Danieli Centro Tube and Danieli Automation, physically located in two different regions in Italy, have remotely tested the equipment and the relevant automation software using a plant 3D model  that simulated physics, gravity and friction thanks to virtual sensors connected to the equipment. The tool will allow the customer also to provide virtual training to its operators.

Thanks to the test carried out it has been possible to verify several plant operational conditions and also to implement software optimizations or modifications otherwise normally carried out physically on site, such as fine adjustments of the material positioning out of interferences, movements with shortest materials and so on.

Finally, this experience has proven the advantages of the digital twin approach, which definitely allows to:

• optimize the equipment cycles, verify software adequacy and manage mechanical interferences;
• fine tune the material tracking;
• optimize in advance the efficiency of the automation software;
• check the automation software using directly the virtualized inputs and outputs;
• test the interface with external packages;
• verify the production cycles with product changes.