Digital Twin Ontology Adaptation for Factory Workflow Updates
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial workflows on factory floors face inefficiencies due to upgrades and new capabilities in machines, requiring updates to process ontologies, which are typically complex and require computer programming and testing.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for ontology adaptation using digital twin simulations to identify inefficiencies and generate new process ontologies, providing recommendations for improving industrial floor operations by constructing a process ontology, generating a digital twin, performing simulations, and adapting ontologies based on identified inefficiencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If process ontology is updated manually through computer programming and testing, then the workflow can adapt to machine upgrades, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital twin (a virtual copy) of the industrial floor that automatically simulates and evaluates ontology updates. Instead of manually programming and testing ontology changes, the system copies the industrial floor into a virtual environment where changes can be safely tested and evaluated before implementation, reducing update complexity while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary simulation and evaluation of ontology updates in the digital twin environment before actual implementation. By pre-testing changes in the virtual copy, the system identifies potential issues and optimizes workflows beforehand, eliminating the need for complex manual testing and programming during actual ontology updates
2Adaptability or versatility
If process ontology is updated manually through computer programming and testing, then the workflow can adapt to machine upgrades, but the time required increases
Solution Approach 1:
By maintaining a digital twin as a virtual copy of the industrial floor, the system enables parallel evaluation of multiple ontology updates without stopping actual operations. This copying approach eliminates sequential testing time while maintaining adaptability to machine upgrades
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary evaluation of ontology updates in the digital twin before implementation. By pre-evaluating changes in the virtual environment, the system reduces the actual update time on the industrial floor while maintaining the ability to adapt to machine upgrades
3Productivity
If digital twin simulation is used to identify inefficiencies and generate new process ontologies, then workflow efficiency improves, but the initial system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The digital twin serves as a virtual copy that handles the complexity of simulation and analysis. By concentrating the complex simulation infrastructure in the digital copy rather than the physical system, the actual industrial floor operations become more efficient while the complexity is isolated to the virtual environment
Solution Approach 2:
The digital twin acts as an intermediary between machine data and ontology updates. It mediates by automatically analyzing machine capabilities, identifying inefficiencies, and generating optimized ontologies, thereby improving workflow efficiency while containing system complexity within the intermediary layer
Data Source
AI summary
A method, computer system, and a computer program product for ontology adaptation is provided. The present invention may include constructing a process ontology for an industrial floor. The present invention may include generating a digital twin of the industrial floor. The present invention may include performing a simulation of the digital twin using the process ontology. The present invention may include generating one or more new process ontologies based on inefficiencies identified during the simulation. The present invention may include providing one or more recommendations to a user.