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Engineering Systems Integration
Object e 1.1.1 interacts with object e 1.1.3
Object e 1.1.3 interacts with object e 1.1.1
Object e 1.1.2 interacts with object e 1.1.3
Object e 1.1.1
Object e 1.1.3
Object e 1.1.2
Domain d 1.1
FIgure 2.2
Interacting objects.
e 1.1.2 , and e 1.1.3 interacting with each other in the following manner: object
e 1.1.1 interacts with object e 1.1.3 . Object e 1.1.3 interacts with object e 1.1.1 . Object e 1.1.2
interacts with object e 1.1.3 .
The interactions are such that the three objects do not change their properties, traits, or attributes.* In other words, the interactions do not result in a
causal change that has some degree of permanence and stability in any of
the objects. The physical boundaries of these three objects are said to be at
the furthest physical extent of the physical object. For the interacting pair of
objects e 1.1.1 and e 1.1.3 , the functional boundary of object e 1.1.1 extends to e 1.1.3 ,
and the functional boundary of object e 1.1.3 extends to e 1.1.1 . The functional
boundary of object e 1.1.2 extends to e 1.1.3 ; however, the functional boundary of
* A property is embodied in an object that is physical or represents something that is physical.
A property can be real (physical or material) or intellectual (conceptual, nonphysical, or
intangible). A physical property of matter is mass. Intellectual property is a representation of
real, physical property, such as software (which represents a process that is enacted through
physical objects). A trait is a property within its context. For example, the context may be that
the object is moving in which case the activity of moving mass must be responsive to boundary conditions for the moving mass. A trait is the nexus of the property along with its conditions. While an object has a physical boundary, the conditions in which that boundary is
effective or by which that boundary signifies the capabilities and capacities of the object, is a
trait. Both objects and traits have mechanisms due to physical matter. Attributes are measures and measurements, configuration and structure, and constraints (e.g., time, cost, and
scope), performances and losses due to achieving the performances of functions. Systems are
made up of objects, the association of properties of objects and their relations (combined
properties and contexts are referred to as traits), and attributes. These three terms are used to
describe the composition of a system. The definitions of property, trait, and attributes vary
significantly by discipline and by author (Blanchard and Fabrycky 2011).