical model of the railgun.
 Figure 1 Simplified physics of electromagnetic railgun

In this nal section, we will execute the parametric analysis and examine an alternative approach
to system analysis, using a specialized simulation tool linked to the architecture model through the
Syndeia (https://intercax.com/products/syndeia/) MBSE platform.

Executing the Railgun Analysis

Once the SysML parametric model is complete, we can create one or more instances of it and solve
them using the Intercax parametric solver plug-ins, ParaMagic (https://www.nomagic.com/product-
addons/magicdraw-addons/paramagic-plugin) for MagicDraw
(https://www.nomagic.com/products/magicdraw) and Melody
(https://intercax.com/products/melody/) for IBM Rational Rhapsody (https://www.ibm.com/in-
en/marketplace/rational-rhapsody), with Mathematica (https://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/)
or Player Pro (https://www.wolfram.com/player-pro/) as the math engine.
 Figure 2 ParaMagic results, SysML Railgun parametric model

An example of one solution set is shown in Figure 2 in the ParaMagic “object-oriented” browser. At
the top level, we have the three requirements verdicts, all of which are 0 (fail). Drilling down, we can
see why:
 rechargeTime – 116.5 sec, which exceeds the 60 sec requirement
projectileEnergy = 2.7 MJ, which is below the 5 MJ threshold, and
exitVelocity = 2.3 km/sec, which is below the 3 km/sec threshold for a 1 kg projectile.

ParaMagic and Melody allow the system engineer to set up multi-variable trade studies to explore
the design space. In Table 1, we vary two inputs, Beam Length and AC Power, and examine the
e ect on the performance vs. requirements. The ParaMagic and Melody tools read the inputs from
the Excel spreadsheet and write back the results after solving. Beside each numerical result, there
is a second column containing a 1 or 0 for the requirement veri cation, also written by the
parametric solver, with Excel providing the red (fail) or white (pass) background using conditional
formatting. As can be seen easily, only the last row meets all three requirements.

The extrinsic approach assumes that the analysis model is created and executed in an external tool
such as Simulink (https://www.mathworks.com/products/simulink.html) or Modelica
(https://www.modelica.org/), but with the ability to ensure that the simulation model re ects
accurately the system architecture model. This requires not only traceability between the models,
or even the initial generation of the simulation model from the architecture model; it requires a
mechanism that allows comparison and updating of the two models as the project moves forward.
 Figure 3 Simulink model of ControlPoint_3Way

Figure 3 illustrates the initial generation of Simulink and State ow

(https://www.mathworks.com/products/state ow.html) models from the sections of the SysML
model shown in Part 3, Figure 2 (https://intercax.com/2018/07/31/mbse-railgun-design-part-3/) and
Part 1, Figure 4 (https://intercax.com/2018/07/19/mbse-for-railgun-design-part-1/), respectively,
using Syndeia. With respect to Simulink and the SysML internal block diagram, the common
elements between models are blocks, ports and connectors.  Syndeia is available to compare and
update these model elements after the initial model transform connections. For State ow and
SysML state machines, the common elements include states, transitions, and some behavior, event
and pseudostate elements.

The common work ow is that the Simulink/State ow model “Skeleton” is generated from the
SysML model by Syndeia, then the simulation specialist builds out the model with specialized code
and model elements to carry out the desired simulation. Periodically, the SysML and simulation
model structures are compared using Syndeia and updated, either by Syndeia or manually, to
resolve any critical di erences.

It is possible to use intrinsic and extrinsic analysis in a complementary fashion.  As sophisticated

extrinsic analysis models are created, they may be called from parametric constraints like those in
Part 4, Figures 3 and 4, with the ParaMagic or Melody parametric plugin allocating both simple
equations and function calls to the appropriate solver to complete the overall calculation.

Next Steps
We o er this example primarily to inspire ideas in systems engineers in weapons development and
other defense domains looking to apply the principles of MBSE to their work. The combination of
high-level architectural modeling in SysML with a variety of connections into the larger engineering
model domain is a powerful combination for developing better systems faster, while maintaining
traceability and accurate documentation.

Related posts:

MBSE for Railgun Design | Part 1 (https://intercax.com/2018/07/19/mbse-for-railgun-design-

part-1/)
MBSE for Railgun Design | Part 2 (https://intercax.com/2018/07/25/mbse-for-railgun-design-
part-2/)
MBSE for Railgun Design | Part 3 (https://intercax.com/2018/07/31/mbse-railgun-design-part-
3/)
MBSE for Railgun Design | Part 4 (https://intercax.com/2018/08/02/mbse-for-railgun-design-
part-4/)
MBSE for Railgun Design | Part 5 (this post)

Subscribe to our blog

Get all our latest posts, SysML models, resources and announcements directly in your inbox.

Name
Name

Email

Email

Submit
 (http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://intercax.com/2018/08/07/mbse-for-
railgun-design-part-5/&media=https://intercax.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/simple-physics-
electromagnatic-railgun-1.png)

ABOUT AUTHOR

Dirk Zwemer

Dr. Dirk Zwemer (dirk.zwemer@intercax.com) is President of Intercax LLC

(Atlanta, GA), a supplier of MBE engineering software platforms like Syndeia and
ParaMagic. He is an active teacher and consultant in the eld and holds Level 4
Model Builder-Advanced certi cation as an OMG System Modeling Professional.

RECENT POSTS

Syndeia Cloud 3.3 SP1 Release (https://intercax.com/2021/02/15/syndeia-cloud-3-3-sp1-

release/)

Integrated Model-Based Mission Engineering | Part 4

(https://intercax.com/2021/01/15/integrated-model-based-mission-engineering-part-4/)

Integrated Model-Based Mission Engineering | Part 3

(https://intercax.com/2021/01/12/integrated-model-based-mission-engineering-part-3/)

Integrated Model-Based Mission Engineering | Part 2

(https://intercax.com/2021/01/07/integrated-model-based-mission-engineering-part-2/)

Integrated Model-Based Mission Engineering | Part 1

(https://intercax.com/2021/01/05/integrated-model-based-mission-engineering-part-1/)

OUR PARTNERS
 (https://intercax.com/about/partners/)

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG

Get all our latest posts, SysML models, resources and announcements directly in your inbox.

Name
Name

Email
Email

Submit

SEARCH BLOG

Type and hit Enter

Home (https://intercax.com/) Download (https://intercax.com/products-download/)

Services (https://intercax.com/services/)
 Custom Software (https://intercax.com/services/custom-software/)

MBSE Consulting (https://intercax.com/services/mbse-consulting/)

SysML & MBSE Training (https://intercax.com/services/sysml-mbse-training/)

News & Events (https://intercax.com/news-events/)

Conferences (https://intercax.com/news-events/conferences/)

Trainings (https://intercax.com/?page_id=24256)

Webinars (https://intercax.com/news-events/webinars/)

Blog (https://intercax.com/blog/)

About (https://intercax.com/about/)

Company Pro le (https://intercax.com/about/company-pro le/)

Value Proposition (https://intercax.com/about/value-proposition/)

Management Team (https://intercax.com/about/management-team/)

Partners (https://intercax.com/about/partners/)

Testimonials (https://intercax.com/about/testimonials/)

Careers (https://intercax.com/about/careers/)

ParaMagic® (https://intercax.com/products/paramagic/)

Melody™ (https://intercax.com/products/melody/)

ParaSolver™ (https://intercax.com/products/parasolver/)

Solvea™ (https://intercax.com/products/solvea/)

©Intercax 47 Perimeter Center East Suite 410 Atlanta, GA 30346-2001 USA Phone:+1-404-592-6897