Industry 4.0
Digital twins create the perfect match SOURCE: B&R AUTOMATION
In the words of the Greek philosopher, Aristotle: "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." Although this conclusion was made long before Industry 4.0 and the Smart Factory even came to be, it hits the nail on the head when it comes to machine manufacturing.
The digital twin accompanies a machine through each stage of its lifecycle – from development and commissioning to ongoing operation. COMBINING HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND programming code does not automatically produce a functional machine. Only the perfect interaction of these combined "parts" will result in a functioning "whole". Simulation plays a key role in achieving this. What role does simulation play in machine manufacturing and plant engineering? "The answer is simple", said B&R's product manager for simulation, Isabella Laasch. "It is the key to the next level of efficiency throughout every phase of a machine's lifecycle." Machines are becoming more and more complex. This also means that the interplay between mechanics, electrical equipment and automation is becoming increasingly difficult. Testing possible machine sequences directly on a physical system incurs high costs and is all-around inefficient. This applies to each phase of the machine's life: development, commissioning and ongoing operation.
Costly, time consuming design flaws
Even in the first phase of its lifecycle, the machine goes through multiple stages. Major 09.202 1
defects can occur in any of them. The Rule of Ten states that the cost of correcting a defect increases by a factor of 10 for each stage of machine development at which the defect was not detected. Correcting the defect as soon as possible will therefore speed up the development process and save costs. If defects occur throughout the entire development process, however, they won't be detected until the commissioning stage. "If one problem after another arises while the machine is being commissioned, the outcome will be disastrous," says Laasch. Not only have they already gone to the expense of producing a prototype, the development team is now occupied with finding and resolving the source of the problems. If the hardware is damaged, there will be additional expenses for spare parts as well as a possible delay due to long delivery times. In the worst case scenario, the machine builder may even be subject to contractual penalties if the new machine cannot be delivered to the customer on time.
i n d u str i a l e th e r n e t b o o k
Simulation is the key
"Essentially, we have to find a way to digitally map a machine during each phase of its lifecycle," said Laasch. "The way I see it, there is only one way to do this and that is with simulation." A digital twin of the machine is created in the virtual simulation environment. With the help of the digital twin, the interaction of the individual components can be checked during development and the machine can be commissioned virtually. According to Philipp Wallner, Industry Manager at MathWorks, "With model-based development, it is possible to ensure that the machine will work at an early stage, thereby reducing the risk of failure to a minimum. Simulation models form the basis for the design phase, virtual commissioning and digital twins. An investment in simulation will usually pay for itself within the first year."
Cooperation with simulation experts
Machine builders can choose from a wide variety of simulation tools. The offer ranges from tools for hardware and machine
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