Remote Digital Twin for Plate Workpiece Machine Upgrades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine systems lack a straightforward method to determine and implement additional or improved functions, affecting productivity, quality, and energy efficiency, particularly in processing large-format plate-shaped workpieces.
Innovation Solution
A machine system with a first computing device for user control and a second computing device at a remote provider, connected via a data communication device, creates a 'digital twin' of the machine, allowing for continuous monitoring and enabling the assessment of potential functions and necessary measures to activate or improve existing capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a machine system processes large-format plate-shaped workpieces with traditional control methods, then basic machining operations can be performed, but the ability to determine and implement additional or improved functions is lacking, affecting productivity, quality, and energy efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The machine system is divided into two separate computing devices: a first computing device located at the user's location for basic control operations, and a second computing device located at the provider's location for advanced analysis and function determination. This segmentation allows the system to gain enhanced adaptability while keeping the user's local system relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
A data communication device acts as an intermediary between the first computing device and the second computing device, enabling data transmission and communication. This intermediary allows the machine system to access remote computing resources and determine additional functions without requiring complex local hardware modifications.
2Ease of operation
If a second computing device is added remotely at the provider's location, then the machine can check for previously non-existent functions and determine necessary measures, but this increases the complexity of the machine system architecture
Solution Approach 1:
The machine system automatically performs checks for previously non-existent functions and determines necessary measures without requiring manual intervention. The second computing device autonomously analyzes the machine's current state, identifies potential improvements, and presents options to the user, making the system easier to operate despite the added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where the second computing device continuously monitors the machine's operation, checks for available functions, and provides information about necessary measures to the first computing device. This feedback mechanism enables users to easily access improvement opportunities while the system manages the complexity of remote monitoring and analysis.
3Productivity
If the machine system continuously monitors and checks for additional functions, then productivity and quality can be optimized, but this requires continuous data transmission and processing that increases energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the system performs function checks and data transmissions at periodic intervals or triggered by specific events. The second computing device checks for previously non-existent functions at defined intervals, and data transmission between computing devices occurs periodically or when changes are detected, reducing energy consumption while maintaining productivity optimization capabilities.
Data Source
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AI summary
Machine system (10), comprising: a machine (12) with a first computing unit (14), wherein the machine (12) is located at a user (20) of the machine (12), and a second computing unit (16) located remotely from the first computing unit (14) at a provider (38), and a data communication unit (18) by which data can be transferred between the first computing unit (14) and the second computing unit (16). It is proposed that a data set (52) is stored on the second computing unit (16), which represents the current state of hardware (40) and software (42) of the machine (12), and that the second computing unit (16) is configured to check, based on the data set (52), whether the machine (12) can have a previously non-existent function (58) after a measure (66) has been carried out.