FEATURE SMART FACTORIES & AUTOMATION
THE ROLE OF THE DIGITAL TWIN IN THE SMART FACTORY
• Data monitoring and analysis can be used to make iterative improvements to operations, improving efficiency and reducing costs in real time. For example, a programmed robot which is operated in a specific sequence could be constantly modelled in parallel to the reduce cycle time of that sequence • Probably one of the greatest uses of the digital twin is factory planning, as an entire factory can be simulated before the first brick is laid. Of course, challenges to reaping the
by Joe Lomako, product manager, TÜV SÜD D
igital models are used in many different ways. One such way is
numerical modelling, which is not a new concept, as the first numerical models predate the computer by many hundreds of years. Nevertheless, the intention is the same; to develop a numerical ‘replica’ of a real thing. The image alluded to here is the sort of thing you would normally see in a Computer Aided Design (CAD) scenario - a dataset of a physical device. The items modelled include, and is not limited to, automobiles, planes, toys, antennas, and so on. In fact, it is a belief that almost everything can be modelled. However, this is often confused with the digital twin concept, which it certainly is not. So how does this relate to the digital
twin? It has been said that if you ask 10 people what a digital twin is you will get 15 different answers. As comical as that may sound, it does demonstrate that there is still a lot of debate about what a digital twin actually is. A digital model is a digital replica of a physical ‘thing’, but a digital twin is defined as ‘a living replica of a physical device or system’. But what gives life to this living replica? Sensors. Once a digital model is coupled with
sensors things start to get interesting. We have a digital twin which is the building block of bigger, more sophisticated digital twin systems, or living replicas. Examples of these living replicas could include the human body or a vehicle but one which is gaining
24 SEPTEMBER 2019 | FACTORY EQUIPMENT
considerable traction is the internet enabled smart factory, which is often termed Industry 4.0 or I4.0. Any factory, which is made up of a
number of systems that are interconnected, often runs the risk of a part breaking down, causing a ripple effect throughout the entire production line. For example, a robot which performs an important serial function. Of course, that breakdown can have serious consequences for the factory owner, in that production could be slowed, interrupted or even drastically halted. This is turn could mean loss of revenue and in some cases discontinuity of the business. In addition, factories are continually
looking at ways of optimising efficiency to minimise cost and boost profitability. But in today’s Industry 4.0 domain, digital twins can be operated in parallel to the ‘real’ factory. The 1000s of sensors constantly collect, process locally (edge computing) or send back data for processing on a larger scale. This can be incorporated into the digital twin to constantly work for improvement. This may seem complicated, but the benefits are huge, some examples illustrate this: • Constant monitoring can determine if part of that factory (a machine) is about to fail, so any potential issue can be mitigated without interrupting function, but it can be modelled on the digital twin to assess the size of any problem
Any IT security breach could cause serious damage
benefits of deploying a digital twin also exist. For example, there are many technologies vying for a place in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) and multiple technologies bring the problem of interoperability. This means that any digital twin may have to cope with processing data from many different protocols. There is also the cost challenge of replacing existing equipment to interoperate and ‘dock’ with the digital twin. However, one of the biggest threats of
TÜV SÜD www.tuv-
sud.co.uk
this modern age is cybersecurity. A connected factory now becomes a target for nefarious attacks and if not adequately protected could have disastrous consequences. Unfortunately, this is not often considered a priority but should be considered the priority for Industry 4.0 and any digital twin scenarios. When considering the use of a digital twin system on the factory floor, these kinds of issues can cause a risk averse attitude to creep in. While, it is clear that the digital twin is changing industry, there are of course still some challenges which will be resolved. But one thing we know is that it will succeed, as it’s been modelled.
/ FACTORYEQUIPMENT
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
