Fact Sheet: System Structure and Parameterization (SSP)

General

Short description/ Transmitted information	Assembly of simulation components and their paranmerters into simulation ready (sub-)systems SSP 1.0 was released in March 2019, specification is accessable via ssp-standard.org
Normative document	System Structure and Parameterization
Version/ Release status	SSP, version 1.0
Release date	March 5, 2019
Application scope	Specify simulation ready (sub-)systems consisting of connected simulation models (e.g. FMUs), parameters and resources Provide a container for systems and meta-data during the whole simulation life-cycle
Goals	Standardized description format for simulation systems Enhancement of FMU interoperability Parameter exchange, standardizes communication architecture between components
Promoting bodies	Modelica Association prostep ivip Association
Type	Standard of the Modelica Association
IT standard classification	Interoperability Standard Integration Standard
Data format(s)	Text Format (ASCII/XML) Compressed (Container-Data)
Additional available resources	Web information resources, e.g. https://modelica.org/projects#ssp Standard available for download at: ssp-standard.org
Relevant prostep ivip project groups	Smart Systems Engineering Group

SSP stands for System Structure and Parametrization and provides a set of file formats to provide for the exchange of simulation systems, including their structure, components and parameterization
SSP files are ZIP archives and provide packaging for system descriptions and referenced resources
SSD files are XML files providing the structure of the simulation system, including hierarchical system structure, components (FMUs, external Systems, …), their interconnection and parameters being applied
SSV files are XML files providing for the exchange of parameter values
SSM files are XML files providing for the exchange of parameter mappings (names, value transformations)
SSB files are XML files providing for the exchange of signal dictionaries for reusable signal definitions

The relevance of SSP for SE/MBSE is closely related to the relevance of the exchange of integrated simulation models and co-simulations, which both have a very high relevance
The benefits of using SSP for the exchange of integrated simulation models (FMU and non FMU) are
- re-use of integration effort of sub-systems between simulation platforms and partners
- exchangeable specification of component interfaces and standardized communication channels (e.g. via signal dictionaries)
- improved traceability of simulation artefacts by packaging of matching systems, components and parameters in one transportable package
- safeguarding coherent simulation structure and setup on all partners sites
- availability of an extensible container format for packaging of other related meta-data (e.g. SMMD) and resources
- ability to integrate new component types (e.g. DCP (https://dcp-standard.org/), vECUs, …) in a uniform fashion in the future

The benefit with respect to automated import/export processes is coupled with the implementation of import/export processors that cannot be enforced but only be fostered by prostep ivip association
Adoption in companies depends on increased efforts to popularize SSP, similarly to efforts needed for FMI 1.0
Current major impediment to wider implementation is the efforts of better community outreach, which currently rests on individual SSP members or SmartSE members for the most part