The virtual commissioning technology applied in the design process of a flexible automation system

This paper describes an application of the virtual commissioning technology applied to the design of a robotized manufacturing cell. Virtual commissioning requires the integration of different technologies, such as PLC (programmable logic controller) programming, device communication with OPC (OLE for process control), off-line robot programming, HIL (hardware-in-the-loop), as well as the design of devices and tools using computer-aided design (CAD) applications. Within this application, the virtual commissioning resource evaluates the operation of an assembly line, simulates several processes in a digital environment, tests real equipment and tools and integrates a system that shares the signals of the sensors and actuators with the simulation environment in the computer. The case study described herein compares a conventional design process of a car floor spot welding station to the design approach using virtual commissioning. The robotic welding cell is controlled by a PLC integrated in a simulation environment that uses two industrial robots created in the Process Simulate Robotics application of Siemens Tecnomatix (R).