| 1. |
- Chirumalla, Koteshwar, Associate Professor, et al.
(author)
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Navigating Production Automation as a Service : Unveiling Drivers, Benefits, and Challenges in Manufacturing Companies
- 2024
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In: Sustainable Production Through Advanced Manufacturing, Intelligent Automation And Work Integrated Learning, Sps 2024. - : IOS Press BV. - 9781643685106 ; , s. 206-218
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The integration of production automation drives innovation in manufacturing by enhancing efficiency, quality, and cost reduction. However, the capital requirements of conventional automation solutions hinder many manufacturing companies. Production Automation as a Service (PAaaS) emerges as a cost-effective alternative, offering improved flexibility and efficiency. Yet, adopting PAaaS faces challenges: a lack of expertise, awareness, and cultural resistance. This study explores PAaaS implementation in manufacturing, identifying its specific needs and challenges. Qualitative research across ten diverse manufacturing companies reveals two key drivers: technological advancement and evolving business models. It highlights four primary benefits—cost-effectiveness, flexibility, efficiency, and product quality. Simultaneously, it addresses five significant challenges—legacy system integration, cybersecurity, internet dependency, expertise gaps, and downtime risks. To aid early decision-making, the study proposes a framework covering drivers, benefits, challenges, and suitable strategies. This study contributes to the ongoing discussion on smart production and automation development by focusing on business model innovation and the pay-as-a-service approach.
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| 2. |
- Dai, Wenbin, et al.
(author)
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Synergies of Operation, Information, and Communication Technology for Solving New Societal and Industrial Challenges : Future Directions
- 2024
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In: IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine. - : IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC. - 1932-4529 .- 1941-0115.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The world is facing a series of new societal and industrial challenges, such as continuously increasing costs in food and energy supply and a short supply of skilled labor. To solve these new challenges, operation, information, and communication technology is entering a new era with more focus targeted to cost reduction and energy savings. In this article, how innovative technologies including virtualization, low-code development, digital twins, and industrial agents can support and impact digital and green transitions is analyzed. In addition, how these technologies will help the security and sustainability of future industrial automation systems is also discussed.
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| 3. |
- Ferko, Enxhi, et al.
(author)
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Towards Interoperable Digital Twins : Integrating SysML into AAS with Higher-Order Transformations
- 2024
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In: Proc. - IEEE Int. Conf. Softw. Archit. Companion, ICSA-C. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. - 9798350366259 ; , s. 342-349
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The functional suitability of digital twin systems relies on accurately capturing, modelling, and exchanging data from their corresponding assets or processes. Consequently, achieving interoperability among various components and different digital twin systems is crucial. In the current landscape, characterized by various languages supporting diverse semantic models, achieving interoperability is a complex task. Achieving interoperability might involve translating diverse models, either peer-to-peer or through a central pivotal model. In this study, we propose a model-driven engineering approach that leverages higher-order transformations in conjunction with the Asset Administration Shell, acting as the pivotal model to tackle the interoperability challenges associated with digital twin systems. Higher-order transformations are a specific type of model transformation, characterized by their input and/or output being model transformations themselves. Our hypothesis is that such transformations would eliminate the need to manually craft multiple translations toward the Asset Administration Shell. In-stead, a single higher-order transformation would automatically generate these translations. We chose the Asset Administration Shell as our pivotal model, because it is widely recognized as a foundational element for application interoperability in Industry 4.0/5.0. We illustrate our approach through a vehicle use case represented using the Systems Modeling Language version 2 and consolidating this description into an Asset Administration Shell model. Hence, we showcase the applicability and suitability of our proposed approach. To the best of our knowledge, our work represents the first effort to address the translation of Systems Modeling Language version 2 into the Asset Administration Shell.
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| 4. |
- Struhar, Vaclav, et al.
(author)
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Hierarchical Resource Orchestration Framework for Real-time Containers
- 2024
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In: ACM Transactions on Embedded Computing Systems. - : ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. - 1539-9087 .- 1558-3465. ; 23:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Container-based virtualization is a promising deployment model in fog and edge computing applications, because it allows a seamless co-existence of virtualized applications in a heterogeneous environment without introducing significant overhead. Certain application domains (e.g., industrial automation, automotive, or aerospace) mandate that applications exhibit a certain degree of temporal predictability. Container-based virtualization cannot be easily used for such applications, since the technology is not designed to support real-time properties and handle temporal disturbances. This article proposes a framework consisting of a static offline and a dynamic online phase for resource allocation and adaptive re-dimensioning of real-time containers. In the offline phase, the optimal initial deployment and dimensioning of containers are decided based on ideal system models. Additionally, to adapt to dynamic variations caused by changing workloads or interferences, the online phase adapts the CPU usage and limits of real-time containers at runtime to improve the real-time behavior of the real-time containerized applications while optimizing resource usage. We implement the framework in a real Linux-based system and showthrough a series of experiments that the proposed framework is able to adjust and re-distribute computing resources between containers to improve the real-time behavior of containerized applications in the presence of temporal disturbances while optimizing resource usage.
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| 5. |
- Al-Dulaimy, Auday, et al.
(author)
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Fault Tolerance in Cloud Manufacturing : An Overview
- 2023
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In: Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, LNICST. - : Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. - 9783031318900 ; , s. 89-101
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Utilizing edge and cloud computing to empower the profitability of manufacturing is drastically increasing in modern industries. As a result of that, several challenges have raised over the years that essentially require urgent attention. Among these, coping with different faults in edge and cloud computing and recovering from permanent and temporary faults became prominent issues to be solved. In this paper, we focus on the challenges of applying fault tolerance techniques on edge and cloud computing in the context of manufacturing and we investigate the current state of the proposed approaches by categorizing them into several groups. Moreover, we identify critical gaps in the research domain as open research directions. © 2023, ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.
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| 6. |
- Fattouh, Anas, et al.
(author)
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Remote integration of advanced manufacturing technologies into production systems : integration processes, key challenges and mitigation actions
- 2023
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In: Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management. - : Emerald. - 1741-038X .- 1758-7786.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The study examines the remote integration process of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) into the production system and identifies key challenges and mitigating actions for a smoother introduction and integration process.Design/methodology/approach: The study adopts a case study approach to a cyber-physical production system at an industrial technology center using a mobile robot as an AMT.Findings: By applying the plug-and-produce concept, the study exemplifies an AMT's remote integration process into a cyber-physical production system in nine steps. Eleven key challenges and twelve mitigation actions for remote integration are described based on technology–organization–environment theory. Finally, a remote integration framework is proposed to facilitate AMT integration into production systems.Practical implications: The study presents results purely from a practical perspective, which could reduce dilemmas in early decision-making related to smart production. The proposed framework can improve flexibility and decrease the time needed to configure new AMTs in existing production systems.Originality/value: The area of remote integration for AMT has not been addressed in depth before. The consequences of lacking in-depth studies for remote integration imply that current implementation processes do not match the needs and the existing situation in the industry and often underestimate the complexity of considering both technological and organizational issues. The new integrated framework can already be deployed by industry professionals in their efforts to integrate new technologies with shorter time to volume and increased quality but also as a means for training employees in critical competencies required for remote integration.
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| 7. |
- Ferko, Enxhi, et al.
(author)
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Analysing Interoperability in Digital Twin Software Architectures for Manufacturing
- 2023
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In: Lect. Notes Comput. Sci.. - : Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. - 9783031425912 ; , s. 170-188
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Digital twins involve the integration of advanced information technologies to create software replicas that control and monitor physical assets. Interoperability is an essential requirement in the engineering of digital twins. This paper is the first study analysing interoperability in digital twin software architectures in the manufacturing industry. We began with an initial set of 2403 peer-reviewed publications and after a screening process, we selected a final set of 21 primary studies. We identified the set of technologies used for data exchange and the level of interoperability achieved during such an exchange. We organised the results according to the ISO 23247 standard and the level of conceptual interoperability model.
