Autor: Jasper Wilhelm

Digital twins are an important part of the Industry 4.0 idea. They mirror physical goods in the digital world and enhance them with additional capabilities and functions for analysis, forecasting and decisionmaking. This paper contributes to the classification and assessment of Digital Twins using a multidimensional maturity model. The presented method "DT-Assess" enables an application-specific assessment of Digital Twins. The developed maturity model consists of seven categories with a total of 31 characteristics to be evaluated. The systematic evaluation in five application scenarios allows, for the first time, a classification of the respective "digital twin" implementation or concept with the aim of identifying further development options and weaknesses.

Companies must increase their flexibility and enable high product customization and variety to meet market demands. In assembly, this requires a large number of special machines, which leads to high investments and space requirements. This paper presents a concept for a modular, reconfigurable assembly system that allows unrestricted connection of individual modules. It is shown how such a system can be located in the RAMI4.0 framework and fulfills changeability requirements on different production levels. (Only in German)

Due to the possibility of operator intervention, semi-autonomous systems allow for a better handling of complexity than fully autonomous systems. The use of a digital twin provides a novel interface for interaction with such systems. This paper describes the implementation of the control and user interface in a system with a digital twin. It is shown how the developed control architecture can be combined with different methods of human-machine interaction and virtual training. With this extended use of the control system by a digital twin the concept can be extended beyond the operation phase and can be used in other phases of the product life cycle.

The use of autonomous systems is not efficient in all applications due to variable system environments or small quantities. Semi-autonomous systems are able to bridge this gap. This article presents a digital twin-based approach for human-machine interaction using adaptive automation. A case study shows how a modular digital twin can support the operator of a CPS in specific tasks. This method allows for a distinction between short-term signal changes and long-term behavior modification. Thus, semi-autonomous systems can support operators in scenarios in which autonomous systems are not viable.