Usage of Free Sketches in MBSE Raising the applicability of Model-Based Systems Engineering for Mechanical Engineers

A major cause for a lack in acceptance of today's interdisciplinary modeling approaches is the immense difference in abstraction between engineers' mental models and the available systems modeling languages [1]. Especially mechanical engineers, who use graphical representations like sketches and 3D CAD models, struggle with so called "graphical modeling languages" such as SysML [1][ 2]. These models represented by two-dimensional diagrams made out of boxes and lines, are not able to display real embodiment aspects and thus do not match with ( mechanical) engineers mental models of systems [1]. This paper presents an approach to integrate free sketches into the formal models used in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE). Free sketches are defined as illustrations of technical content. A detailed definition of free sketches and further explanation is given. Thus this paper contributes to an "Advanced Systems Engineering", in which a human-centered and model-based approach is targeted [1]. The presented approach supports engineers during function embodiment synthesis by implementing knowledge management aspects.