Extended RFLP for complex technical systems

Models, methods and tools are necessary to support engineers in the development of complex technical systems. Activities subsume planning, conceptualizing and designing system elements as well as creating and documenting the associated artefacts. The application of interdisciplinary engineering methodologies is required to systematically elaborate the complex system with all necessary interdependent artefacts. Historically grown from classical mechanical engineering methods, interdisciplinary engineering approaches have prevailed and led to today’s Systems Engineering methodologies. The applicability of activity-oriented engineering methodologies is limited due to the comprehensive level of detail and inherent complexity. Therefore, an artefact-oriented approach is gaining importance in industrial practice – the RFLP approach which is defined by the most relevant artefacts in system engineering: requirements, functions, logical elements, physical elements. It is understandable for developers across all disciplines. The artefact-oriented view of the RFLP approach can be a helpful complement to engineering methodologies, but misses the detailed description of linkages to engineering activities to elaborate the artefacts. Therefore, the engineer lacks a guideline to exploit the advantages of the RFLP approach and to combine them with a company-specific engineering methodology. In this paper, the RFLP approach is mapped to practically relevant engineering methodologies, extended by a new element and defined by detailed handouts. Based on a systematic analysis of shortcomings as well as on a mapping of the RFLP approach to industrially relevant engineering methodologies, the handouts for the RFLP approach are elaborated and extended by integrating the artefact verification. Subsequently, the resulting RFLPV approach is validated in an industrial case study of a window lifter for a car series. With the results of the paper, engineers are enabled to combine the artefact-oriented view of RFLPV as a complement to the activity-oriented engineering methodology.