VREDI: virtual representation for a digital twin application in a work-center-level asset administration shell

Abstract

The asset administration shell (AAS) has a virtual representation as an asset description and technical functionality as a smart manufacturing service. A digital twin (DT) is an advanced virtual factory technology that has simulation as its core technical functionality, which it performs in the type and instance stages of the physical asset. For providing an efficient information object to the DT application, this paper proposes Virtual REpresentation for a DIgital twin application (VREDI): an asset description for the operation procedures of a work-center-level DT application. For the successful application of DT as a smart factory technology, VREDI is designed to meet four core technical requirements—DT definition, AAS property inheritance, improving the existing asset description, and supporting DT-based technical functionalities. Based on the analysis of the technical requirements, the elements of VREDI are derived and the reference relationships between them are designed. It is then possible to provide the required technical functionality using the VREDI header, and a detailed P4R structure and elements of the body are defined. VREDI is applied to the concept to support the main properties of the DT. It is designed to inherit the AAS properties for efficient information management and interoperability. The application of advanced concepts such as “type and instance” and supporting vertical integration and horizontal coordination overcomes the limitations of the existing asset descriptions. Additionally, VREDI designates elements for supporting six DT-based technical functionalities in the type and instance stages of the physical work center.