Use Cases for the Application of the Asset Administration Shell in the context of Engineering Data Management Systems
The persistent digitalization of products and the emergence of smart digital product ecosystems allow companies to establish new business models on the market disruptively.
Digital Twins are one of the key technologies in the realization of such business models. In most cases, comprehensive Digital Twins are already utilized in the early product design/ engineering phases and continue to develop and grow over the lifetime of the product. Particularly in engineering phases, an intensive exchange of different parts/ aspects of the digital twin within and across company boundaries (for example, between component manufacturers and system providers all the way to the customer/operator) can be observed.
Digital Twins serve as a key technology in realizing such business models. Comprehensive Digital Twins are often employed from the initial design and engineering phases of a product and evolve throughout its lifecycle. Notably, during the engineering phases, various elements of the Digital Twin are intensively exchanged within and beyond company borders — spanning component manufacturers, system providers/ integrators and even customers or operators.
The Asset Administration Shell (AAS) [1] driven by the Industrial Digital Twin Association (IDTA) [2], is an implementation concept of Digital Twins (especially for Industry 4.0) and thus a common digital representation of information on the characteristics and behaviors of an Asset.
Engineering data management systems (e.g. CONTACT Elements) play a central role in the administration and provision of data within the product lifecycle from design (e.g. CIM Database) through production and use phases (e.g. Elements for IoT) to recycling (End of Life). Utilizing the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) enhances data consistency and simplifies integration across new and existing systems, accommodating the diverse IT landscapes often seen in a company’s value network (especially in multi software vendor scenarios). The figure below demonstrates potential use cases of applying AAS within these enterprise data management systems.
1. Product-related data exchange within a company along the digital thread
The exchange along the digital thread includes the technical provision and linking of data along the product lifecycle between the leading data management systems of the enterprise IT Infrastructure and the transfer to corresponding portals for external information access via AAS (e.g. Costumer or Service Portals). On the other hand, this involves methodical and process-driven procedures to enrich the AAS and their submodels with information regarding the actual valid lifecycle status of the asset or to initiate the change between AAS type and AAS instances.
2. File-based information provision and enrichment in the context of operating an asset
For integrators or operators, obtaining additional information on existing assets or integrating new assets into existing asset structures with little effort can be essential. One possibility for free data access could be customer portals in which the relevant information is provided as AASX files in addition to the usual formats.
3. Information exchange between companies in the context of operating an asset
Product-service systems (PSS) and hybrid service bundles allow partners to jointly meet their needs by offering combinations of services and related assets. Especially, manufacturers of smart components, and other suppliers, can establish digital, data-driven business models by sharing information through Asset Administration Shells (AAS) and providing services based on this exchange.
4. Information exchange between companies in the context of planning and designing an asset
The Asset Administration Shell (AAS) provides valuable support during asset development by facilitating easier collaboration within e.g. Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) supplier networks. It simplifies data exchange and enhances compatibility among joint ventures using varied data management systems. Moreover, using AAS enables teams to consider and respond to factors like resilience and sustainability early in the development process.
5. Information exchange between companies in the context of manufacturing an asset
In manufacturing settings, new production approaches, like ‘Production as a Service,’ gain systematic support through standardized AAS submodels, facilitating a reliable exchange of information within the value chain. Platforms like Gaia-X help in creating secure data spaces, thus enhancing resilience in the production process. If disruptions arise — externally (like COVID) or internally (such as losing core production capabilities) — swift integration of new partners can occur to uphold or reach set objectives. Gaia-X-like ecosystems exemplify managing and sharing data with strategic partners securely in a common data space, crucial for robust and self-guided production. Consequently, a trustworthy sovereign data space becomes a reality for all parties involved.
6. AAS-based information exchange within a company between cloud and edge environments
In industrial IoT applications related to production environments, a recurring question is whether specific IoT data evaluations should take place at the local, machine-oriented edge network or within the company’s internal cloud. As IoT products continue to evolve and adapt to SaaS/ PaaS infrastructures, this question is increasingly addressed not by technological constraints but by focusing on optimal solution scalability, which leans towards a cloud solution, or minimal latency, favoring an edge solution. Additional factors, such as the number and availability of parameters or the comprehensiveness of the processes being considered, also influence the choice of system boundaries. In cloud-based value creation, trustworthy data spaces, exemplified by platforms like Gaia-X, have become a key enabling element.
Outlook
In my opinion the asset administration shell is essential for future smart product service systems and facilitates interoperability, especially in the context of enterprise data management systems, independently of the vendor, and simplifies the integration of all types of assets into a collaborative value network. Through strategic integration within and outside of the company’s IT environment, future dynamic product-related services and industry 4.0 scenarios will become a reality.
References:
[1] Asset Administration Shell (AAS), https://www.plattform-i40.de/IP/Redaktion/DE/Downloads/Publikation/AAS-ReadingGuide_202201.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=1
[2] International Digital Twin Association (IDTA), https://industrialdigitaltwin.org/en/
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