Manufacturing Data Analysis in Internet of Things/Internet of Data (IoT/IoD) Scenario

ABSTRACT

Computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) has enormous benefits as it increases the rate of production, reduces errors and production waste, and streamlines manufacturing sub-systems. However, there are some new challenges related to CIM operating in the Internet of Things/Internet of Data (IoT/IoD) scenarios associated with Industry 4.0 and cyber-physical systems. The main challenge is to deal with the massive volume of data flowing between various CIM components functioning in virtual settings of IoT. This paper proposes decisional DNA-based knowledge representation framework to manage the storage, analysis, and processing of data, information, and knowledge of a typical CIM. The framework utilizes the concept of virtual engineering object and virtual engineering process for developing knowledge models of various CIM components such as automatic storage and retrieval systems, automatic guided vehicles, robots, and numerically controlled machines. The proposed model is capable of capturing in real time the manufacturing data, information and knowledge at every stage of production, that is, at the object level, the process level, and at the factory level. The significance of this study is that it will support decision-making by reusing the experience, which will not only help in effective real-time data monitoring and processing, but also make CIM system intelligent and ready to function in the virtual Industry 4.0 environment.     

Understanding digital transformation in advanced manufacturing and engineering: A bibliometric analysis,topic modeling and research trend discovery

Digital transformation (DT) is the process of combining digital technologies with sound business models to generate great value for enterprises. DT intertwines with customer requirements, domain knowledge, and theoretical and empirical insights for value propagations. Studies of DT are growing rapidly and heterogeneously, covering the aspects of product design, engineering, production, and life-cycle management due to the fast and market-driven industrial development under Industry 4.0. Our work addresses the challenge of understanding DT trends by presenting a machine learning (ML) approach for topic modeling to review and analyze advanced DT technology research and development. A systematic review process is developed based on the comprehensive DT in manufacturing systems and engineering literature (i.e., 99 articles). Six dominant topics are identified, namely smart factory, sustainability and product-service systems, construction digital transformation, public infrastructure-centric digital transformation, techno-centric digital transformation, and business model-centric digital transformation. The study also contributes to adopting and demonstrating the ML-based topic modeling for intelligent and systematic bibliometric analysis, particularly for unveiling advanced engineering research trends through domain literature.     

Meta-inventory

In an Industry 4.0 Factory, physical entities such as humans, machines and materials are digitized into digital twins (DT) with smart IoT (Internet of Things) devices resulting in Cyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPS). Real-time data analytics builds up traceability and visibility, not only in the physical domain but also cyber space. This paper adds a new concept of cyber-physical inventory or simply meta-inventory to Industry 4.0 CPPS. In addition to physical items, their digital twins are considered as part of production inventory. Traceability and visibility enabled by digital twin can significantly reduce complexity and uncertainties (e.g. lead times and variability) while achieving resilience in case of major disturbances. The CPPS factory hedges the risks through meta-inventory without incurring cost for holding inventory digitally. After reflecting upon the developments of production inventory management corresponding to the evolutionary history of manufacturing systems to Industry 4.0, the paper presents the meta-inventory paradigm within a simple Industry 4.0 compliant supply chain. The factory, the supplier, and the transport implement a VMI (vendor-managed inventory) strategy. Two well-known basic EOQ (Economic Order Quantity) and EPQ (Economic Production Quantity or production Lot Sizing) problems are extended to demonstrate and quantify the impacts of using meta-inventory on the supply chain and the member enterprise. The analyses allow us to unfold key perspectives in more complex production and supply chain systems for further research.     

How to model and implement connections between physical and virtual models for digital twin application

