Components
Components are mostly used in scenarios where you want to model the existing situation in parts. Components are interfaces that do not normally exist on their own. They are an integrated part of the interface where they are referred from. Therefore, they differ from relationships. Relationships are more focused on the definition of the relationship between two interfaces, while interfaces can co-exist and act separately from each other. This was explained in Chapter 3, Digital Twin Definition Model:
Figure 5.8 – A high-level view of a model that contains two components
To explain and show such components, we can look at the preceding diagram. Here, we have an air conditioning system. This system consists of a unit and a controller. The unit and controller are intrinsically bound to each other. Their existence defines the air condition system. Therefore, the unit and controller are components of the system, each with their own defined metadata...