Plant Simulation Software Could Drive Industrial Technology Transformations

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2Q 2019 | IN-5469

Simulation software for manufacturing systems uses computer modelling to analyze how production might work in any given plant or situation. A good simulation product will show how changes within work cells will affect entire lines or entire factories. This type of software, also called Digital Manufacturing, maps facilities and increases the chances of getting first-time-right production, reducing the number of expensive test runs.

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The Driver's Seat

NEWS


Simulation software for manufacturing systems uses computer modelling to analyze how production might work in any given plant or situation. A good simulation product will show how changes within work cells will affect entire lines or entire factories. This type of software, also called Digital Manufacturing, maps facilities and increases the chances of getting first-time-right production, reducing the number of expensive test runs.

The KPIs that might result from a simulation can include production over time, time to produce one unit of product, time delays caused by bottlenecks, time delays caused by moving inventory, production capacity, inventory needed to operate at capacity and utilization of equipment and employees.

Some large industrial companies have used simulation software to plan new production lines for several years now, but today, the vendors of this software have an opportunity to get in the driver’s seat of the Industry 4.0 bandwagon and include the specific details of other transformative technologies for virtual impact assessments prior to deploying at scale. Simulation software and these other technologies, which include additive and reductive manufacturing methods, advanced robotics, applications of artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality, connectivity and next generation metrology and inspections on production lines, will validate each other.

Manufacturing plant simulation produces a digital twin for the production systems rather than the end-product, but it should obviously use the product digital twin to plan and validate assembly. It should also virtualize, visualize and simulate each of the transformative technologies listed in the previous paragraph down to the specs of specific makes and models of the equipment. This will provide true value in driving decision making for what and how much of a new technology or equipment go purchase and how to deploy it. Already, the best vendors do this for industrial and collaborative robots, but they should expand to include more transformative technologies.

Removing Bottlenecks and Improving Production

IMPACT


Industry 4.0 started as the synergies between many emerging transformative technologies presented themselves. No single technology drives this movement, but simulation software holds the potential to act as a catalyst for a whole host of them. If simulation software can accurately predict the effects of other technologies on the core goals of manufacturers (i.e. more production, more uptime, improved time to market, improved quality, fewer delays, more efficiencies, greater utilization of assets, all at lower costs) then industrial companies will deploy more technologies at scale with greater confidence with fewer delays.

The largest industrial software vendors offer simulation tools as one part of large Smart Manufacturing platforms. These vendors include AVEVA, Dassault Systèmes, PTC and Siemens. For example, with the Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE platform, it has DELMIA for production simulations and DELMIA Apriso for manufacturing operations management; however, starting in the design process, engineers can use CATIA to generate virtual visualizations of any part they need to design and put it through simulations on SIMULIA to ensure it meets all the functional requirements. CATIA can also incorporate and adjust for findings from BIOVIA, Dassault Systèmes’s material science brand. Again, all these tools come together on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Likewise, Siemens has an entire portfolio of solutions with many production simulation tools such as Tecnomatix on top of its own PLM software platform, which includes several product and production design solutions and the MindSphere Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform. Finally, AVEVA has SimCentral on top of many applications primarily designed for process manufacturing.

Each of these platforms can deploy in the cloud. Cloud-based platforms can provide a similar interface for simulations from the different points of view of process engineers, operations support managers, plant engineers and control engineers. Companies can assign user roles so that engineers only see and modify the details and information that they need for their job or level of expertise, and engineers in different locations can work on different parts of the same model. This increases data security, speeds up the simulation process and makes the product easier to use. Platforms with an IIoT element can also empower clients to leverage IIoT data from processes, plants and equipment to adapt and validate the simulations. Finally, plant simulation software should deeply integrate with MES and MOM systems. By feeding directly into the digital twins used to monitor and control operations in real-time and running experiments within those systems, clients can use the simulations to help remove bottlenecks, improve processes and reduce down-time as they implement other transformative technologies.

Recommendations for Plant Simulation Product Managers

RECOMMENDATIONS


To flexibly adapt to industrial clients’ needs and to help them scale, plant simulation product managers must:

  • Target transformative technology teams: As the Industry 4.0 movement has progressed, more industrial companies have created technology transformation teams (aka Industry 4.0 teams, Advanced Manufacturing teams, Digital Technology teams, etc.). This means more companies actively look for new technologies to deploy and try to scale them with a more complete vision of how technology fits in with enterprise operations. Because these types of simulation software include many different types of technology on the factory floor, companies need a more holistic approach to technology transformation rather than simply looking for a point solution for each individual type of equipment, robot, CNC machine or AGV. These teams provide the best targets to sell into new customers.
  • Hunt down new equipment and technology to include in simulations for comparative results: As more industrial companies establish Transformative Technology, Advanced Manufacturing or Industry 4.0 teams, the landscape of technology on the factory floor will change faster than ever. Simulation software only provides value if it can simulate the equipment, tools and technology that its users want to implement. Therefore, simulation software vendors need to stay at least one step ahead of all potential users in assessing and simulating the technological impact on manufacturing systems. This includes capturing the specific differences between industrial and collaborative robot models, 3D printers, AR applications, AMRs, AGVs, CNCs and metrology and inspection equipment on the line.
  • Participate in PoCs and pilots of cellular technologies ranging from LPWA to private LTE and 5G to understand the applications and benefits to include in simulations: Cellular connectivity holds the potential to change how manufacturing plants operate. Reducing the amount of wiring on a factory floor could make production lines more flexible and re-configurable. Simulation software vendors should get a step ahead of this and partner with the likes of Ericsson and Nokia to understand the potential impact of private LTE and 5G. Already, end users such as BMW Brilliance in China have started to implement private LTE within factories. Simulations need to capture the value of these types of technologies for users.
  • Feed simulations directly into MES and MOM and run simulations on those systems as well: Provide a similar interface for simulations from the different points of view of engineers planning new production lines and those working on live operations. Empower clients to leverage IIoT data from processes, plants and equipment to adapt and validate the simulations. Feed directly into the digital twins used to monitor and control operations in real-time. Clients can then use the simulations to help remove bottlenecks, improve processes and reduce down-time by running many experiments in the virtual world before validating in the physical world.
  • Start planning for AI now: Simulation software makes it easier for users to identify probable bottlenecks and optimize operations and processes. AI holds the potential to offer solutions to optimize KPIs automatically. This involves a different technology set than traditional simulation software. Therefore, simulation vendors should start identifying and speaking with AI vendors about potential of integrating AI as soon as possible. AI could simplify simulation software and make it more effective, helping users get to final plans for manufacturing systems faster. The vendors that successfully integrate AI first will have an incredible first mover advantage.

Following this strategic guidance should help simulation software vendors and their clients implement scalable solutions.

For more insights and perspectives on manufacturing and the Industrial Internet, please check out ABI Research’s Industrial Solution.

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