Digital twin (DT) is a virtual mirror (representation) of a physical world or a system along its lifecycle. As for a complex discrete manufacturing system (DMS), it is a digital model for emulating or reproducing the functions or actions of a real manufacturing system by giving the system simulation information or directly driven by a real system with proper connections between the DT model and the real-world system. It is a key building block for smart factory and manufacturing under the Industry 4.0 paradigm. The key research question is how to effectively create a DT model during the design stage of a complex manufacturing system and to make it usable throughout the system’s lifecycle such as the production stage. Given that there are some existing discussions on DT framework development, this paper focuses on the modeling methods for rapidly creating a virtual model and the connection implementation mechanism between a physical world production system at a workshop level and its mirrored virtual model. To reach above goals, in this paper, the discrete event system (DES) modeling theory is applied to the three-dimension DT model. First, for formally representing a manufacturing system and creating its virtual model, seven basic elements: controller, executor, processor, buffer, flowing entity, virtual service node and logistics path of a DMS have been identified and the concept of the logistics path network and the service cell is introduced to uniformly describe a manufacturing system. Second, for implementing interconnection and interaction, a new interconnection and data interaction mechanism between the physical system and its virtual model for through-life applications has been designed. With them, each service cell consists of seven elements and encapsulates input/output information and control logic. All the discrete cells are constructed and mapped onto different production-process-oriented digital manufacturing modules by integrating logical, geometric and data models. As a result, the virtual-physical connection is realized to form a DT model. The proposed virtual modeling method and the associated connection mechanism have been applied to a real-world workshop DT to demonstrate its practicality and usefulness.     

Experience-Based Decisional DNA (DDNA) to Support Product Development

ABSTRACT

Knowledge and experience are important requirements for product development. The aim of this paper is to propose a systematic approach for industrial product development. This approach uses smart knowledge management system comprising of set of experience knowledge structure and decisional DNA (DDNA) along with virtual engineering tools (virtual engineering object, virtual engineering process, and virtual engineering factory). This system provides a new direction to researchers working on product development, especially designers and manufacturers. It will reduce their communication gap by allowing them to work on the same platform. The proposed system adopts an early consideration of manufacturing issues. Therefore, it can shorten product development cycle time, minimize overall development cost, and ensure a smooth transition into production. The proposed system is dynamic in nature because it updates itself after every time a new decision related to product development activity is made. Product development process can be performed systematically and efficiently using this system as it stores knowledge of experiences of different activities.     

A survey on control theory applications to operational systems,supply chain management,and Industry 4.0

Modern production and logistics systems, supply chains, and Industry 4.0 networks are challenged by increased uncertainty and risks, multiple feedback cycles, and dynamics. Control theory is an interesting research avenue which contributes to further insights concerning the management of the given challenges in operations and supply chain management. In this paper, the applicability of control theory to engineering and management problems in supply chain operations is investigated. Our analysis bridges the fundamentals of control and systems theory to supply chain and operations management. This study extends our previous survey in the Annual Reviews in Control (Ivanov et al. 2012) by including new literature published in 2012–2018, identifying two new directions of control theory applications (i.e., ripple effect analysis in the supply chains and scheduling in Industry 4.0) and analysis towards the digital technology use in control theoretic models. It describes important issues and perspectives that delineate dynamics in supply chains, operations, and Industry 4.0 networks and identifies and systemizes different streams in the application of control theory to operations and supply chain management and engineering in the period from 1960–2018. It updates the existing applications and classifications, performs a critical analysis, and discusses further research avenues. Further development of interdisciplinary approaches to supply chain optimization is argued. An extended cooperation between control engineers and supply chain experts may have the potential to introduce more realism to dynamic planning and models, and improve performance in production and logistics systems, supply chains, and Industry 4.0 networks. Finally, we analyze the trends towards the intellectualization of control and its development towards supply chain control analytics.     

数字孪生: 跨界赋能于多领域智能的新应用

随着大数据、5G、人工智能、CPS、云计算、物联网技术的发展与交叉融合, 使得世界朝着数字化、智能化方向发展. 数字孪生是以物理实体为原型建立多维虚拟模型, 通过安装在物理本体上的传感器实时反馈数据, 并结合以往的历史数据和人工智能技术, 最后利用软件分析并呈现. 由于数字孪生技术能与多个先进理念, 如: 工业4.0、航空航天、智慧城市、智慧医疗等良好的融合并应用, 这使其成为多个行业的热门研究方向与主要驱动技术, 在各行各业都有很大的发展空间. 本文首先阐述了数字孪生技术的基本概念, 梳理了数字孪生技术的发展脉络, 进一步理清了数字孪生技术与CPS技术之间的关系, 并介绍了数字孪生技术的研究现状. 其次, 介绍了数字孪生的关键技术即多维多尺度建模, 孪生数据管理和虚拟呈现. 最后, 探讨了数字孪生技术在智慧工厂领域、智慧城市领域、孪生医疗领域、航空航天领域的应用发展和方向, 并从方案、特点、关键技术等角度介绍了本研究团队在智慧工厂领域对原稳加热炉设备的数字孪生应用案例.     

基于VR 技术的工程图学移动学习系统

基于虚拟现实(VR)技术,利用JPCT-AE 三维引擎、3DsMAX 以及 OpenGL ES 2.0 等工具,开发出应用于Android 平台移动终端的工程图学移动学习系统,详细描述了系统的底 层结构、功能及技术开发方案。针对工程图学课程的认知规律开发了分屏功能,使多媒体影音 讲解与立体虚拟模型同屏展示,同时实现了对虚拟模型的交互控制。     

A digital twin emulator of a modular production system using a data-driven hybrid modeling and simulation approach

Virtual commissioning is a key technology in Industry 4.0 that can address issues faced by engineers during early design phases. The process of virtual commissioning involves the creation of a Digital Twin—a dynamic, virtual representation of a corresponding physical system. The digital twin model can be used for testing and verifying the control system in a simulated virtual environment to achieve rapid set-up and optimization prior to physical commissioning. Additionally, the modular production control systems, can be integrated and tested during or prior to the construction of the physical system. This paper describes the implementation of a digital twin emulator of an automated mechatronic modular production system that is linked with the running programmable logic controllers and allow for exchanging near real-time information with the physical system. The development and deployment of the digital twin emulator involves a novel hybrid simulation- and data-driven modeling approach that combines Discrete Event Simulation and Agent Based Modeling paradigms. The Digital Twin Emulator can support design decisions, test what-if system configurations, verify and validate the actual behavior of the complete system off-line, test realistic reactions, and provide statistics on the system’s performance.

     

Beyond Knowledge Engineering

Knowledge engineering stems from E. A. Figenbaum＇s proposal in 1977, but it will enter a new decade with the new challenges. This paper first summarizes three knowledge engineering experiments we have undertaken to show possibility of separating knowledge development from intelligent software development. We call it the ICAX mode of intelligent application software generation. The key of this mode is to generate knowledge base, which is the source of intelligence of ICAX software, independently and parallel to intelligent software development. That gives birth to a new and more general concept ＂knowware＂. Knowware is a commercialized knowledge module with documentation and intellectual property, which is computer operable, but free of any built-in control mechanism, meeting some industrial standards and embeddable in software/hardware. The process of development, application and management of knowware is called knowware engineering. Two different knowware life cycle models are discussed： the furnace model and the crystallization model. Knowledge middleware is a class of software functioning in all aspects of knowware life cycle models. Finally, this paper also presents some examples of building knowware in the domain of information system engineering.     

From industry 4.0 to society 4.0, there and back

The new industrial paradigm Industry 4.0, or smart industry, is at the core of contemporary debates. The public debate on Industry 4.0 typically offers two main perspectives: the technological one and the one about industrial policies. On the contrary, the discussion on the social and organizational effects of the new paradigm is still underdeveloped. The article specifically examines this aspect, and analyzes the change that workers are subject to, along with the work organization, smart digital factories. The study originates from an empirical survey conducted by the author together with a multidisciplinary research group between 2014 and 2015 in some of the largest Italian factories.In particular, the article analyzes the links between digital society, digital culture and Industry 4.0, focusing on the issue of people’s participation in the process of change, within a specific case study from the railway sector.Many elements of the Industry 4.0 paradigm are widespread outside the factory, in society; they are not only technological elements but also cultural. One of the key aspects of the analysis is the question of participation and the “person-centered” culture. The subject is addressed critically by presenting both the RE-personalization processes (from the centrality of the users–consumers in consumption practices to the centrality of the worker in the work paradigm 4.0) and the new processes of DE personalization caused by digital automation.     

