Extracting Hardware Reconfiguration Models Based on Knowledge Synthesis from STEP Files

ACM/IEEE International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems Companion (MODELS-C), pp. 434–443

Abstract

Today's industrial manufacturing challenges force manufacturers to optimize and increase the flexibility of their facilities. In practice, this requires analyzing, preparing for adaptation, and adapting brownfield manufacturing systems. The digital twin, a digital representation of a manufacturing system, is a key enabler for efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. Unfortunately, the analysis and preparation of brownfield systems for adaptation, as well as the creation of digital twins, are challenging and time-consuming tasks. This paper presents an approach to automatically create digital models of systems based on 3D CAD models. To this end, the CAD data, stored as a STEP file, is analyzed to extract relevant information for a subsequent graph analysis, which is used to identify components, their dependencies, and the resulting functional modules. Finally, the gained knowledge is transformed into feature models that can be used as a digital model for configuration selection to support automatic reconfiguration planning of brownfield manufacturing systems. The developed approach is evaluated based on an industrial use case of a soft gripper system.

Authors 4

1. Birte Caesar

   Helmut Schmidt University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Automation Technology, Helmut-Schmidt-University,Hamburg,Germany

   Institute of Automation Technology, Helmut-Schmidt-University, Hamburg, Germany

2. Nico Jansen Aachen Software Engineering

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University,Software Engineering,Aachen,Germany

   Software Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

3. Alexander Fay

   Helmut Schmidt University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Automation Technology, Helmut-Schmidt-University,Hamburg,Germany

   Institute of Automation Technology, Helmut-Schmidt-University, Hamburg, Germany

4. Bernhard Rumpe⋆ Aachen Software Engineering

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University,Software Engineering,Aachen,Germany

   Software Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany