DFA
Digital fingerprint.
Creating a basis for an intelligent value chain
Your contact person
Silvio Facciotto
Institute of Aircraft Design (IFB), University of Stuttgart
Digital fingerprint
Creating a basis for an intelligent value chain
Intelligent data collection, processing and transfer along the entire value chain - from the idea, through design, production and in-service to end-of-life - for the intelligent component and the versatile, autonomous factory of the day after tomorrow!
Vision
The context of Industry 4.0 requires the implementation of a digital fingerprint for each individual component. This fingerprint serves as a holistic representation of the entire product life cycle, whereby product development, manufacturing, assembly and monitoring are realized through automated, self-organized and intelligent processes.
Objective
The intention is the coherent recording and intelligent networking of data throughout the entire development process: from the initial concept, through design and process data, to data recorded in-situ using integrated sensors. The application of the digital fingerprint is intended to ensure significant reductions in development times and costs as well as production waste.
Course of the project
The project was divided into five sub-projects:
- Data and semantics: Semantic characterization of the digital fingerprint.
- Smart engineering: Elaboration of various simulation approaches, from component optimization to the predictive representation of potential component damage under real load scenarios.
- Smart component: Integration of adequate sensor technology in the component to record data from both the manufacturing process and the application phase.
- Smart production: Implementation of an efficient interface to production and assembly.
- In-service and evaluation: Evaluation of the digital fingerprint based on real in-service data.
Results in detail
SP1 - Data and semantics
The Teamcenter tool was used as the PLM system for central data management, which provides a comprehensive data model for the digital fingerprint of all components (DFA). The architecture shown in the illustration supports the collection of data from both production processes and ongoing operations. In addition, a web-based portal was designed that allows users to initiate measurements remotely. The data stored in the system is not only used for quality monitoring, but also flows into various simulation models.
SP2 - Smart engineering
Simulation models have been developed that depict both production processes and operating loads. These models allow the collected data to be directly integrated into the product development process. Virtual methods are used to continuously optimize processes and designs for subsequent product generations. In particular, the simulation of component loads in real operation, based on data from road tests, is an essential factor in the early detection and prediction of component failure. This paves the way for predictive maintenance, which can be individually adapted to customer requirements such as type of use, climatic conditions and terrain.
TP3 - Smart component
During the production phase, MEMS sensors were integrated into demonstration components. These sensors specialize in recording accelerations and temperatures, enabling continuous monitoring of both the production process and the condition of the component.
SP4 - Smart production
All production processes are continuously monitored to maximize production efficiency. This allows potential sources of error to be identified in advance, which minimizes the unnecessary consumption of resources and time. The data collected during production is recorded using sensor technologies developed in SP3. Technologies from SP1 are used for monitoring and data acquisition. The collected data is used in combination with simulation models from SP2 to continuously optimize and personalize CAM programs.
TP5 - In service and evaluation
Driving tests can be carried out by integrating demonstrators into vehicles. These serve to realistically forecast the service life of individual components. The knowledge gained from this is directly reflected in the design processes and closes the loop between the real product life cycle and its digital counterpart.
Starting points and follow-up projects
Future developments and synergies could manifest themselves in projects such as CATENA-X, ARENA2036-X and EcoFrame.
Insights+
Stories
What do our partners say? The people who work, develop and shape the future in ARENA2036 every day?
"ARENA2036 is a beacon of the University of Stuttgart in the field of knowledge and technology transfer. In collaboration with our partners from science and industry and not least the start-ups, we have succeeded in building a unique innovation platform. Personally, I am particularly fascinated by the agility and adaptability of ARENA2036, which is reflected in the fact that I am constantly discovering new projects in the hall space."
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Middendorf
Head of the Institute of Aircraft Design
University of Stuttgart
"In the production of the future, data will play a decisive role and the integrated use of development, production and operating data will be the key factors for trustworthy value creation and utilization systems. ARENA2036 is already a special environment for DXC.technology. As a leading, independent integration service provider, we can contribute to the networking of these worlds and help shape the data standards of tomorrow. The university environment is of fundamental importance for the training of our young talent."
Gero Adrian & Franziska Gross
Director Advisory R&D Industry4.0 at DXC Technology & Business Innovation and Startup Relations
DXC Technology
About Fraunhofer
Project participation in the ARENA2036
Project partners in the ARENA2036 research factory are the two Fraunhofer Institutes IAO and IPA.
Fraunhofer IPA implements highly innovative and sustainable solutions in production technology and automation for customers in a wide range of future-oriented industries. The solutions are always linked to the institute's strategic cornerstones of "mass sustainability" and "mass personalization".
In ARENA2036, Fraunhofer IPA is coordinating research into innovative methods in vehicle production. To this end, a research factory is being built in which technologies are developed that enable individualized products in batch sizes of one at the cost of mass production. The core technology for this is adaptable production systems with which companies can react to fluctuating competitive factors or shortened product life cycles. Fraunhofer IPA develops solutions for planning these systems and realizes components for them, such as versatile assembly stations.
About Siemens
Project participation in the ARENA2036
Siemens offers solutions from four elementary areas for the company of the future: The Digital Enterprise Software Suite, the areas of industrial communication networks and industrial security, as well as business-specific services.
With know-how and products from the first two areas, Siemens AG is supporting the ARENA2036 research campus in the realization of a digital twin of real production and in the reliable and secure networking of flexible logistics systems.
About the University of Stuttgart
Project participation in the ARENA2036
The University of Stuttgart and many of its institutes are involved in the ARENA2036 research platform:
Institute of Aircraft Design (IFB)
Institute of Parallel and Distributed Systems (IPVS)
Institute of Plastics Technology (IKT)
Institute of Textile Technology, Fiber-based Materials and Textile Machine Engineering (ITFT)
Institute of Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW)
Institute of Ergonomics and Technology Management (IAT)
Institute of Internal Combustion Engines and Automotive Engineering (IVK)
Institute of Electrical Energy Conversion (iew)
Institute of Educational Science, Department of Vocational, Business and Technical Education (BWT)
Institute of Energy Transmission and High Voltage Technology (IEH)
Institute of Polymer Chemistry (IPOC)
Institute of Linguistics: English Studies (IfLA)
Institute of Industrial Manufacturing and Factory Operation (IFF)
Institute of Materials Handling and Logistics (IFT)
Institute of Shotblasting Tools (IFSW)
The Institute of Aircraft Design (IFB), for example, is involved in the LeiFu project and the DigitPro project with several employees in ARENA2036. The Khoch3 project is supported by university employees from BWT.
The integration of the ARENA2036 research building into the university campus forms the perfect basis for an intensive and interdisciplinary transfer of expertise between science and industry. This is what the guiding principle "Industry on Campus" stands for.