The manufacturing industry has been facing a shortage of skilled workers over the past few years. Many experienced manufacturing workers are retiring, and available skilled replacements are few and far between. As the manufacturing sector wages an uphill battle against the shortage of skilled labor, digital twin technology could be the relief many plants are looking for to maintain a productive, and safe factory floor. Read our featured article for more insight on this rapidly advancing technology.
In this month's employee spotlight, meet Senior Robotics Engineer, Dan Sula, and learn a little bit more about an outstanding member of our Patti Engineering team!
Feature Article
Practical Application of Digital Twin Technology
You may have heard about digital twins and wondered if they could be useful in your plant or manufacturing operation. Here we’ll explain what digital twins are, give practical examples of where they can be used, and look at how they reduce the time, effort, and risk involved with product or process development and implementation.
A digital twin is an exact, digital replication of a real-world product, system, or process. But unlike a simulation, a digital twin replicates not only the physical parameters of the real-world system, but also its behavior and function. This makes digital twins extremely useful for design and development, startup and commissioning, testing changes or upgrades, and troubleshooting. So anywhere that a product or process is being created, modified, or analyzed, a digital twin gives you the ability to run that scenario and get the same outcome or behavior that the real-world system would exhibit, without creating or making changes to the physical system. When the design or modification is nailed down, it can be implemented without the uncertainties, troubleshooting, and rework time that invariably occur when products or processes are implemented or modified.
For example, during product or process development, digital twins can be indispensable for optimizing the product design or process flow. Before a prototype is ever built or physical assets put in place, designers can test various designs to determine which one best meets the criteria for fit, form, and function. Then once the product goes to manufacturing or the process is implemented full-scale, there are few or no last-minute changes required due to parts not fitting correctly or processes not flowing as expected.
Similarly, a digital twin can simulate the function of a manufacturing or processing operation to make startup and commissioning – areas that are often rife with trial-and-error – a much smoother process. Even for complex motion controls or multi-step processes, digital twins can be programmed to exactly simulate the behavior of the system. For example, if a planned motion sequence results in too much vibration, or one part of a process can’t be completed quickly enough for downstream operations, these issues can be found and addressed with the digital twin. Then, when it’s time to commission the system, parameters such as timing and flow are nailed down and don’t have to be dialed-in on the floor.
An accurate, up-to-date digital twin can also be used to test product and process modifications. For example, if one part of a process is improved to speed throughput, can the upstream and downstream operations keep up? Or if a product’s dimensions are changed, can the existing assembly process accommodate the new product dimensions and still maintain the same throughput? Determining these interrelationships through real-world trial-and-error would cause a significant disruption to manufacturing. But with digital twins, these variables – and the numerous scenarios they create – can be worked out virtually, based on real-world data and behaviors.
Of course, there is some upfront work to implement digital twins, but tools such as Siemens Tecnomatix Plant Simulation and Process Simulation platforms minimize the manual, hands-on work by gathering data from the various sources and devices (such as the PLC, CAD data, IIoT devices, and so on) and seamlessly sharing this information between the real-world system and the digital twin. And the payback in terms of time, effort, and rework saved – thanks to testing and validation with the digital twin – can be significant, whether the digital twins are used for new product or process development, commissioning, optimization, or troubleshooting.
If you want to learn more about digital twin technologies and how they can benefit your plant or manufacturing process, reach out or give us a call.
Patti Engineering would like to recognize Dan Sula as an outstanding employee. In only one short year with Patti Engineering, Dan Sula has already established himself as a vital member of our growing team. As a Senior Robotics Engineer, his vast experience, as well as his up-to-date knowledge of A3 robotics standards, and leading-edge digital technologies has contributed to the design of several successful projects.
Dan’s responsibilities vary as a Senior Robotics Engineer, but typically he is leading robotic automation system projects including feasibility and engineering studies, process simulations, and robotic simulations ensuring that customers' process, quality, and cycle time requirements are being met. He also works with material handling and assembly applications for both automotive and non-automotive customers. Dan manages both pre-sales engineering as well as post-sales project execution, and continually works to develop robotics expertise within the Patti Engineering organization.
“Dan has helped grow the expertise within our organization and it is an honor to work with him on a daily basis,” said Sam Hoff, President of Patti Engineering.
Originally hailing from the Chicago area, Dan currently resides in Beverly Hills, Michigan with his wife of 30 years, LaVern, and their fur-baby, a 10-year-old Labradoodle named Henry. Family is very important to Dan, which is evident from the care both he and his wife provide to their mothers, who also reside at their Beverly Hills home. A graduate of Purdue University, Dan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. He went on to achieve a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, completing his thesis in adaptive controls.
In his free time, Dan and his wife enjoy playing golf, billiards, and traveling. Dan recounted that he “finally broke 80 last year after over 30 years of golf.” He jokes that he and his wife, LaVern have played mediocre golf at some of the most spectacular courses in the world including Pebble Beach, where although he didn’t have a great score (97), he did birdie the 18th hole. Dan is also musically inclined, and mentioned that he loves to play guitar.
The definition of “team culture” is “a shared passion for achieving a fixed outcome.” Most companies will agree that customer satisfaction is important, but here at Patti Engineering it's the core of how we do business. When employers support and value their team members, that mentality carries through all the facets of the business, ultimately resulting in happier, and well cared for clients. Dan appreciates being a part of such a great team, and feels valued by Patti Engineering. When asked what he enjoys the most about being part of the team, Dan replied, “Patti Engineering cares about our employees, and our customers. I trust my team, and it feels like our customers do too.”
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