CAD Digital Twin Creation for Synchronized Automation 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 difficulties in maintaining synchronization between mechanical and control designs, and the need for a separate simulation-capable model for testing control programming.
Innovation Solution
Integration of mechanical and control domains into a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) platform, allowing users to label selected elements with aspects that define simulation metadata, transforming the mechanical model into a simulation-capable digital twin for virtual commissioning and testing.
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 designed independently, but synchronization between mechanical and control designs becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges mechanical and control engineering domains into a single integrated CAD platform. The system allows users to create mechanical models and annotate them with control aspects (such as sensors, actuators, and control logic) within the same environment, eliminating the need for separate tools and ensuring automatic synchronization between mechanical and control designs through a unified data model.
2Reliability
If separate simulation models are created for testing control programming, then control logic can be tested independently, but the workflow becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines the simulation capabilities directly within the CAD platform, allowing control programming to be tested against the mechanical model in the same environment. The annotated mechanical model automatically generates a simulation model that includes both mechanical and control elements, eliminating the need for separate simulation models and reducing workflow complexity while maintaining testing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically generating the simulation model from the annotated mechanical model during the design phase itself. This preliminary generation of the simulation model allows control programming to be tested early in the design process without requiring separate model creation later, streamlining the workflow while ensuring reliable testing.
3Productivity
If mechanical models are transformed into simulation-capable digital twins, then virtual commissioning and testing can be performed, but the process requires additional aspect metadata assignment steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by providing automated tools within the CAD platform that guide users through the aspect metadata assignment process. The system automatically suggests relevant control aspects based on the mechanical model elements selected, and can automatically generate default metadata configurations, reducing the manual effort and complexity involved in transforming mechanical models into simulation-capable digital twins while enabling virtual commissioning.
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. The features allow the user to label selected elements of a mechanical CAD drawing with “aspects” within the CAD environment. These aspect markups label the selected mechanical elements as being specific types of industrial assets or control elements. Based on these markups, the CAD platform associates mechatronic metadata with the selected elements based on the type of aspect with which each element is labeled. This mechatronic metadata defines the behavior (e.g., movements, speeds, forces, etc.) of the selected element within the context of a virtual simulation, transforming the mechanical CAD model into a dynamic digital twin that can be exported to a simulation and testing platform.