Safeguarding safety functions with virtual commissioning
The integration of safety functions into virtual commissioning significantly expands the options for planning and operating robot systems. Safety signals, such as emergency stop, open safety doors or light barrier monitoring, ensure that robots and machines stop immediately in the event of danger.
By integrating these functions into virtual commissioning, safety-critical processes can be checked as early as the planning phase – without risk to man or machine. This simulation on the digital twin provides a realistic and risk-free test environment for validating safety standards at an early stage.
What is the innovation?
The technical implementation is based on close cooperation between software developers, robot manufacturers and machine builders. In a real project, an interface was developed that enables the transfer of safety signals from Fanuc robots to the simulation software. A team of developers worked closely with simulation experts to integrate the new functionality into iPhysics and resulted in the following technical enhancements:
- Fanuc safety signals: the safety functions of Fanuc robots have been fully integrated into virtual commissioning.
- Safety signal transmission: Safety-relevant signals are processed in the digital twin and transmitted to the PLC in real time.
- Sensor model integration: Manufacturer-independent sensor models can be integrated via a standardized FMI interface, which increases flexibility.
SPS 2024
At SPS 2024, Dr. Georg Wünsch, CTO and Managing Director of machineering GmbH & Co. KG, presented these new functions live for the first time. The integration of Fanuc safety functions, the camera function from SICK and an extension of virtual commissioning with Apple Vision Pro were demonstrated. The new technology makes it possible to combine safety aspects, camera functions and immersive planning tools in a seamless process.
A win-win situation for everyone involved
The ability to test safety functions in the digital twin not only reduces commissioning time on site, but also creates a safe working environment for employees. Simulation in the virtual environment ensures that safety problems can be identified and rectified at an early stage, thus avoiding costly rework.
A real-life example shows how this technology was used to successfully implement a project with complex safety requirements in iPhysics. The digital twin made it possible to test and validate the safety control system in real time before the plant was physically set up. The result was a smooth commissioning without any unexpected complications.
Links to the website
General link:
Learn more about iPhysics and our virtual commissioning solutions on our website: www.machineering.com.
Directly to the product page:
Discover iPhysics – your solution for cloud-based simulation: www.machineering.com/produkte/iphysics.
Contact page:
Do you have any questions? Contact us for more information: www.machineering.com/kontakt.
Overview of VIBN:
Find out more about virtual commissioning and its benefits here: www.machineering.com/vibn.
