Otfmi documentation

Otfmi facilitates the probabilistic study of functional mockup units (FMUs) by interfacing OpenTURNS with PyFMI. Using Otfmi, modelers can perform advanced probabilistic analysis on their FMU.

The core features of Otfmi are:

  • load an FMU in an OpenTURNS object

  • set some initial values to ease initialisation

  • simulate the model, for a single set of input values or a sample

  • retrieve and store the simulation results.

_images/logo_persalys.png
Otfmi is notably employed as backend for Persalys (OpenTURNS GUI).
The software is free and can be downloaded here.
_images/spacer.jpg

About FMI, OpenTURNS and PyFMI

The functional mock-up interface (FMI) standard specifies a multipurpose interfaces to 0D/1D physical models. It is currently supported by many softwares, such as OpenModelica, Dymola, Amesim, Ansys, Simulink, etc.

OpenTURNS library proposes a large range of mathematical methods to quantify, propagate and handle uncertainties. PyFMI is a package for loading and interacting with FMUs in Python.

The need for Otfmi

Using Python to easily perform computer experiments on 0D/1D models is seducing. Yet the tool chain, from the physical model to OpenTURNS, was incomplete. PyFMI objects, close to the FMUs methods, were to be adapted for an easier use with OpenTURNS’ methods.

Otfmi is developed by Phimeca, on the demand of EDF Prisme department, to meet this need of compatibility between PyFMI objects and OpenTURNS.

Terminology

input, parameter, or input variable?

The FMI standard and OpenTURNS meet a (minor) conflict in the definition of inputs. In the FMI standard (see table 18):

  • a FMU parameter remains constant during simulation (a single value).

  • a FMU input evolves during simulation (time-dependent values).

In OpenTURNS, the terms input and parameter are synonym and designate a variable in input of a probabilistic model. To reconcile the two worlds, we employ in Otfmi the terms of parameter and input in the sense of FMI. We call the input variables of a probabilistic model variables, or input variables.

FMI : ME or CS?

The FMI standard defines 2 kinds of FMUs: ModelExchange (ME) or CoSimulation (CS). The CoSimulation FMUs embed the numerical solver of their generation tool whereas the ModelExchange FMUs simulate with the solver of their host tool.

Choosing ME or CS depends on the use of the FMU (see here). Both kinds are handled similarly by Otfmi (and Persalys).

Contact

You can contribute to the project or signal issues on Otfmi GitHub repository.
For questions on the code, contact Sylvain Girard.
For questions or remarks concerning the documentation, contact Claire-Eleuthèriane Gerrer.

This package is licensed under the LGPL3.