Publication
Enabling Non-smart Assets Using Peripheral Digital Twins
Alexandra Ritter; Manuel Reif; Pascal Rübel; Benjamin Blumhofer; Simon Jungbluth; Martin Ruskowski
In: Krishnaswami Srihari; Mohammad T. Khasawneh; Sangwon Yoon; Daehan Won (Hrsg.). Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing: The Future of Automation and Manufacturing: Intelligence, Agility, and Sustainability. International Conference on Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing (FAIM-2025), Cham, Pages 240-253, ISBN 978-3-032-07675-5, Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026.
Abstract
Numerous operating resources are used in manufacturing, from the warehouse to the point of use in a machinery park. The resources vary in their amounts of sensor technology and intelligence, resulting in diverse volumes of data. In the case of autonomous mobile robots or the motors of machines, data is provided by multiple sensors and described in standardized information models for analyzing their status and for improving the manufacturing processes. In contrast, there is data enrichment of the information models of operating resources that have minimal or no sensor technology. The need for a cost-efficient and robust design is often an argument against increasing the number of sensors available on such resources, as they are found in large numbers within companies, e.g. rudimentary tools, logistic carriers or pallets. In a variety of scenarios, it is advantageous to possess a more extensive set of information regarding these non-smart assets. When these assets are utilized in a production process and significantly influence the outcome, it is crucial to acquire a comprehensive knowledge of them and ensuring uninterrupted data integration. This paper introduces a concept for generating information about non-smart assets using peripheral assets and their information models. The approach is illustrated through the example of asset tracking for non-smart work piece carriers and their transported products. An information model will be developed for the work piece carriers, which will be enriched with data from the information models of the peripheral devices and the carried products. The information model and the approach for data enrichment are based on asset administration shell....