Rethinking Asset Administration Shell Communication Types: A Systematic Mapping Study and Portfolio-Based Classification

Abstract Digital twins are a critical backbone technology for modern manufacturing and Industrie 4.0 (I4.0). The Asset Administration Shell (AAS) is becoming a popular foundation for modeling digital twins. Asset Administration Shells come in three successive levels of enhancement, also referred to as AAS (communication) types, though there is no common definition for these types. We conducted a systematic mapping study to find out how they are defined in the literature. As the analysis for type 2 AAS and type 3 AAS remains without direct results, we devised a novel classification schema from our findings via portfolio analysis. This schema can provide a foundation for the precise classification of AAS to guide researchers and practitioners in modeling digital twins.