DPAF - Digital Platform Software Architecture Framework: Designing Software Architecture for Digital Platform Business Models linked to Cyber-Physical Systems

The widespread adoption of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) in Industry 4.0, specifically in manufacturing infrastructures, and their potential as data networks create significant opportunities for digital platforms. This research introduces the DPAF - Digital Platform Architecture Framework, a software architecture framework designed to guide the integration of CPS within system engineering processes, enabling the co-design of hardware and software components alongside the Product/Digital-Platform-Business-Model CoDesign approach. Developed using the Design Research Methodology and evaluated by four groups of product engineering experts, DPAF provides developers and system engineers with a robust tool to effectively communicate, integrate, and leverage CPS for creating a software architecture for digital platforms.