Digital twin simulation with Visual Components

Abstract

A digital twin is a new and emerging tool of the fourth industrial revolution. It is an extensive part of connecting the manufacturing equipment together to develop a smart factory. Investigation of simulating manufacturing system to bind the digital world with the physical, allows for analysis of data and monitoring of systems to head off problems before they even occur, preventing downtime, develop new opportunities and even plan for the future by using simulations. In this study, a KUKA KR 30-3 Robot was used as a main vessel of motors to mirror the programmed movement initiated in the visualizing software Visual Components. The investigation of the connection between the robot and simulation was therefore conducted with an old version of the robot controller [KR C2], where an OPC UA server was utilized to share the data throughout the work. Additional to the existing digital twin an AVG was planned to interfere conjointly with the system. In purpose to illustrate the capability of the OPC UA to store information for a common system. Findings of the research-study resulted in a stable digital twin of the KUKA robot using RSI communication. Using the OPC UA server provides the possibility to connect future manufacturing equipment to the digital twin.