FMI 3.0 improves interoperability of simulation tools

The Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) has established itself as the de facto standard for model exchange and co-simulation in the industry and is supported by more than 170 software tools. Ever shorter product life cycles and the increasing number of variants increase the need for coordination between suppliers and OEMs. With the recently newly released version FMI 3.0, the Modelica Association presents a comprehensively revised standard with a range of new functions designed to make collaboration in the complex supply chain more efficient.

The new FMI 3.0 standard takes the digital twin in system simulation to the next level

(Credits: DLR)

The enhanced features of the FMI 3.0 standard enable use in new use cases such as:

Advanced co-simulation
Virtual electronic control units (vECUs)
New generation of digital twins
Artificial intelligence (AI) applications
Automated or autonomous driving applications

The FMI 3.0 standard has been developed over the past eight years in the Modelica Association Projekt FMI. "With FMI 3.0, the FMI group in the Modelica Association has reached an important milestone in the FMI success story. The new standard will improve interoperability between tools and simulation environments, significantly reducing the development effort for all stakeholders involved," emphasizes Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Otter, head of the Modelica Association and deputy institute director of the DLR Institute of System Dynamics and Control.

FMI Standard

The Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) was initiated by Daimler AG and the DLR Institute of System Dynamics and Control as part of the ITEA MODELISAR Projektes to facilitate the exchange of simulation models between suppliers and OEMs. Since 2008, partners from industry and research have been developing the standard, which allows dynamic systems to be used as black box models with different tools. This allows models to be used by different project partners and different tools without exposing the model.

The independent standard supports both model exchange and co-simulation of dynamic models using a combination of XML files and compiled C code. Since its release in 2010, FMI has become the global standard for exchanging models between software tools in a variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace, industrial equipment, buildings, energy and manufacturing.

Modelica Association

The Sweden-based non-profit organization, with members from Europe, the U.S., Canada and Asia, has been developing open-access standards and open-source software in the field of cyber-physical systems (CPS) since its founding in 1996. The Modelica Association standards are supported and recommended by many professional associations in the field of modeling and systems engineering such as Prostep IVIP, PDES, NAFEMS und INCOSE.

Overview over the most important new feature FMI 3.0 Highlights

FMI 3.0 Specification FMI Specification 3.0

Complete Press release FMI 3.0 - a major milestone for interoperability in system modeling and simulation

Contact

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Otter
German Aerospace Center
Institute of System Dynamics and Control, -
Oberpfaffenhofen-Wessling
Tel.: +49 8153 28-2473
Fax: +49 8153 28-44-3883