Discover the potential of the digital twin! In the context of the Industrial Internet of Things (Industry 4.0), this concept plays a key role, because it is intended to bundle all relevant information models for automation components and functional chains, and provide them as a digital representation. This includes, for example, technical data, documentation as well as geometry and simulation models, which should be available and usable throughout the lifecycle: from the engineering to virtual commissioning (VCOM) and the operating phases through to recycling. Immerse yourself in the world of the digital twin and take your engineering and your production 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 a variety of information about the components and system contexts. This includes the unique description of their capabilities, their role within the machine, their behavior, the simulation of their kinematics and kinetics and their communication. Festo started an important development with the development of the Asset Administration Shell and the co-founding of the Industrial Digital Twin Association (IDTA) in 2020. This creates a digital infrastructure that forms a standardized basis for all market players (users, tool manufacturers, component manufacturers).
The Asset Administration Shell is a concept that practically implements digital twins and creates interoperability between the solutions of different providers. It enables the use of various 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 number of sub-models in which all information and functionalities of a specific asset are described. These sub-models can contain features, characteristics, properties, status, parameters, measurement data and capabilities and offer standardized and manufacturer-independent access across all lifecycle phases.
Type plates attached to the product are limited in their information content by the available area on the product or by the size of the product and the usable font size. The "Digital Nameplate" sub-model makes all relevant information, including certificates and documentation, available in digital form.
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Technical data from components and systems are recorded in a separate sub-model and are available in a structured and semantically clear manner. In contrast to today's documentation, this information can therefore be recorded and processed automatically.
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Tailored behavior models for virtual commissioning enable the development steps to be carried out in parallel, thereby shortening the time to market.
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Asset Administration Shells (AAS) have already been created in advance for around 20,000 catalog products,and are available for download from a central cloud repository. These are continuously being expanded to include new sub-models and additional products. The available Asset Administration Shells contain the following content (AAS sub-models):
The currently available Asset Administration Shells can be found in our shop in the CAD download area under the designation "Digital Twin". Examples: Digital twin for a mini slide DGST and digital twin for a servo drive CMMT. (Login required)
The information contained in the AAS "Technical data" sub-model uses standardized ECLASS class characteristics. This enables automated import into our customers' software landscape – without any manual effort. Festo is a long-standing ECLASS member and one of the main drivers of the specifications for pneumatic and electrical automation components.
In addition to the classic download, we also offer a prototype server access by means of which our product data can be retrieved automatically via a standardized AAS API interface. For exclusive test access, please feel free to contact us.
An important application of digital twins is virtual commissioning. In the digital model, the machine developer can test with less effort how the real physical drives move and further process signals from the displacement encoder or end position sensors. Virtual commissioning makes it possible to parallelize processes during the construction phase of a machine or system, to ensure higher quality in the development of the control program and to reduce the time for real commissioning on the shop floor.
Festo actively supports the development of the "Simulation Model" sub-model for the Asset Administration Shell and uses the non-proprietary standard format FMI/FMU (Functional Mockup Interface/Functional Mockup Unit) to map the behavior. This open standard is becoming increasingly important and is supported by well-known simulation tools. The advantages are the simple exchange of models and their cross-manufacturer integration.