PRODUCT REVIEWS
Bringing autonomous operations to life
Rockwell Automation , Inc . has announced that it is integrating NVIDIA Omniverse application programming interfaces into its Emulate3D™ digital twin software . The aim is to enhance factory operations through artificial intelligence and physics-based simulation technology .
Digital twins enhance equipment development and control testing through simulation models and emulation , reducing start-up time and risk . As equipment is connected into lines , models scale and challenges arise from siloed expertise and integration issues between separately engineered components .
“ A system-level perspective , including interoperability across machines , can solve these issues but requires collaboration for system-level testing . As lines scale , larger digital twins require more computational power , risking bottlenecks . Automation leaders need scalable solutions to achieve full factory-scale models , building on digitaltwin successes ,” explained the automation specialist .
Real-time collaboration
Rockwell Automation ’ s Emulate3D software uses the latest NVIDIA Omniverse APIs to create factory-scale , dynamic digital twins based on OpenUSD interoperability and NVIDIA RTX rendering technologies .
“ While visualisation was previously possible , this enhancement enables true emulation and dynamic testing of multiple machines within a system . This integration , planned for early 2025 , will enable improved visualisation and simulation capabilities for manufacturing environments ,” the company told ISMR .
“ Our integration of Emulate3D with NVIDIA Omniverse marks a significant leap
Image : Shutterstock . com .
Emulate3D control testing .
forward in bringing autonomous operations to life ,” added Blake Moret , Chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation . “ By combining our deep industrial expertise with NVIDIA ’ s cutting-edge technology , we ’ re helping our customers to achieve new levels of efficiency , innovation and collaboration in their manufacturing processes .”
By using NVIDIA Omniverse , Emulate3D will allow multiple dynamic digital twins to be combined and visualised as a complete factory through a web app . This vendoragnostic , scalable approach addresses the growing need for factory-scale digital twins created by engineers collaborating in realtime across various teams .
Counting the benefits
“ AI-enabled digital twins are driving the next wave of digital manufacturing and automation ,” said Rev Lebaredian , Vice President of Omniverse and Simulation Technology , NVIDIA . “ Rockwell Automation ’ s Emulate3D software allows manufacturers to collaboratively visualise , simulate and optimise their operations in realtime with NVIDIA Omniverse .”
Benefits include : -
■ Hyperscale capabilities through Emulate3D ’ s multi-model technology .
■ Cloud-based deployment options for flexibility .
■ Vendor-agnostic connectivity to a wide range of 3D applications .
■ A unified web app for stakeholder visualisation
“ Emulate3D™ digital twin software helps users to pre-emptively identify potential control issues , saving valuable time and resources during implementation . Plant personnel receive additional support by having a virtual space to train on new systems , predict future performance and simulate line changes without real-world consequences . Emulate3D digital twin software provides a comprehensive and dynamic approach to enhancing efficiency and precision in industrial operations ,” concluded Rockwell Automation .
NVIDIA Omniverse lets developers integrate various factory layers into a comprehensive model , combining architectural software with industrial digital twins . This enables greater coordination across industrial design and operation . Built for scalability , Omniverse ’ s Universal Scene Description ( OpenUSD ) foundations and cloud deployments grow alongside projects . n
www . rockwell automation . com
112 | ismr . net | ISMR November 2024