Computable constraint modeling

Mathematics isn't just fun, it's also another means by which you can verify aspects of systems. For example, in the Architectural trade studies recipe in Chapter 3, Developing System Architectures, we created a mathematical model to evaluate design alternatives as a set of equations, converting raw properties – including measurement accuracy, mass, reliability, parts costs, and rider feel – into a computed "goodness" metrics for the purpose of comparison. Using trade studies is a way to verify that good design choices were made. We did this using SysML constraints and parametrics diagrams to render the problem and "do the math."

Math can address many problems that come up in engineering, and SysML parametric diagrams provide a good way to cast, compute, and render such problems and their solutions. An archetypal example is computing the total weight of a system. This can be done by simply summing up the...