Transfer of Technical Debt Concepts in Mechatronics During the Migration to a New Automation Platform Generation as a Basis for TD Management Along the Value Chain of Special-Purpose Machines

• Applicant: Professorin Dr.-Ing. Birgit Vogel-Heuser
• Subject Area: Software Engineering and Programming Languages ; Automation, Mechatronics, Control Systems, Intelligent Technical Systems, Robotics
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 564107615

Electronic components for drives and control systems, like computer chips, are often only available for 1-1.5 years. Regular migrations to new system technology generations are thus repeatedly necessary. Currently, automation control systems are shifting towards multi-core processors, whose superior performance improves efficiency and functionality if used correctly. At the same time there are risks due to unknown boundary conditions of the mechanical engineering companies (integrators). Timely uncertainty and cost pressure are drivers of so-called Technical Debt (TD): short-term benefits come at the cost of long-term problems, e. g. during maintenance. In the case of a platform migration, choosing a suitable time scale presents a tradeoff: migrating too early risks errors due to a still unproven platform, moving too late delays exploiting optimization potential. Integrators like the partner company SOMIC are faced with the risk of cancellation of spare parts and support by the platform supplier Schneider. Mechatronic engineering is highly interdisciplinary and (esp. during a platform migration) platform providers (Schneider) and their customers, mechanical engineering companies like SOMIC, cooperate closely. Neither side can successfully migrate without the other. There are barely any experience with TD in such intertwined, dynamic transformation processes that have implications for the design, implementation, commissioning and maintenance. Previous work in the foundational research of mechatronic TD have uncovered affected stakeholders and so-called TD-chains, whereby TD-relevant decisions have a far-reaching impact across disciplines and company levels. The previous questionnaire-based research reveals the necessity of researching a real-world TD-intensive process as a next step. The following focal points are expected: The aforementioned uncertainty regarding the migration time planning presents opportunities for exploring Process TD. The migration is easier to carry out with a modular system architecture. Since the partner SOMIC’s current status is well known from previous work, the interaction of the associated Architecture TD and Infrastructure TD with the migration process can be investigated. Both types of TD are linked to Version and Variant TD, as a good system architecture facilitates the management of high system variability in special-purpose machines. The new multi-core processor technology offers opportunities and risks. Concepts for documentation (Documentation TD), training (Qualification TD) and testing (Test TD) are therefore researched with both partners. The findings of TD4MigrATion will deliver a multitude of TD cases for the migration of mechatronic systems, needing to be managed. The specific metrics and measures to research will provide stimuli for subsequent in-depth research into TD management.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants (Transfer Project)
• Application Partner: SOMIC Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG; Schneider Electric Automation GmbH