Semi-automatic Kinematization of 3D CAD Data Using a GRAFCET-Based Modeling Language

The concept of the digital twin (DT), which accompanies a plant or machine throughout its entire life cycle, has further reinforced the role of Virtual Commissioning (VC). Of decisive importance for the economically and technically sensible use of the DT is its creation as early as possible in the life cycle. In the field of mechanical engineering, therefore, the first digital artifacts of the DT should ideally already be created in parallel with the mechanical design phase. The first step is the kinematization of the CAD model. This paper presents a new method for the semi-automated kinematization of 3D CAD models. The method uses a verbal description of the motion sequence desired by the designer, based on DIN EN 60848 (GRAFCET) [2] and using elements from VDI Guideline 2860 (handling functions) [8]. The presented method is easy to use and self-describing to a large extent. It enables designers to define in their own domain, in parallel to their mechanical designs, the desired motion sequence of the machine they have designed in machine-readable form. The actual kinematization of the CAD model is performed automatically. At the end, the kinematized design is available in COLLADA format and can be imported via the import interfaces of common simulation tools and can therefore be used for the DT.