Systems Engineering Requires Digital Twins of Machine Elements

Abstract

Manufacturing processes are heavily influenced by virtualization and increasing networking capabilities. The “Internet of Things” spreads across all industries transforming isolated production cells to members of large communication, logistic and manufacturing systems. But not only production, also the preceding engineering processes suffer from rigid procedural workflows, hierarchically dominated decision-making structures and numerous media breaks. It is therefore inevitable to include the product development within this new concept of “Industry 4.0”, linking real and virtual products to the manufacturing world. The aim is to generate structures and descriptions of products, which define a new product completely in digital terms, so that it becomes transparent and understandable in all its facets both in the initial stage of formation as well as to its future. A digital image or model, also called virtual twin, therefore, must be digitally accessible in all product life stages to all stakeholders and actors, who are dealing with the product, so as to maintain service quality and functionality even under changed conditions. The present paper considers the associated changes in the future product development process.