Challenges for the Provision of Process Data for the Virtual Factory

During practical simulation projects, the required model data must be imported from existing data bases. The focus is to keep the amount of effort required to a minimum. The main issue is the provision of process data in particular concerning work operations that require timing and resources to be accounted for. This task is comparatively easy in the field of parts manufacturing as the operations are sequential in nature. However, with assembly processes requiring interlinked operations, this task turns out to be considerably more complex. A detailed discussion of differences between the relevant process data and the relevant time data required for simulation is followed by the illustration of two examples showing how the interface problem can be solved for the export of sequential and interlinked process data to a simulation procedure. The difficulties which usually arise during such a project and future approaches to the problem are also discussed.