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concept#Integration#Architecture#Platform#Software Engineering

Model Exchange Format

A standardized format for transferring models between tools and runtime environments to ensure interoperability and reproducibility.

A Model Exchange Format is a standardized data model for transferring mathematical or trained models between tools and runtime environments.
Established
Medium

Classification

  • Medium
  • Technical
  • Architectural
  • Intermediate

Technical context

Simulation tools (e.g. Modelica tools)Inference engines and runtime platformsCI/CD systems (e.g. Jenkins, GitHub Actions)

Principles & goals

Clear separation of model, metadata and runtime artifactsInteroperability through open specificationsReproducibility via versioned metadata
Build
Domain, Team

Use cases & scenarios

Compromises

  • Incompatible extensions between tools lead to integration issues
  • Incorrect assumptions about metadata can jeopardize reproducibility
  • Missing tests for edge cases cause silent failures in production
  • Use open standards with broad tool support
  • Automate validation and regression tests in CI
  • Maintain complete metadata and provenance information

I/O & resources

  • Model artifacts (structure, parameters, weights)
  • Metadata (version, provenance, license)
  • Converter and integration scripts
  • Portable exchange format (e.g. FMU, ONNX)
  • Validation and test logs
  • Automated deploy artifacts

Description

A Model Exchange Format is a standardized data model for transferring mathematical or trained models between tools and runtime environments. It defines exchange formats, metadata and interfaces for reproducibility, interoperability and validation. It supports tool selection, automation and consistent deployments across toolchains.

✔

  • Enables cross-tool collaboration without vendor lock-in
  • Improves reproducibility and traceability of simulations and deployments
  • Supports automation in CI/CD and validation processes

✖

  • Not all model concepts can be represented losslessly
  • Versioning and compatibility require discipline and governance
  • Implementation quality of converters varies significantly

  • Conversion success rate

    Share of model conversions that are importable without errors.

  • Time to integration

    Average time until an exported model is operational in the target environment.

  • Reproducibility score

    Measure of metadata completeness and reproducibility of results.

FMU for exchange of Modelica models

Use of the Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) to export Modelica models for other simulation tools.

ONNX for cross-platform ML models

Converting a trained neural network to ONNX to run it on different inference engines.

Export of control logic between tools

Standardized exchange format for transferring control and regulation models between engineering tools.

1

Analyze existing model formats and define a target format.

2

Set up converters and test pipelines to validate exports.

3

Define metadata and versioning policies and governance.

⚠️ Technical debt & bottlenecks

  • Old proprietary export paths that are no longer maintained
  • Missing automated tests for older model versions
  • Unclear ownership for converter tools
Converter qualityVersioningMetadata completeness
  • Directly importing complex proprietary models without validation
  • Assuming full compatibility between different tool versions
  • Omitting metadata when exchanging critical artifacts
  • Unnoticed rounding or numerical changes during conversion
  • Hidden dependencies in proprietary extensions
  • Insufficient tests for edge cases and boundary conditions
Knowledge in modeling and domain physicsExperience with conversion and integration toolsUnderstanding of versioning and software engineering practices
Interoperability between tools and runtimesReproducibility and traceability of resultsAutomatability in CI/CD and deployment processes
  • • Limited mapping of proprietary model concepts
  • • Dependence on tool vendors for full implementation
  • • Need for defined governance for versions and extensions