A Low-Code Approach for Data View Extraction from Engineering Models with GraphQL

Access to data for analysis and control tasks is at the heart of digitization efforts in the manufacturing industry. While sophisticated modeling languages like SysML describe systems and their components, data often ends up in purpose-built relational and time series databases. To generate value, information must be retrieved and integrated from multiple sources. In this paper, we propose an innovative method for leveraging SysML engineering models and database queries by combining them in a collaborative low-code web environment. First, we make heterogeneous databases available via GraphQL, a state-of-the-art approach for building Web APIs. Then, our web application enables domain experts to exploit containment relations in SysML models to connect diverse data sources. The outcome is an integrated GraphQL API that matches the engineering model structures by resembling views across multiple database sources. The discussed approach incorporates the benefits of data-oriented development and low-code platforms beyond the business automation domain.