# Systematic Literature Review of MBSE Tool-Chains
###### Abstract  
Currently, the fundamental tenets of systems engineering are supported by a model-based approach to minimize risks and avoid design changes in late development stages. The models are used to formalize, analyze, design, optimize, and verify system development and artifacts, helping developers integrate engineering development across domains. Although model-based development is well established in specific domains, such as software, mechanical systems, and electrical systems, its role in integrated development from a system perspective is still a challenge for industry. The model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tool-chain is an emerging technique in the area of systems engineering and is expected to become a next-generation approach for supporting model integration across domains. This article presents a literature review to highlight the usage and state of the art to generally specify the current understanding of MBSE tool-chain concepts. Moreover, the results are used for identifying the usage, advantages, barriers, concerns, and trends of tool-chain development from an MBSE perspective. MBSE tool-chain; literature review; model; integration +
Footnote †: journal: Medical Engineering  
**Clitton:** [PERSON]; [PERSON]; [PERSON]; [PERSON]; [PERSON]; [PERSON] Systematic Literature Review of MBSE Tool-Chains. _Appl. Sci._**2022**, _12_, 3431. [[https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073431](https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073431)]([https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073431](https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073431))  
Academic Editor: [PERSON]  
Received: 2 March 2022  
Accepted: 25 March 2022  
Published: 28 March 2022  
**Published:** **Notic:** MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. During system development, a tool-chain is proposed as a set of programming tools to perform complex system development tasks or to create a system solution [2]. Specifically, MBSE tool-chains (referring to the integration of modeling, simulation, and design tools) are considered as solutions for implementing multi-domain and interdisciplinary design [3]. In the development of MBSE tool-chains, different techniques and tools are selected to create an open environment to control, manage, and integrate heterogeneous models and data. Compared with others, such as tool-chains for model-based design and software engineering, MBSE tool-chains are relatively new concepts for product development using MBSE. One definition of MBSE tool-chains [3] is proposed as one tool-chain consisting of two or more modeling, simulation, and design tools that, when combined, can support and construct a system engineering workflow with the following features:1. The tools in the workflow support system formalisms in the activities of product development, such as system requirements, design, analysis, and V&V. 2. The tools in the workflow support the formalisms of system functional and non-functional aspects, such as process management and dependability. 3. The tools are required to support heterogeneous model integration for system-level verification. 4. The tools are required to support data, knowledge, and information exchange, and to execute model transformations within the system development process. 5. While constructing the MBSE tool-chains, a unified ontology is defined to support the entire formalism of systems engineering workflows. 6. The tool-chain enables the integration of existing engineering tools and system development platforms for project management and process management. The first two features aim to deal with formalisms of system artifacts and system development. Feature 3 is expected to support integrated verification based on simulation across domains, such as co-simulation and Modelica [4; 5; 6]. Feature 4 aims to support data sharing among MBSE tools across system life-cycles. Features 5-6 aim to manage traceability and to implement design automation based on system engineering workflow.