Model-based engineering of CPPS in the process industries

TLDR

Most CPPS research targets manufacturing, yet process industries increasingly demand flexibility, and current PAS poorly support rapid adaptation of plant components such as filters, mixers, or reaction units. The study aims to detail the requirements, model structure, and content of a model‑based reconfiguration approach for PAS and to illustrate it with a practical example. The authors present a model‑based method that uses a component model to reconfigure PAS, with the model and physical component together constituting a CPPS.

Abstract

Most Cyber Physical Production Systems (CPPS) research is devoted to the manufacturing industry, but the need for flexibility is an increasing trend in the process industry, too. Today's process automation systems (PAS) are not well-suited for quick adaptation of the plant, i.e. the addition, removal or change of physical components, such as filters, mixers, or reaction units. The authors have developed a model-based approach, which allows reconfiguring the PAS based on a model, which acts as a representative of the physical component. Thus, the model and the physical component together form a CPPS. In the paper, the requirements, the model structure, and the model content will be described, and a practical example will be presented.