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| 8. |
- Ferko, Enxhi, et al.
(author)
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Standardisation in Digital Twin Architectures in Manufacturing
- 2023
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In: 2023 IEEE 20th International Conference on Software Architecture (ICSA). - 9798350397499 ; , s. 70-81
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Engineering digital twins following standardised reference architectures is an upcoming requirement for ensuring their adoption and facilitating their creation, processing, and integration. The ISO 23247 standard proposes a reference architecture for digital twins in manufacturing, including an entity-based reference model and a functional view specified in terms of functional entities. During our experience with projects in the field, we noticed that standards, and in particular the ISO 23247 standard, are not completely followed. In this paper, we analyse to what extent digital twin architectures documented in the literature are aligned with the reference architecture presented in the ISO 23247 standard. We achieved this through a mixedmethods research methodology that includes the analysis of 29 digital twin architectures in the manufacturing domain resulting from a systematic literature review of 140 peer-reviewed studies, a survey with 33 respondents, and four semi-structured, in-depth expert interviews. On the basis of our findings, practitioners and researchers can reflect, discuss, and plan actions for future research and development activities.
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| 9. |
- Ferko, Enxhi, et al.
(author)
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Supporting Technical Adaptation and Implementation of Digital Twins in Manufacturing
- 2023
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In: 20th International Conference on Information Technology-New Generations. ITNG 2023.. - 9783031283314 ; , s. 181-189
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In manufacturing, digital twins are emerging technologies that integrate several advances, such as the industrial internet of things, and cyber-physical systems, for creating software replicas that monitor and control manufacturing units or processes. Despite their great potential and innovation, digital twins are challenging to implement and there is a lack of practical guidelines for their technical adaptation and implementation. This discourages enterprises from planning and adopting full-fledged digital twin-based solutions due to the low return on investment.In this paper, we fill such a lack of guidelines for the technical adaptation and implementation of digital twins by providing a catalogue of technologies used for realising digital twin-based systems in manufacturing. We align the catalogue to the International Organization for Standardization 23247 standard for digital twins in manufacturing. We elicit the catalogue by systematically reviewing 14 state-of-the-art DT implementations resulting from a pool of 140 peer-reviewed studies.To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that identifies a catalogue of technologies supporting the realisation of digital twin-based systems mapping it into the 23247 standard.
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| 10. |
- Ferko, Enxhi
(author)
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Towards a Standards-Based Architecture for Digital Twins Facilitating Interoperability
- 2023
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Digital transformation is rapidly changing the business landscape, compellingcompanies to invest in it due to its several benefits, such as reduced time-to-value, improved quality, and the ability to overcome hardware limitations. Aprominent technology enabling digital transformation is digital twin. A digitaltwin is a virtual representation of a physical asset, system, or process, usedfor monitoring and controlling purposes. Implementing digital twins requirestackling challenging engineering tasks such as establishing accurate digitalrepresentations of physical systems or ensuring live data synchronization. Suchchallenges are exacerbated by a lack of research on software architecturesthat meet required quality attributes, their actual implementation, and otherengineering tasks. Software architectures serve as a blueprint and foundationfor building software-intensive systems that meet specific requirements. Theyprovide a comprehensive overview of a system components, their properties,and relationships. Reference architectures, which are based on establishedbest practices in a given domain, help in reasoning about a class of softwarearchitectures and facilitate the engineering of software-intensive systems such asdigital twins. Given the above premises, the ultimate goal of this research is todefine a standard-based reference architecture for digital twins in manufacturingto improve interoperability. We use existing standards as common ground tofacilitate technology transfer between academia and industry. In addition, wefocus on interoperability as it is a crucial quality attribute affecting the functionalsuitability and performance efficiency of digital twins.
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