Towards a Comprehensive Methodology for Modelling Submodels in the Industry 4.0 Asset Administration Shell
Cornelis Bouter, Monireh Pourjafarian, Léon J. Simar, Robert Wilterdink
Abstract
The Industry 4.0 Asset Administration Shell is designed as a digital communication interface that exposes information of various aspects of an asset in Submodels, which are functional blocks. However, a methodology that identifies the set of Submodels required for a specific use case is lacking. This work therefore presents two results: 1) the methodology we developed to identify the Submodels applicable in a use case and 2) an example application involving immaterial process assets. Our approach complements existing procedures by beginning with a functional description rather than an established standard and by creating a potentially interconnected set of Submodels rather than a singleton. The outcomes were verified by domain experts and through integration of the corresponding AASs.