CAD-Based Digital Twin Modeling for Fluid Flow Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional engineering workflows for designing industrial automation systems require separate tools for mechanical and control engineering, leading to synchronization issues and the need for separate development of simulation-capable models, which complicates the testing and commissioning process.
Innovation Solution
An integrated CAD system that allows users to label mechanical CAD models with aspect metadata, transforming them into simulation-capable digital twins by associating simulation metadata, and includes a library of fluid models for simulating fluid dynamics within the industrial automation system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate tools are used for mechanical and control engineering, then each domain can be developed independently, but synchronization issues arise and the overall development process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges mechanical and control engineering domains into a single integrated CAD platform. The system allows users to create mechanical CAD models and annotate them with control system information, I/O requirements, and simulation parameters within the same environment, eliminating the need for separate tools and improving synchronization between domains.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate development of simulation-capable models is required, then mechanical and control simulations can be developed independently, but the testing and commissioning process becomes more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically generating simulation-capable digital twins during the design phase. By annotating mechanical CAD models with control system metadata and simulation parameters early in the design process, the system prepares integrated simulation models in advance, eliminating the need for separate post-processing and reducing testing and commissioning time.
3Reliability
If mechanical CAD models are transformed into simulation-capable digital twins by associating simulation metadata, then the digital model can simulate system operations, but the process requires additional steps and tools
Solution Approach 1:
The CAD platform provides universal functionality by combining mechanical modeling, control system design, and simulation capabilities in a single system. The same platform that creates mechanical CAD models also allows annotation with control metadata and generates simulation-capable digital twins, eliminating the need for separate specialized tools and simplifying the overall modeling process.
4Adaptability or versatility
If an integrated CAD system with fluid models is used, then fluid dynamics can be simulated within the automation system, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges fluid dynamics simulation capabilities directly into the automation system CAD platform. By integrating fluid models that can be associated with mechanical components and control systems within the same environment, the system enables multi-physics simulation without requiring separate specialized software, thus managing complexity through unification rather than multiplication of tools.
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial CAD system is supplemented with features that allow a developer to easily convert a mechanical CAD model of an automation system to a dynamic digital twin capable of simulation within a simulation platform, including simulation of fluid dynamics throughout the system. The features allow the user to label selected elements of a mechanical CAD drawing with “aspects” within the CAD environment, and to add fluid models representing fluids that travel through or are processed by the system. Based on these aspect labels and fluid models, the CAD platform transforms the mechanical CAD model into a dynamic digital twin that can be exported to a simulation and testing platform to facilitate simulation of both machine operation and fluid dynamics.