Development of Digital Twin of a Compact Bulk Feeder to Optimise its Functionality

Increased international competition is intensifying pressure on companies such as Atlas Copco to improve the performance of their products; for example, the Compact Bulk Feeder (CBF) element of the Company's ‘Self Pierced Riveting Machine’. Digital technologies are advancing rapidly to support the development of new products and processes. This has encouraged Atlas Copco to exploit digitalisation to improve the CBF's functionality and enhance the product's competitiveness in the market. This paper is presenting the results of research of modelling the digital twin of the CBF to enhance its functionalities and operation. A digital twin framework is presented using suitable hardware and software technologies as well as the results of the modelling from physical to the virtual world of two of the CBF functions.