集成虚拟现实环境在工程设计分析中的应用 *

虚拟现实技术在工程设计与分析上有很大的应用潜力。可是 ,虚拟环境的创建时间长、成本高,极大地限制了虚拟现实技术在工程上的应用。为此 ,提出了虚拟现实脚本生成器的概念,将虚拟现实技术与过程的设计、分析集成化,创造性地提出了一种自上而下的设计方法———VR-IEDA,以便高效、快速地创建虚拟原型,提高计算机虚拟复杂系统工程的性价比。在 VR-IEDA中复杂系统的结构和行为被计算机捕捉并自动生成可执行的 VR仿真代码 ,从而减少了创建虚拟环境的时间,便利了基于仿真的过程分析和设计。最后 ,以武器系统的维修过程为     

Smart Innovation Engineering: Toward Intelligent Industries of the Future

ABSTRACT

Knowledge-based engineering systems are founded upon integration of knowledge into computer systems and are one of the core requirements for the future Industry 4.0. This paper presents a system called smart innovation engineering (SIE) capable of facilitating product innovation process semi-automatically. It enhances decision-making processes using the explicit knowledge of formal decision events. The SIE system carries the promise to support the innovation processes of manufactured products in a quick and efficient way. It stores and reuses past decisional events or sets of experiences related to innovation issues, which significantly enhances innovation progression. The analysis of basic concepts and implementation method proves that SIE system is an advanced form of cyber physical systems. It is flexible, systematic, fast, and supports customization. It can play a vital role toward Industry 4.0 development.     

INTERVALES: INTERactive Virtual and Augmented framework for industriaL Environment and Scenarios

One of Industry 4.0’s greatest challenges for companies is the digitization of their processes and the integration of new related technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), which can be used for training purposes, design, or assistance during industrial operations. Moreover, recent results and industrial proofs of concept show that these technologies demonstrate critical advantages in the industry. Nevertheless, the authoring and editing process of virtual and augmented content remains time-consuming, especially in complex industrial scenarios. While the use of interactive virtual environments through virtual and augmented reality presents new possibilities for many domains, a wider adoption of VR/AR is possible only if the authoring process is simplified, allowing for more rapid development and configuration without the need for advanced IT skills. To meet this goal, this study presents a new framework: INTERVALES. First, framework architecture is proposed, along with its different modules; this study then shows that the framework can be updated by not only IT workers, but also other job experts. The UML data model is presented to format and simplify the authoring processes for both VR and AR. This model takes into account virtual and augmented environments, the possible interactions, and ease operations orchestration. Finally, this paper presents the implementation of an industrial use case composed of collaborative robotic (cobotic) and manual assembly workstations in VR and AR based on INTERVALES data.     

云理论及其在空间数据发掘和知识发现中的应用

云理论是以研究定性定量间的不生转换为基础的系统处理不确定性问题的一新理论,包括云模型,虚云,云运算,云变换,不确定性推理等内容,云理论为数据发掘和知识发现中的许多基础性关键问题提供了新的解决方法,如概念和知识表达,定性定量转换,概念的综合与分解,从数据中生成概念和概念层次结构等。     

Virtual Engineering Object (VEO): Toward Experience-Based Design and Manufacturing for Industry 4.0

In this article we propose the concept, its framework, and implementation methodology for Virtual Engineering Objects (VEO). A VEO is the knowledge representation of an engineering object that embodies its associated knowledge and experience. A VEO is capable of adding, storing, improving, and sharing knowledge through experience. Moreover, it is demonstrated that VEO is a specialization of a Cyber-Physical System (CPS). In this article, it is shown through test models how the concept of VEO can be implemented with the Set of Experience Knowledge Structure (SOEKS) and Decisional DNA (DDNA). The test model confirmed that the concept of VEO is able to capture and reuse the experience of engineering artifacts, which can be beneficial for efficient decision-making in industrial design and manufacturing.     

Dynamic data sharing and security in a collaborative product definition management system

Product definition management (PDM) is a system that supports management of both engineering data and the product development process during the total product life cycle. The formation of a virtual enterprise is becoming a growing trend, and vendors of PDM systems have recently developed a new generation of PDM systems called collaborative product definition management (cPDM). This paper presents the concept of a virtual engineering community (VEC) to support concurrent product development within geographically distributed partners. A previous case study has shown that collaborative engineering design may be modelled from a parameter perspective [1]. Effective implementation of the parameter approach raises the following problems: how to support data sharing and secure that span the partner borders. This paper describes the system architecture, deployed security mechanisms, the prototype developed within cPDM, and the system demonstration using a real test. The implementation of this architecture extends a common commercial PDM system (Axalan™) and utilizes standard software to create a security framework for the involved resources. Collaboration infrastructure, shared team spaces and shared resources are essential to enable virtual teams to work together. Various organizational and technical challenges are implied. The outlined architecture features a federated data approach. These issues are discussed and potential perspectives in the area of collaboration engineering are identified.