The aim of the project PHAROS is the development, implementation and demonstration of a fully instrumented, automated and simulation-enabled engineering software platform capable to automate the whole manual model-based systems engineering (MBSE) design process for physical systems architecture generation and optimisation, under special consideration of (but not limited to) automated optimal packaging, piping and routing generation of an aircraft wing section assembly which complies to a given set of engineering constraints.

In order to achieve this, graph-based design languages in UML (Unified Modelling Language) are used to develop an automated, algorithmic implementation of interoperable engineering services for packaging, piping and routing. Design languages are executable in the software platform Design Compiler 43 of one industrial project partner and may be coupled for optimization purposes with the optimizer software Optimus of the other industrial partner.

Graph-based design languages are inspired by human languages, in which the vocabulary and rules form a grammar. The term 'design language' means that every sentence allowed by the grammar is a valid expression of a design. The term 'graph-based' means that each node in a graph is used to represent a requirement, a function, a solution principle, a component or any other arbitrary engineering expression one may encounter in the product lifecycle. This graphical representation of the design product and design process in form of a graph-based language is translated by a compiler into the disciplinary models of packaging, piping and routing in order to draw conclusions for the further optimization of the designs.

The automation of model-based systems engineering (MBSE) with a machine-executable V-Model will push the competitiveness of European aerospace companies to a new level of efficiency and will permit a unique selling proposition of innovation and cost leadership enabled by automation.