Multi-disciplinary Optimization with Standard Co-simulation Interfaces

Numerical simulations and optimization are at the base of the design process of modem complex engineering systems. Typically, individual components are simulated by using highly specialized software tools applicable to single or narrow domains (mechanical stress, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, acoustic, etc.) and then combined together in order to build complex systems to be co-simulated and optimized. This distributed engineering development process requires that model components must be developed in such a way, that they could be easily interchanged between different departments of the same company, may be geographically distributed or even between independent companies. This position paper provides a short discussion about the currently available standards and presents work in progress concerning the definition of new standards for the interconnection of complex engineering systems and its optimization as required in modem engineering design. The paper is complemented with a few examples which provides a base for further discussion.