Experimental Validation of a Physics-based Simulation Approach for Pneumatic Components for Production Systems in the Automotive Industry

Automated assembly systems in automotive industry require thorough digital validation procedures prior to commissioning and ramp-up processes. One essential validation procedure is Virtual Commissioning, a method to test and validate real PLC-programs based on a virtual 3D-model of the production system using a HiL-approach. In order to increase the level of maturity of Virtual Commissioning and enrich the quality of the virtual 3D-model of the production system an innovative simulation approach using physics-based simulation capabilities based on game engine technology has been adopted. In particular, a physics-based model of pneumatic components (cylinders, clampers, etc.) typically found in automated assembly systems has been developed. The physics-based pneumatic model (PPM) enables more realistic simulations in real-time and is expected to be used within the next generation of Virtual Commissioning. However, before being utilized in industrial application PPM has to be validated. Kinematic and dynamic accuracy as well as compressed air consumption - a key performance indicator for energy consumption of the entire production system - of the PPM model are analytically and experimentally validated. In detail, validation was carried out considering different internal and external model parameters, such as pressure level, throttle valve settings, etc. and analyzing their impact on the PPM's informative value. Overall, PPM's validation shows promising results throughout all three different aspects (kinematics, dynamics, and compressed air consumption) and has thus a high potential for application in Virtual Commissioning.