The role of the Industry 4.0 asset administration shell and the digital twin during the life cycle of a plant

Abstract

Industry 4.0 has come up with an impressive number of additional terms and definitions e.g. Asset Administration Shell or Digital Twin. Those terms stand for Industry 4.0 coreparadigms, but their meaning is not harmonized even among experts. This is a source of misunderstanding and confusion. In this paper, the mentioned terms are discussed along the life cycle of a plant. A plant's life cycle comprises the whole process from its idea to its destruction. During the discussion of the terms not only the concepts, but also the visions of Industry 4.0 are clarified. Goal of this paper is not to define additional terms, but to explain and substantiate existing ones and to solve apparent contradictions. Additional outcome of the discussion are architectural recommendations for an upcoming Industry 4.0 architecture. Moreover, suggestions for device manufacturers, system integrators, plant owners and Industry 4.0 architects are given.