Cyber-physical-based welding systems: Components and implementation strategies

Abstract

The conditions for a feasible Cyber-Physical System (CPS) in a welding environment are explored for the manufacturing technology components while also focusing on machine learning tools. Increasing manufacturing efficiency means making digitalisation feasible for all technologies, including welding, given today's challenges. Early versions of manufacturing management, such as Computer Integrated Manufacturing, are already leading the way, and one of the latest milestones in these developments is CPS. It can be shown that the digital migration of specific sub-domains (e.g. visual inspection of the weld seam during quality assurance) is significantly more challenging and unimaginable without artificial intelligence applications. However, it is also true that the full integration needed to achieve autonomous manufacturing has yet to be fully achieved, although there is a strong demand in the industry for these CPS to work. In some areas, the digital switchover has already been prepared. However, the interconnection of these subsystems requires modern information systems or, in the case of existing ones, their upgrading to the appropriate level. This research area is set to be addressed comprehensively by initiating several projects. In the initial phase, the aim is to develop an architecture that integrates the various Information Technology applications. In this work, the digital manufacturing environment under CPS is studied, the relevant components are explored, the conditions for the transition from traditional to CPS-based manufacturing are examined and examples of planned further specific studies on the components are listed.