SGAM Toolbox
A Modeling Aid for the Smart Grid Architecture Model

The SGAM Toolbox is a matured implementation of a structured and easy-to-use visual modeling framework designed to support the modeling of complex, interdisciplinary use cases in the energy sector.
It aligns with the Smart Grid Architecture Model (SGAM) as introduced by the "Smart Grid Coordination Group" ([LINK]) and simplifies the design process within complex, multi-layered system landscapes appearing in modern smart power grid architecture. The SGAM Toolbox is solidly founded on a tailored, visual modeling language and is currently implemented for the well-known tool "Enterprise Architect" in the MBSE community.
Using the SGAM Toolbox enables you to:
- enhance collaboration between stakeholders by providing a simple modeling approach for describing the high-level architecture of smart grid-related applications
- employ methods from model-based systems engineering for tackling the intricacy of system-of-systems use cases while maintaining a holistic and consistent system understanding on a high level of abstraction
- promote interdisciplinary development and maintenance of a distributed system spanning across multiple companies featuring diversified stakeholders and heterogeneous subsystems
The SGAM Toolbox is implemented as an extension for Sparx Systems' modeling tool "Enterprise Architect". It is built using the "Model Driven Generation" Technology (MDG Technology SDK) and leverages C# to provide even more functionality via an add-in. Special emphasis was placed on ease of access and usability, including an add-in window that provides a quick guide to the methodology.
In July 2025, the SGAM Toolbox got many improvements regarding its Domain-Specific Language and implementation in Enterprise Architect so it was updated to the new major version 3.
The SGAM Toolbox v3.0 is presented in the paper:
D. Vereno, C. Neureiter, S. Eschlberger, M. Millaku, R. Kuchenbuch and M. Uslar, "SGAM Toolbox Revisited: A Standards-Based Domain-Specific Modeling Language and Toolset," in IEEE Access, vol. 13, pp. 119243-119261, 2025, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3586722.
About
The SGAM Toolbox is implemented as an extension for Sparx Systems' modeling tool "Enterprise Architect". It is built using the "Model Driven Generation" Technology (MDG Technology SDK) and leverages C# to provide even more functionality via an add-in. Special emphasis was placed on ease of access and usability, including an add-in window that provides a quick guide to the methodology.
The toolbox makes use of the SGAM DSL (Domain-Specific Language), which is defined via a Metamodel conforming to the OMG Meta-Object Facility for tool-independence. The languages' abstract syntax and semantics are specified here.
As this project is ongoing research, updates and improvements will be provided regularly. If you find erratics, broken content, or have specific questions about the toolbox, feel free to contact us via the contact form (!Use "SGAM" as Toolbox topic so your request will be directed right!). But as a kindly advise: Read the manual first 😉
Skipping the manual felt smart—until I spent twice as long fixing my "shortcut."
Download Toolbox
To be able to use SGAM Toolbox, you must have Enterprise Architect (version >= 13.0; x86 / 32-Bit executable) installed on your local system. For easy setup, we provide an msi-based installer.
Enterprise Architect Addin
Msi-based installer for SGAM Toolbox v3.0.0.0: [Coming soon!]
Documentation
The SGAM Toolbox user manual describes how to apply the SGAM methodology with the SGAM Toolbox within the modeling environment Enterprise Architect. It does not aim to be scientific precise but more to provide an easy-to-read modeling guide for users:
- Download SGAM Toolbox Manual (PDF): [Coming soon!]
Additionally to the user manual above, we highly recommend to read the paper to understand the concept behind the SGAM Toolbox in more detail (Open Access!):
D. Vereno, C. Neureiter, S. Eschlberger, M. Millaku, R. Kuchenbuch and M. Uslar, "SGAM Toolbox Revisited: A Standards-Based Domain-Specific Modeling Language and Toolset," in IEEE Access, vol. 13, pp. 119243-119261, 2025, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3586722.
Example Models
To provide you a solid foundation to start modeling we provide simplified demonstrative models. You can view them online without requiring any installation.
If you want access to the Enterprise Architect model files, feel free to contact us.
Demonstrative Models for learning SGAM modeling
Electric Vehicle Charging with VPP Integration
The model presented in the paper for the revision of SGAM Toolbox.
→ Related Publication: D. Vereno et al., "SGAM Toolbox Revisited: A Standards-Based Domain-Specific Modeling Language and Toolset," https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3586722
→ Web-browseable model: → HTML Export of the model "Electric Vehicle Charging with VPP Integration" [Coming soon!]
Use Case-specific Models for advanced Application
NIST Logical Reference Model
→ The NIST Logical Reference Model (NIST LRM) published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a part of the NISTIR 7628 Guidelines for Smart Grid Cybersecurity. It provides a structured framework for identifying, categorizing, and analyzing the logical interfaces regarding their security requirements within smart grid systems.
→ Related Publication: C. Neureiter et al., "A standards-based approach for domain specific modelling of smart grid system architectures," doi: 10.1109/SYSOSE.2016.7542888.
→ Web-browseable model: → HTML Export of NIST LRM
Old site of SGAM Toolbox v2
If youd like to access content of the old SGAM Toolbox version 2, please make a request via our contact form.
Select "SGAM" for the Toolbox-dropdown and write your matter in the text field below. We seek to contact you soon and provide access to the older version of the SGAM Toolbox and related files.
Be aware that this content is no longer maintained, links may be broken, and manuals outdated.
We strongly encourage you to use the new SGAM Toolbox as it offers many improvements, including enhanced usability of the toolbox and updates on the SGAM modeling language.
Terms of Use
The SGAM Toolbox is basically free to use (Please recognize the License and Disclaimer at the bottom of this page). In order to support our work, to establish a user-community and to keep you up to date about bug-fixes and new releases, we kindly ask you for two things:
(1) If you use the Toolbox, please contact us and let us reference (Logo) your organization on our site.
(2) If you create scientific publications, please reference our related papers.
Support
If you have any feedback regarding the toolbox, a feature request or if you need further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
License and Disclaimer
Copyright (c) 2025 Salzburg University of Applied Sciences
Josef Ressel Centre for Dependable System-of-Systems Engineering
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the “Software”), to use the Software, distribute, sublicense, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.