Discover the potential of digital twins! This concept plays a key role in Industry 4.0, as it is intended to bundle all relevant information models for automation components and functional chains and make them available as digital representations. This includes, for example, documentation as well as geometry and simulation models, which should be available and applicable throughout the product lifecycle, from the engineering process and virtual commissioning (VIBN) to the operating phases and recycling. Immerse yourself in the world of digital twins and take your production processes to the next level with our support.
Digital twins are much more than just 3D models. They are digital images of real physical objects with all kinds of information about the components and system connections. This includes the unique description of their capabilities, their role within the machine, their behaviour, the simulation of their kinematics and kinetics, and their communication. The Industry 4.0 machine architecture is based entirely on digital twins. Thanks to their standardised communication interfaces, they make life easier for our customers throughout virtually the entire lifecycle of a machine: from virtual commissioning and control of the machine to data acquisition and the resulting value-added services such as maintenance or diagnostics. The asset administration shell is used as a central technical element to implement digital twins.
The asset administration shell is a concept that practically applies digital twins for Industry 4.0 and establishes interoperability between concepts from different providers. It enables the use of different communication channels and applications and serves as a link between objects of the Internet of Things and the networked, digital and distributed world.
The asset administration shell consists of a series of sub-models in which all the information and functionalities of a particular asset are described. These sub-models can contain key features, characteristics, properties, status, parameters, measurement data and capabilities and provide standardised access, regardless of the manufacturer, across all lifecycle phases.
Name plates attached to products only have limited information because of the available space on the product or the size of the product and the usable font size. The "digital name plate" sub-model makes all the relevant information, including certificates and documentation, available digitally.
The benefits to you:
Technical data of components and systems are recorded in a separate sub-model and are available in a structured form and are clearly described. This means that, in contrast to today's documentation, the information can be recorded and processed automatically.
The benefits to you:
Tailored behaviour models for virtual commissioning enable the development steps to be carried out in parallel, thereby shortening the time to market.
The benefits to you:
We have already started to create asset administration shells for selected components. These are continuously being expanded to include new sub-models and additional products. The first administration shells for your pilot use are already available for the product series shown above. The following sub-models are implemented:
We are continuously developing administration shells for other product series as well as further sub-models. You can find the asset administration shells that are currently available for the above-mentioned products in our shop in the CAD download area under "digital twin". Example: Digital twin for a mini slide DGST. (Login required)
To make it easy to view the asset administration shells, we recommend the AASX Package Explorer, which is provided by the Industrial Digital Twin Association. To find out more, visit idtwin.org.
An important application of simulation is virtual commissioning. A digital model makes it much easier for the machine designer to test how the physical drives move in real life and how signals from the displacement encoder or end-position sensors are processed. Virtual commissioning enables processes to be run in parallel during the design phase of a machine or system, it ensures higher quality in the development of the control program and it shortens the actual time needed for commissioning on the shop floor.
We are actively supporting the development of the "simulation model" sub-model for asset administration shells and use the cross-manufacturer FMI/FMU (Functional Mock-up Interface/Functional Mock-up Unit) standard format to map behaviour. This open standard is becoming increasingly important and is now also supported by well-known tool manufacturers. The advantages are that models can be easily exchanged and integrated into the products of any manufacturer.