We are exploring the use of digital twin (DT) ideas in industrial automation systems (IAS). The project has a big level of novelty where the whole IAS will be based on the use of three types of DTs: (1) DTs of workpiece which after completion of the “recipe” becomes a final product, DTs of workstations that make physical changes on the workpieces as required by recipe, and DTs of transportation system (such as conveyors, turntables, arm manipulators, temporary storage bays, and robots). By using DT technology we are proposing a completely new production paradigm and formalisation of IAS that produces final products by applying discrete operations as specified in the recipe.
Undergraduate
Analysing how the DT technology can be applied on IAS to specify and implement production process
Use fusion of an existing traditional IAS paradigm based on low-level operations of IOS based on Beckhoff’s TwinCAT programming/run time paradigm with the novel use of concurrent programming language and object oriented paradigm to specify and implement digital twins
Create a virtual (and physical model if time allows) of a testbed that demonstrate the feasibility of concepts
Basics of designing Beckhoff-based control systems with Structured Text (ST) language and related development environment; interfacing Beckhoff run-time software with Java (and SystemJ); designing control software for Festo workstations and manipulation units (conveyors, diverters, sorters etc); advanced use of Java object oriented paradigm
Preferred, but not compulsory COMPSYS 704 (second semester)
Industrial Informatics (405.760, Lab)