A Digital Twin architecture for monitoring and optimization of Fused Deposition Modeling processes
Dimitris Mourtzis, Thodoris Togias, John Angelopoulos, Panos Stavropoulos
Abstract
In the realm of the fourth Industrial Revolution, digital technologies are constantly integrated in Manufacturing processes in order to improve system reliability, monitor processes accurately and ultimately optimize processes. In order to tackle these issues, advanced simulation techniques such as Digital Twins (DT) have to be developed. Further to that, modern manufacturing systems are based on the integration of non-conventional processes, such as Additive Manufacturing (AM). Therefore, in this research work a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) DT is designed and developed, integrating quality assessment modules. Furthermore, a database has been modelled in an attempt to monitor all the experiment results. Additional modules have also been created and integrated, such as compensating the effects of printing, as well as immersive interfaces enabling the users to control and monitor the machine state remotely. Consequently, one of the key concepts of this paper is the design of the information flow between the above-mentioned modules for optimizing the FDM process parameters, and thus minimize time and resources caused by human error. The implementation of the proposed framework is based on the integration of suitable communication channels.