Simulation Based on Distributed Digital Twins - Today and Tomorrow

Abstract

The industrial installation of the future represents a paradigm shift: From a conventionally developed, static configuration, to a network of self-organising decentralised components. The industrial installation exists only as long as it is needed for the process. The components can leave the network and join a new one if necessary to implement a new system for a different process. A required aspect for successful reconfiguration, as well as operation and maintenance of a component network are simulations, such as behavioural simulations, control simulations, and 3D-simulations. The self-organising decentralised components must be able to perform such simulations themselves or provide information and interfaces so that distributed simulations can be performed with contextual data. To enable the described scenario, component data and operational data needs to be collected and made available throughout the components life-cycle. Formally this is referred to as the Distributed Digital Twin (DDT). A Distributed Digital Twin is a requirement for the concrete design of a Digital Twin (DT). It is explicitly designed for components and their integration and coupling into component networks to build complete systems. The Distributed Digital Twin includes real time data, constructive data and different sets of relations describing their possible interaction and integration into higher level systems. This paper presents a manufacturing use case in order to derive the requirements for simulations of distributed components (co-simulation) and for their Digital Twins. Based on this, the concept of the distributed digital twin is introduced. We discuss how it helps to support the digital continuity and integration of components, their data and simulation models from several stakeholders. It shows how simulations can be implemented based on Distributed Digital Twins and the utilisation of standardised methods like FMI/FMU. It is discussed which fundamental possibilities this creates for future manufacturing. The manufacturing use case shows in a practical way which parts of this concept can already be implemented in today's industrial environment.