The use of virtual commissioning has increased in the last years, but there are still challenges before the software code validation method is widespread in use. One of the additions to virtual commissioning is basing it on a digital twin to allow for improved accuracy. The aim of this thesis is to review existing standards and approaches to developing virtual commissioning, as well as to explore the definitions. The chosen approach to achieve the aim, is to perform a literature review of existing research papers and interviews with knowledgeable people in the industry. First, the definitions and classifications are reviewed, then the approaches for development of virtual commissioning and digital twins are explored in the literature. In three interviews with people of varying backgrounds and competences, the views of the virtual technologies are assessed to provide insight in the industry. The findings of the literature review and interviews are among others, the apparent need for standardisation in the field and that a sought-after standard in the form of ISO 23247-1 is under way. Furthermore, the digital twin is a concept with a promising future in combination with other technologies of Industry 4.0. In conclusion, this thesis provides a deep review of the challenges and possibilities of virtual commissioning and the digital twin and could be used as starting point for further research in standardisations and improvements sprung from the new standard.

The Advanced Manufacturing section at ÅF Pöyry AB is exploring the possibilities of virtual commissioning and digital twins. As part of this exploration, this thesis sets out to demonstrate a method of developing scalable, reusable and realistic digital mechatronic models – the heart of a digital twin – for the virtual environment in RobotStudio. Research has shown that one of the major obstacles to implementing virtual commissioning as a standard in industry today is the lack of scalable and reusable digital twins. This is also the experience of ÅF Pöyry AB. After reviewing existing and proposed methods for developing digital twins, this thesis explains the necessary steps for developing a SmartComponent in RobotStudio, using the programming language C#. The results show that the SmartComponent developed is scalable and thus reusable. It works with grippers with any number of fingers and allows gripping by applying pressure to the target object from both the outside and the inside. It is also realistic in the sense that the interaction between the grippers and the objects to be picked in the virtual environment behaves and looks like it does in reality. The implementation of the SmartComponent developed is much faster and less complex than the method used today at ÅF Pöyry AB. The downsides of the developed method are the added competence required of the automation engineer and the risk that the digital twin may not be future-proof. / Avdelningen Advanced Manufacturing på ÅF Pöyry AB utforskar möjligheter med ”Virtual Commissioning” och ”Digital Twins”. Som ett led i detta projekt har syftet med detta examensarbete varit att visa ett sätt att utveckla en skalbar, återanvändbar och realistisk digital mekatronisk modell för den virtuella miljön i RobotStudio. Tidigare forskning har visat, i linje med ÅF Pöyry AB:s satsning, att ett av de stora hinder för att Virtual Commissioning ska kunna implementeras som standard i industrin idag är bristen av skalbara och återanvändbara digitala tvillingar. Efter en genomgång av den befintliga och föreslagna metoden för att utveckla digitala tvillingar presenteras de nödvändiga stegen för att utveckla en SmartComponent för RobotStudio, med programmeringsspråket C#. Resultaten av utvecklingen och testen har visat att den utvecklade SmartComponent är skalbar och återanvändbar: den fungerar med gripare oavsett antal fingrar och den tillåter gripning både genom att applicera tryck på plockobjektet från utsidan och insidan. Den är också realistiskt på så vis att interaktionen mellan griparen och objekten som ska plockas i den virtuella miljön beter sig och ser ut som i verkligheten. Implementeringen av den utvecklade SmartComponent är också mycket effektivare och mindre komplex jämfört med den metod som används idag på ÅF Pöyry AB. Nackdelarna med den föreslagna metoden är de extra kompetenskraven för automationsingenjörer och risken att den digitala tvillingen inte är framtidssäker.

Genom att använda sig utav en virtuell kopia utav en produktionscell kan programmering och funktionstester av olika paneler testas i ett tidigt stadie. En virtuell kopia bidrar också till enklare felsökning och minskning av kostnader vid idrifttagning. Tanken med projektet är att undersöka i vilken utsträckning som emuleringsmodellen kan ersätta den riktiga cellen vid ett funktionstest för leverantören. Det som också undersöks är i vilken utsträckning riktiga CAD-ritningar kan användas och vilka krav som ställs på ritningarna för att underlätta emulering. Projektet hade flera utmaningar och en av dem som uppkom under projektets gång var problemet med att det inte gick att emulera säkerhetssystemen. Detta löstes genom att bygla alla säkerhetskretsar i PLC-programmet. En viktig del i emulering är kommunikation mellan de olika programvarorna i systemet. I projektets visade det sig fördelaktigt att dela upp programmen i emuleringssystemet för att fördela resurserna över tre datorer. Att använda sig utav en emuleringsmodell istället för en riktig produktionscell är fortfarande i forskningsstadiet men genom projektet har många användningsområden identifierats och skulle kunna förändra idrifttagning i framtiden. / Using a virtual twin of a production cell, makes it possible for programming and different functional testing of panels to be performed in early stages of development. A virtual twin contributes to a simpler debugging and to identify problems and minimize cost in commissioning of the production cell. The aim for the project is to investigate how well an emulated cell will perform compared to the real production cell in a factory acceptance test. Another objective is to investigate how you can use real CAD models in the emulation and what type of criteria the models should meet. The project had a lot of challenges and one of them was the difficulty to emulate the safety systems. This was solved by bypassing the safety in the PLC program. One important thing about emulation is communication between the different software used in the system. In this project, it proved successful to distribute the software on three computers to ease the workload of the programs used in the emulation. To use the emulated model instead of the real system is still in the research phase but in this project a lot of useful applications could be identified that could change commissioning in the future.

