Simulation-Based Digital Twin of a Complex Shop-Floor Logistics System

Gyulai, Dávid; Bergmann, Júlia; Lengyel, Attila; Kádár, Botond; Czirko, David

doi:10.1109/wsc48552.2020.9383936

Cited by 16 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Applications investigating Task Allocation problems often facilitate DES-based models (e.g., [13,[49][50][51]). Thereby, any changes to the environment (especially vehicle movements) occur by temporally and spatially discretised steps along the navigation graph.…”

Section: Simulation Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Evaluation of AGV Dispatching Methods in an Agent-Based Simulation Environment and a Digital Twin

2023

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A critical part of Automated Material Handling Systems (AMHS) is the task allocation and dispatching strategy employed. In order to better understand and investigate this component, we here present an extensive experimental evaluation of three different approaches with randomly generated, as well as custom designed, environment configurations. While previous studies typically focused on use cases based on highly constrained navigation capabilities (e.g., overhead hoist transport systems), our evaluation is built around highly mobile, free-ranging vehicles, i.e., Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) that are gaining popularity in a broad range of applications. Consequently, our experiments are conducted using a microscopic agent-based simulation, instead of the more common discrete-event simulation model. Dispatching methods often are built around the assumption of the asynchronous evaluation of an event-based model, i.e., vehicles trigger a cascade of individual dispatching decisions, e.g., when reaching intersections. We find that this does not translate very well to a fleet of highly mobile systems that can change direction at any time. With this in mind, we present formulations of well known dispatching approaches that are better suited for a synchronous evaluation of the dispatching decisions. The formulations are based on the Stable Marriage Problem (SMP) and the Linear Sum Assignment Problem (LSAP). We use matching and assignment algorithms to compute the actual dispatching decisions. The selected algorithms are evaluated in a multi-agent simulation environment. To integrate a centralised fleet management, a digital twin concept is proposed and implemented. By this approach, the fleet management is independent of the implementation of the specific agents, allowing to quickly adapt to other simulation-based or real application scenarios. For the experimental evaluation, two new performance measures related to the efficiency of a material handling system are proposed, Travel Efficiency and Throughput Effort. The experimental evaluation indicates that reassignment mechanisms in the dispatching method can help to increase the overall efficiency of the fleet. We did not find significant differences in absolute performance in terms of throughput rate. Additionally, the difference in performance between SMP- and LSAP-based dispatching with reassignment seems negligible. We conclude with a discussion, where we consider potential confounding factors and relate the findings to previously reported results found in the literature.

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Section: Simulation Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Evaluation of AGV Dispatching Methods in an Agent-Based Simulation Environment and a Digital Twin

2023

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“…A summary of additional articles related to SBA and their application is summarised in Table 2. Task planning [73,74] [70]…”

Section: Simulation-based Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital Twin for Human–Robot Collaboration in Manufacturing: Review and Outlook

et al. 2022

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Industry 4.0, as an enabler of smart factories, focuses on flexible automation and customization of products by utilizing technologies such as the Internet of Things and cyber–physical systems. These technologies can also support the creation of virtual replicas which exhibit real-time characteristics of a physical system. These virtual replicas are commonly referred to as digital twins. With the increased adoption of digitized products, processes and services across manufacturing sectors, digital twins will play an important role throughout the entire product lifecycle. At the same time, collaborative robots have begun to make their way onto the shop floor to aid operators in completing tasks through human–robot collaboration. Therefore, the focus of this paper is to provide insights into approaches used to create digital twins of human–robot collaboration and the challenges in developing these digital twins. A review of different approaches for the creation of digital twins is presented, and the function and importance of digital twins in human–robot collaboration scenarios are described. Finally, the paper discusses the challenges of creating a digital twin, in particular the complexities of modelling the digital twin of human–robot collaboration and the exactness of the digital twin with respect to the physical system.

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“…Proposed for the detailed representation of a complex shopfloor organization system employing automated robotic vehicles (AGV). [55] Manufacturing: Digital twin related an industrial application Proposes a systematic method for constructing a digital twin for the customized products, including 3D modeling, mechanism modeling, and real-time synchronization.…”

Section: Attribute Category (Related Digital Twin) Goalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital Twin Applications: A Survey of Recent Advances and Challenges

et al. 2022

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Industry 4.0 integrates a series of emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cyber-physical systems (CPS), cloud computing, and big data, and aims to improve operational efficiency and accelerate productivity inside the industrial environment. This article provides a series of information about the required structure to adopt Industry 4.0 approaches and a brief review of related concepts to finally identify challenges and research opportunities to envision the adoption of so-called digital twins. We want to pay attention to upgrading older systems aiming to provide the well-known advantages of Industry 4.0 to such legacy systems as reducing production costs, increasing efficiency, acquiring better robustness of equipment, and reaching advanced process connectivity.

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Simulation-Based Digital Twin of a Complex Shop-Floor Logistics System

Cited by 16 publications

References 14 publications

Experimental Evaluation of AGV Dispatching Methods in an Agent-Based Simulation Environment and a Digital Twin

Experimental Evaluation of AGV Dispatching Methods in an Agent-Based Simulation Environment and a Digital Twin

Digital Twin for Human–Robot Collaboration in Manufacturing: Review and Outlook

Digital Twin Applications: A Survey of Recent Advances and Challenges

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