A Digital Twin Framework in Manufacturing Systems with a Focus on Energy Consumption

The current advancements in the context of Industry 4.0 enable the implementation of technologies that drive the fourth industrial revolution with the aim of achieving energy efficiency in manufacturing systems. Another important consideration in the current industrial era is how to integrate legacy machines into this technological revolution. This paper examines the process of integrating digital technology into an older machine, with a focus on monitoring and controlling electrical energy usage. The research is centered around a legacy CNC machine that has been updated for connectivity, enabling the collection and storage of energy data on a cloud platform. A modernized CNC machine has been incorporated into a digital operating environment, where data from the physical system is input into decision-making algorithms. The resulting data from this process is then transmitted back to the physical system. This project outlines the necessary steps to establish a foundational structure that encompasses hardware, software, and communication protocol technologies, allowing for the development of digital twins.