WORKSHOP

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay organized a Two Days National Workshop on Open Modelica-Simulation & Modelling on 4th & 5th January 2017. The objective of the workshop was to enhance knowledge and skill of the participants regarding the use of Open Modelica Simulator in an effective way. Faculty members from 80 Educational Institutions across the nation participated in the workshop.

Mr. Manoj Kumar Yadav, Assistant Professor, CSE Department from Dronacharya Group of Institutions, Greater Noida attended the workshop as a delegate.

The event was graced by the following dignitaries:

1. “Padma Shri” Dr. Deepak B. Phatak, IIT Bombay

2. Prof. Kannan M. Moudgalya, Coordinator, Spoken Tutorial - FOSSEE, IIT Bombay

3. Prof. Peter Fritzson, Creator of Open Modelica, Linkoping University, Sweden

4. Bernhard Thiele, Researcher - PELAB, Linkoping University, Sweden

Day 1: 4th January 2017

The event began with the inaugural speech by Prof. Kannan. He emphasized on the need of Simulation Modelling software and said that the Simulation allows the designer to determine the correctness and efficiency of a design before the system is actually constructed. He also explained how the simulators can be used as an effective means for teaching or demonstrating concepts to students by using computer graphics and animation. He gave a brief on the benefits of Using Open Source Software (software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance), which is the power of transparency to create high - quality, secure and easily integrated software at an accelerated pace and lower cost.

The technical session was conducted by Mr. Peter Fritzson who presented a brief description of Open Modelica Simulation and Modelling Software. He said that OM is a language for modelling of complex cyber - physical systems like Robotics, Automotive, Aircrafts, Satellites, Power Plants and Systems biology. He further said that the Modelling is primarily designed for simulation, but there are also other usages of models, e.g. optimization and model equations and mathematical functions. He discussed the Multi - domain modelling, which combines electrical, mechanical, thermodynamic, hydraulic, biological, control, event, real - time, etc. He also discussed the properties of Object Oriented Language and said that an Open Modelica Code is strongly typed object-oriented language with a general class concept like JAVA & MATLAB and it also supports Visual Component Programming. It contains inbuilt Modelica Standard Library for Graphical Modelling.

Prof. Peter Fritzson said that Modelica Standard Library contains components from various application areas, including sublibraries are Blocks (Library for basic input /output control blocks), Constants (Mathematical constants and constants of nature), Electrical (Library for electrical models), Icons (Icon definitions), Fluid (1-dim Flow in networks of vessels, pipes, fluid machines, valves, etc.), Math (Mathematical functions), Magnetic (Magnetic.Fluxtubes - for magnetic applications), Mechanics (Library for mechanical systems ), Media (Media models for liquids and gases), SIunits (Type definitions based on SI units according to ISO 31-1992), Stategraph (Hierarchical state machines (analogous to Statecharts), Thermal (Components for thermal systems) and Utilities (Utility functions especially for scripting).

Day 2: 5th January 2017

Mr. Bernhard Thiele gave a presentation on possible extensions to Open Modelica in which he discussed the Tighter Integration with Functional Mock - up Interface (FMI) Technology. He said that it is the new standard for model exchange and co-simulation with Functional Mockup Interface (FMI) which allows export of pre-compiled models, i.e., C-code or binary code, from one tool to another and vice versa. He said that the FMI standard is Modelica independent. Import and export works both between different Modelica tools, or between certain non - Modelica tools. Open Modelica supports FMI 1.0 & 2.0.

Mr. Thiele further discussed Discrete Events and Hybrid Systems. He said that Hybrid Modelling is a set of variables that are associated with the event e.g. conditional equations that become active.

After the Q & A session Dr. (Prof.) Kanna M Mougyala rendered Vote of Thanks.

The event was highly informative and beneficial as it created awareness of the benefits of technology integrated into instruction for effective pedagogical practice in an Open Modelica Simulator environment.