Towards Digital Twin Implementation of an Automatic Sorting Machine

This paper presents a framework towards a digital twin implementation in a manufacturing setting. An automatic sorting machine, which consists of several modules that are used for sorting item of different colors, is considered in this study. Each module is controlled by its own microcontroller that communicates with a local computing server through a wireless LAN communication over UDP protocol. Node-RED running on a local server is used for processing acquired sensor data from the modules and for controlling their operating sequences. A 3D model, rendered inside Unity3D environment, is created as a digital representation of the machine, allowing user to interact with the system through a VR headset. The synchronization of data between the physical and virtual world is done using MQTT protocol via NETPIE2020 cloud platform. End-to-end system latency for sending data from physical to virtual world, and vice versa, is approximately 60 ms.