The digital machine twin: How STIWA Software optimizes the life cycle of production machines

At a Glance

STIWA Software creates a digital twin of your production system that provides transparency throughout the entire lifecycle. From planning to series production, a continuous digital model is developed that saves time, reduces errors, and measurably increases production efficiency, without complex PLC programming and with consistent user interfaces.

In the modern manufacturing industry, the proper use of software often makes the crucial difference between average and highly efficient production. As a technician or engineer, you face the challenge of optimally controlling, monitoring, and continuously improving complex production systems. The STIWA software suite offers a comprehensive solution that accompanies a system's entire lifecycle, from the first planning meeting to ongoing optimization in series production.

Phase-by-Phase Approach

Engineering: Laying the Digital Foundation

STIWA Software lays the foundation for smooth production in the engineering phase. Each project begins with a structured kickoff meeting moderated by STIWA experts. This meeting brings together all stakeholders: the system operator, project managers, and IT specialists, as well as the system builder and their project team. The data concept is created during this early phase, the blueprint for the future digital system model.

The role of the moderating expert can be taken on by qualified personnel from participating organizations, not exclusively by STIWA specialists.

Advantages:

• The system operator can clearly define their concept and ensure all requirements are met.
• The machine builder knows all specifications early on and minimizes later changes that can be expensive and time-consuming.
• Potential hardware adjustments (e.g., additional sensors for traceability) are identified in this phase.

Detailed implementation steps in the engineering phase:

• Structured recording of all system requirements using standardized documents
• Design of control technology with a focus on data technology
• Station-specific process description from a data perspective
• Definition of traceability requirements and corresponding hardware (sensors, scanners)
• Definition of interfaces to other systems (ERP, MOM, CAQ) or machines (M2M)
• Creation of the rework concept for defective parts

Benefits for the machine operator:

• Complete consideration of all requirements from the beginning
• Proactive identification of additional needed hardware (no expensive retrofitting later on)
• Ensuring data consistency across all system components

Benefits for the machine builder:

• Clear requirement definition from the start
• Avoidance of cost-intensive changes in later project phases
• Early integration of software requirements into hardware planning

Design and Assembly: Automatic Generation of Control Station and Analysis

The design and assembly phase is the central realisation phase for the machine builder. This is where the mechanical, electrical and control components are developed, assembled and synchronised.

One of STIWA Software's unique selling points is the automatic generation of operating and analysis systems directly from the digital system model. The control station (STIWA Shopfloor Control) and the analysis system (Analysis-CI) are created without manual programming.

Through the early use of STIWA Shopfloor Control and Analysis-CI, relevant key figures such as OEE, cycle times, alarms, and downtime analyses are already captured and used during this phase.

Ramp-Up: Data-Based Process Optimization

In the system ramp-up phase, the focus increasingly shifts to the machine operator. The machine builder supports this phase and is responsible for optimizing and fine-tuning the system as production performance gradually increases. They identify and resolve weaknesses in close coordination with the operator and bring the machine to full production capacity.

The STIWA Software Suite significantly simplifies the critical phase of machine ramp-up. Its comprehensive analysis capabilities create transparency and enable fact-based decisions.

Final Acceptance

The final acceptance of the system benefits significantly from STIWA Software through transparent and fact-based decision foundations. The data collected during commissioning and ramp-up provides an objective basis for evaluating system performance. The automatically generated acceptance protocol documents all relevant key figures such as OEE, performance efficiency, quality rate, availability, and cycle times. Acceptance criteria can be precisely verified based on the collected data.

Series Production: Continuous Support in Daily Operations

With the achievement of the series production phase, the machine builder typically moves into the background. Their role changes from active designer to service and support partner, available for maintenance, updates, or extensions when needed. They support the machine operator and advise when system modifications or extensions are planned.

The machine operator takes full responsibility for the daily operation of the machine in this phase. Their production team uses STIWA Software as a central operation, monitoring, and continuous improvement tool. The data from Shopfloor Control and Analysis-CI flows into daily production management and forms the basis for continuous improvement activities and strategic decisions. Regular software updates from STIWA ensure that the system remains technologically current and that new functions can be used without complex system changes. Particularly valuable is the ability to implement system modifications or type integrations without complex PLC reprogramming, which significantly increases the flexibility of the system operator.

After successful commissioning, STIWA Software supports daily production operations and grows according to the system's requirements.