In order to test an automation code for a production cell it is necessary to have access to the physical model. Therefore, the automation code is validated in the end of the design process. Finding and correcting faults in the code takes time and changes late in the design process tend to be expensive. Having a virtual model of a production cell with the same features as a physical model enables to test automation code and evaluate different features in an early stage of development. The process of having a virtual model to validate code and try out new features is called Virtual Commissioning (VC). The ability to detect errors in the code and identify problems early in the process can lower the lead time for the project and reduce the overall cost. Virtual Commissioning is a relative new process step in the industry and have so far mainly used in larger enterprises. This project has been done at a company named NPB Automation AB, located in Jönköping, Sweden. NPB is a smaller company that designs and produces robot cells that are fully automated. This project is an investigate to see if a software that can perform a Virtual Commissioning should be added to their lineup of tools. This task has been managed by empirically finding how a Virtual Commissioning can be set up. To find out how Virtual Commissioning can affect different fields at the company interviews were held with personnel from different working fields. To get practical knowledge and verifying that Virtual Commissioning can be performed on a robot cell produced at the company, a Virtual Commissioning were set up of a subsystem of a robot cell. The Virtual Commissioning in this project was set up with the software Emulate3D connected to a Rockwell PLC model 1769- L33ERMS, the PLC code used were written in Studio 5000 Logix Designer. The conclusion of his project is that Virtual Commissioning can reduce time to market by reducing the commissioning time. The tasks where Virtual Commissioning will benefit the most is in new projects or when validating changes.

This diploma thesis is dealt with the virtual commissioning of a palletizing line, which is palletized using an industrial robot. In the theoretical part I describe the applications, divisions and effectors of the industrial robots and the reasons and the benefits of palletizing. Furthermore, the issue of virtual commissioning is described, including sensors, that are served for the proper operation of the workplace and the virtual simulation. In the practical part I describe the future workplace, creating a simulation and the program in the RobotStudio software.

This diploma thesis is focused on the design of a robotic workplace for arc welding and its subsequent virtual commissioning. The summary deals with knowledge from industrial robotics and arc welding, the system analysis is focused on the composition of the workplace and the principle of arc welding, including acting influences. In the practical part, several variants of the solution are proposed, the most suitable variant is processed in the form of a 3D model. This model is then simulated, including all processes, a control program is created, and virtual commissioning of the workplace is demonstrated.

This work deals with the virtual and later real commissioning of the workplace for cold spraying of rotating parts, which is located in the laboratories of the Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology. The workplace put into operation in this way serves the employees of the mentioned institute for experimental activities in the field of cold spraying. The theoretical part of the thesis describes all the essentials associated with virtual commissioning and the theory of cold spray. The practical part then deals with the creation of a robotic program, including the user interface, which is used to control the workplace. Part of this diploma thesis is also the realization of the connection between the external motor driver and the robot controller via the PROFINET communication bus.

The diploma thesis deals with the issue of virtual commissioning of the workplace and the commissioning of communication channels needed for this purpose. The theoretical part describes the benefits of virtual commissioning, robot and PLC programming and effectors for robots. The practical part deals with the design of the final robot effector, virtual commissioning using the programs Process Simulate and TwinCAT 3, communication between programs and creation of programs for the workplace.

The aim of this master’s thesis Simulator of Production Lines is to design a concept of the simulator of conveyor production lines with focus on testing control software for PLC and to implement this simulator. The thesis includes description of ready to use solutions available on the market, description of PLC control algorithm to be tested, designed concept of the simulator, description of the implemented software, demonstration of the simulator on a specific task and evaluation of its capabilities.

In recent years, the traditional manufacturing industry is challenged worldwide with the astounding growth and advancement so-called Industry 4.0. One of the multiple objectives pursued by the industry with this technological revolution is to achieve a new enhanced standard of safety. In addition, a solution against inaccurate offline robot programming needs to be tackled. The combination of a Digital Shadow (DS) of the robot with visualisation in Mixed Reality (MR) can help to increase safety and eventually, even make the design process faster. In this survey paper, a visualisation system in MR that allows the user to overlay digital tools into a UR10e Physical Robot (PR), thus permitting the PR to interact with digital work objects is proposed. To achieve the synchronisation between the digital and real assets, a DS of the robot has been developed. The integration of the Digital Models (DMs) of tools and work objects allows the user to work with the robot without load, opening the possibility of recreating and testing in real-time experimental industrial processes.