Model-Based Systems Engineering for Digital Twin System Development Applied to an Aircraft Seat Test Bench

In recent years, the Digital Twin has attracted significant attention in academia and industry as a powerful technology for creating virtual replicas of physical systems tailored to specific purposes. Digital Twins can be developed at various levels of maturity, accommodating different system types and scopes. Consequently, diverse domain-specific approaches to Digital Twins development exist, yet no standardized method defines, verifies, and validates their requirements. This is essential for a consistent and reliable implementation of Digital Twins. This paper explores the application of Model-Based Systems Engineering in the design, development, verification, and validation of a Digital Twin System. It presents a comprehensive methodology that encompasses all phases of a Digital Twin System’s life cycle. The methodology was applied to model the requirements and the functional, behavioral, and structural aspects of a Digital Twin System for an aircraft seat testbench, supporting its design, implementation, and operation at the prototype level. The Digital Twin replicates the seat testbench, enabling simulations for early system validation under various conditions. Integrating Model-Based Systems Engineering with Digital Twin technologies enhances the clear definition of scope and technical requirements, contributing to more effective testing and development processes in the aeronautical industry. This work underscores the benefits of a model-driven approach for Digital Twin design, laying the foundation for future applications in complex engineering systems due to its repeatability.