Integration of flexible multibody system dynamics and virtual commissioning of mechatronic systems. A case study: advanced modelling and simulations of a transfer machine tool.

In the industrial manufacturing sector, the Industry 4.0 paradigms have fostered the proliferation of advanced modelling tools capable of simulating virtual replica of production systems and processes, offering manufacturers advantages to keep global market competitivity. Simultaneously, with the growing complexity of modern production systems, software developers are facing increasingly burdensome challenges. Currently, to the best author’s knowledge, there is no commercial software that reliably enables comprehensive simulations of complex mechatronic systems, which require the integration of advanced analyses in the different domains of Mechanics and Automation. A methodology to address this gap is proposed and herein illustrated. Flexible Multibody models’ simulations, for elastodynamic analyses of the mechanical systems, are synergically combined with the Virtual Commissioning of the machines’ automations, to account for control issues. The methodology is based on a recursive implementation of simulations performed in two different software frameworks (for Mechanics and Automation domains, respectively) to study the overall response of mechatronic systems. The procedure is implemented referring to a practical application: a transfer machine tool is targeted as case-study. Each of its working station hosts modular operating units, 3-axis milling machines. Elastodynamic models are developed according to different modelling approaches, simulated and finally validated based on experimental data retrieved from ad-hoc tests. The alternative modelling strategies are discussed. As for the Automation domain, a model for the Virtual Commissioning of the overall machine tool is developed and simulated to virtually test and debug real Part Programs, enabling working cycle optimization prior to its physical commissioning. To facilitate integration among the software simulation frameworks, the flexible multibody model of the operating unit is combined with its control system model, enabling Co-Simulations. The synergetic use of the modelling-and-simulation frameworks is illustrated along with the impact of the resulting outcomes over the design process of automatic machinery in real industrial scenarios.