A concept in synchronization of virtual production system with real factory based on anchor-point method

Abstract A Digital Twin, an always in sync digital model of existing manufacturing cells, can be used to reduce time and risk of reconfiguration by early detection of design or process sequence flaws of the system in virtual commissioning and simulation. In this paper the need of Digital Twins in future production plants as well as the structure of the Digital Twin is presented. The engineering process of production systems is a cross-domain challenge between mechanics, electrics and software, but a lack of collaboration and universal information transfer between the domains leads to a high investment volume by synchronization the digital model from the time of commissioning. To synchronize cross-domain mechatronic data models of mechatronic components in the digital world during the life cycle of existing production systems this paper presents the anchor point method to firstly detect variances of cross-domain mechatronic data structure between the digital model and the real system in the specific domains electrics, mechanics and software and update the virtual models to have a consistent data model of the Digital Twin.