// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM
Virtual Commissioning
Testing and validating an automated system or production line in a simulated virtual environment before building it physically.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Virtual Commissioning is the process of simulating and validating the control logic, robot movements, and overall functionality of an automated production system or machine in a virtual environment, using digital twins and simulation software, prior to physical build-out.
BACKGROUND
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as 4IR, Industry 4.0 or the Intelligence Age, is a neologism describing rapid technological advancement in the 21st century. It follows the Third Industrial Revolution. The term was popularized in 2016 by Klaus Schwab, the World Economic Forum founder and former executive chairman, who asserts that these developments represent a significant shift in industrial capitalism.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Digital commissioning
- Simulation-based commissioning
- Pre-commissioning simulation
USAGE NOTE
Reduces risks, costs, and time associated with physical system setup and debugging.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Virtual Commissioning.
A global leader in industrial automation, Siemens offers a comprehensive Digital Enterprise Suite for creating digital twins. Their TIA Portal, PLCSIM Advanced, and Process Simulate software allow for the end-to-end virtual commissioning of control logic for machines, robot cells, and entire production plants before hardware is built.
A major provider of industrial automation and control solutions. Their Emulate3D software creates dynamic digital twins of production systems, allowing engineers to test, validate, and optimize PLC code in a virtual environment, significantly reducing on-site commissioning time and risk.
Known for its 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Dassault Systèmes provides solutions for virtual manufacturing. Their DELMIA portfolio enables companies to simulate and validate production processes, including robotic workcells and assembly lines, allowing for virtual commissioning of automation logic.
A leading robotics and automation company. ABB's RobotStudio software is a key tool for virtual commissioning, allowing users to perform offline programming and simulation of robot systems. It creates a digital replica of the physical robot cell to test and optimize programs before deployment.
Developer of MATLAB and Simulink, which are widely used for modeling control systems and physical plants. Engineers use these tools to create high-fidelity models for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation, a core technique in virtual commissioning, to test PLC and controller code against a virtual machine.
A company specializing in 3D manufacturing simulation software. Their platform enables the creation of functional digital twins of factory floors and production lines, which can be connected to real PLCs (via OPC UA) to test and validate control logic in a virtual environment.
A leading global manufacturer of industrial robots. KUKA offers the KUKA.Sim software suite, which allows for the simulation and offline programming of robot applications. This facilitates the virtual commissioning of robot cells by verifying logic, reachability, and cycle times before physical setup.
A software company that provides tools for engineering, science, and mathematics. Their product, MapleSim, is a system-level modeling and simulation platform used to create physics-based digital twins of machines for validating control strategies, enabling effective virtual commissioning.