Mechatronics & the cloud

Conventionally, the engineering design process has assumed that the design team is able to exercise control over all elements of the design, either directly or indirectly in the case of sub-systems through their specifications. The introduction of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and the Internet of Things (IoT) means that a design team’s ability to have control over all elements of a system is no longer the case, particularly as the actual system configuration may well be being dynamically reconfigured in real-time according to user (and vendor) context and need. Additionally, the integration of the Internet of Things with elements of Big Data means that information becomes a commodity to be autonomously traded by and between systems, again according to context and need, all of which has implications for the privacy of system users. The paper therefore considers the relationship between mechatronics and cloud-basedtechnologies in relation to issues such as the distribution of functionality and user privacy

The LAB@FUTURE Project - Moving Towards the Future of E-Learning

This paper presents Lab@Future, an advanced e-learning platform that uses novel Information and Communication Technologies to support and expand laboratory teaching practices. For this purpose, Lab@Future uses real and computer-generated objects that are interfaced using mechatronic systems, augmented reality, mobile technologies and 3D multi user environments. The main aim is to develop and demonstrate technological support for practical experiments in the following focused subjects namely: Fluid Dynamics - Science subject in Germany, Geometry - Mathematics subject in Austria, History and Environmental Awareness – Arts and Humanities subjects in Greece and Slovenia. In order to pedagogically enhance the design and functional aspects of this e-learning technology, we are investigating the dialogical operationalisation of learning theories so as to leverage our understanding of teaching and learning practices in the targeted context of deployment

E/E-product data management in consideration of model-based systems engineering

This paper presents objectives for permeable electric/electronics product data management for mechatronic products in consideration of model-based systems engineering from the early product development phase till a lifecycle management. Idiosyncrasies of mechatronic products, requirements engineering, model-based systems engineering, artifact-orientation, and interconnections of artifacts are evaluated and postulate objectives, how artifacts have to be designed in order to support the linkage of model-based systems engineering and product data management (PDM). The objectives, derived from the different theories and requirements to foster permeable PDM, are: i) Identify all existing norms for the development of mechanical, electronic, and software aspects and elaborate how information artifacts have to be defined. ii) (Textual) Requirements have to be technically feasible to be linked to information artifacts and system models already in the early development phase. iii) System models have to be aligned to information artifacts from the models' creation onwards and standardization in exchange formats has to be ensured. iv) Information artifacts with own lifecycles shall alleviate PDM in the early product development phase. v) Interconnections shall ameliorate associativity through capturing process information between single artifacts. A first concept is presented, visualizing the aforementioned objectives and their contribution in the early development process of mechatronic products, how a permeable PDM might be achieved

A graph-based knowledge representation and pattern mining supporting the Digital Twin creation of existing manufacturing systems

The creation of a Digital Twin for existing manufacturing systems, so-called brownfield systems, is a challenging task due to the needed expert knowledge about the structure of brownfield systems and the effort to realize the digital models. Several approaches and methods have already been proposed that at least partially digitalize the information about a brownfield manufacturing system. A Digital Twin requires linked information from multiple sources. This paper presents a graph-based approach to merge information from heterogeneous sources. Furthermore, the approach provides a way to automatically identify templates using graph structure analysis to facilitate further work with the resulting Digital Twin and its further enhancement.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Accepted at IEEE ETFA 202

Challenges in Product Lifecycle Management - Evidence from the Automotive Supply Industry

Against the backdrop of a steady shift in value added from the automotive original equipment manufacturers to the automotive suppliers, product lifecycle management in the automotive supply industry gains importance. Prior literature has acknowledged product lifecycle management as paradigm for manufacturing industries, yet little is known about the specific characteristics and boundary conditions in this emerging industry branch. Grounded on extensive empirical evidence from a typical and revelatory case study at a global leader for mechatronic assemblies, this exploratory paper identifies, visualizes, and discusses challenges in product lifecycle management in the automotive supply industry. With the limitation of an exploratory and interpretive single-case study approach, we (1) supply scholars and practitioners with grounded, stakeholder-related insights and (2) link the field of product lifecycle management with information systems

Проектирование электрических силовых установок при поддержке многоцелевыми стратегиями оптимизации

Electric drive systems consisting of battery, inverter, electric motor and gearbox are applied in hybridor purely electric vehicles. The layout process of such propulsion systems is performed on system level under consideration of various component properties and their interfering characteristics. In addition, different boundary conditions are taken under account, e. g. performance, efficiency, packaging, costs. In this way, the development process of the power train involves a broad range of influencing parameters and periphery conditions and thus represents a multi-dimensional optimization problem. Stateof-the-art development processes of mechatronic systems are usually executed according to the V-model, which represents a fundamental basis for handling the complex interactions of the different disciplines involved. In addition, stage-gate processes and spiral models are applied to deal with the high level of complexity during conception, design and testing. Involving a large number of technical and economic factors, these sequential, recursive processes may lead to suboptimal solutions since the system design processes do not sufficiently consider the complex relations between the different, partially conflicting domains. In this context, the present publication introduces an integrated multi-objective optimization strategy for the effective conception of electric propulsion systems, which involves a holistic consideration of all components and requirements in a multi-objective manner. The system design synthesis is based on component-specific Pareto-optimal designs to handle performance, efficiency, package and costs for given system requirements. The results are displayed as Pareto-fronts of electric power train system designs variants, from which decision makers are able to choose the best suitable solution. In this way, the presented system design approach for the development of electrically driven axles enables a multi-objective optimization considering efficiency, performance, costs and package. It is capable to reduce development time and to improve overall system quality at the same time.Системы электропривода, состоящие из аккумулятора, инвертора, электродвигателя и коробки передач, применяются в гибридных или чисто электрических транспортных средствах. Процесс компоновки таких движительных систем осуществляется на системном уровне с учетом различных свойств компонентов и их интерферирующих характеристик. Кроме того, учитываются разные граничные условия, например технические характеристики, эффективность, комплектование, стоимость. Таким образом, процесс разработки силовой передачи включает в себя широкий диапазон влияющих параметров и периферических условий и тем самым представляет собой проблему многомерной оптимизации. Современные процессы разработки мехатронных систем обычно выполняются в соответствии с V-моделью, которая представляет собой фундаментальную основу для управления сложными взаимодействиями различных дисциплин. Кроме того, применяются этапные процессы и спиральные модели, чтобы справиться с высоким уровнем сложности при разработке, проектировании и тестировании. Вовлекая большое количество технических и экономических факторов, эти последовательные рекурсивные процессы могут привести к неоптимальным решениям, поскольку процессы проектирования системы недостаточно учитывают сложные отношения между различными, частично конфликтующими областями. В этом контексте настоящая публикация представляет интегрированную многоцелевую стратегию оптимизации для эффективной концепции электрических силовых установок, включающую комплексное рассмотрение всех компонентов и требований на многоцелевой основе. Синтез системного дизайна основан на Парето-оптимальных конструкциях со специфическими компонентами с целью обеспечения работы, эффективности, комплектации и затрат, предусмотренных для данной системы. Результаты отображаются в виде Парето-фронтов вариантов систем электрических трансмиссий, из которых лица, принимающие решения, могут выбрать наиболее подходящее из них. Таким образом, представленный подход к проектированию системы для разработки осей с электрическим приводом обеспечивает многоцелевую оптимизацию с учетом эффективности, функционирования, стоимости и комплектации. Данный подход позволяет сократить время разработки и одновременно обеспечить улучшение качества системы

Architecture and Design Methodology of Self-Optimizing Mechatronic Systems

The conceivable development of information and communication technology will enable mechatronic systems with inherent partial intelligence. We refer to this by using the term \"self-optimization\". Self-Optimizing systems react autonomously and flexibly on changing operation conditions. They are able to learn and optimize their behavior at runtime. The development of mechatronic and especially self-optimizing systems is still a challenge. A significant milestone within the development is the principle solution. It determines the basic structure as well as the operation mode of the system and is the result of the conceptual design. Additionally it is the basis for the concretization of the system which involves experts from several domains, such as mechanics, electrical engineering/electronics, control engineering and software engineering. This contribution presents a new specification technique for the conceptual design of mechatronic and self-optimizing systems. It also uses the railway technology as a complex example, to demonstrate how to use this specification technique and in which way it profits for the development of future mechanical engineering systems. Keywords Design Methodology, Mechatronics, Self-Optimization, Principle Solution, Conceptual Design, Domain-Spanning Specificatio

Visual product architecture modelling for structuring data in a PLM system

Part 8: Formalization for PLMInternational audienceThe goal of this paper is to determine the role of a product architecture model to support communication and to form the basis for developing and maintaining information of product structures in a PLM system. This paper contains descriptions of a modelling tool to represent a product architecture in a company to support the development of a family of products, as well as the reasons leading to the use of the specific model and its terminology. The fundamental idea for using the architecture model is that an improved understanding of the whole product system, will lead to better decision making. Moreover, it is discussed how the sometimes intangible elements and phenomena within an architecture model can be visually modeled in order to form the basis for a data model in a PLM system

Interdisciplinary Product Development - Virtual Reality Application in FMEA

In applying quality management (QM) methods, as for instance the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) in the field of complex mechatronic systems, it is necessary to visually illustrate the system to be examined to all members of the interdisciplinary team. Using Virtual Reality (VR) in combination with QM methods creates conditions that help the team to improve the application of QM methods considerably. VR is particularly suitable to visualize complex mechanical systems due to its realistic three-dimensional presentation of single components, assemblies, and complete systems in combination with the interaction in all six degrees of freedom. The present article presents goals and results of a research project at Chemnitz University of Technology. One result is that all members of the interdisciplinary team easily gain insight into the stage of development when FMEA is supported by Virtual Reality