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Commissioning production systems is no easy task. The effort is complex. The schedule is short. Everyone wants to minimize downtime in facilities and plants. Getting a head start on commissioning through virtual methods instead of waiting for physical hardware is a step in the right direction. However, when it comes to the tactics of virtual commissioning, there are multiple options. Some organizations use 1D simulation process models. Others leverage detailed 3D designs with animations. Yet others use combinations of these two approaches. In this post, we’ll take a look at each, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of these different methods.

New manufacturing frontiers such as additive manufacturing create new challenges for traditional 3D explicit modeling. In this video, Chad Jackson discusses some of the challenges and how nTopology’s implicit modeling tool solves them.

To enable virtual commissioning, models are created that emulate the behavior of individual components in the system. Such simulation models have two sides, representing the logical controllers and the physical components of that system. This post will address some of the shortcomings associated with the models used to enable virtual commissioning and introduce potential solutions.

Companies tend to focus on the end-game when implementing model-based enterprise initiatives. However, there are some valuable intermediate steps companies should consider. In this video, Chad Jackson discusses how some of the intermediate steps can boost productivity.

What is Altair 365? Why is it a big deal? Altair 365 is offered by Altair, which has simulation, design, and several product development solutions for smart connected products. Altair 365: Moving Solutions to the Cloud What’s the deal here? Altair has several different products including HyperWorks, Knowledge Works, Altair Embed, and Altair Activate. They …

Altair 365: What Is It And Why Is It A Big Deal? Read More »

To successfully develop simulations for virtual commissioning, two core technology enablers are required. The first is the software application that builds and runs the simulation. The second is a library of the virtual components required to build the models. This post examines the importance of the component library.

There are three megatrends changing product development solutions today: “platformification”, movement to the cloud, and artificial intelligence/machine learning. In this video, Chad Jackson describes each megatrend and shares examples of how each is being implemented in the industry today.

Instead of doing physical commissioning exclusively, where you’re iterating and debugging with many delays, you can use virtually commission along the way to speed up production. As a matter of fact, you can even integrate these 1D simulations with the hardware, the PLC’s, and validate that everything works correctly before the physical commissioning starts.

There’s no doubt about it: today’s production systems are becoming incredibly complex. Machinery, cells, lines, and entire facilities leveraged new and innovative sensors, electronics and programmable logic controllers (PLC) to do some pretty amazing things. The future of the smart factory is now.