The FMS Training Center - a versatile learning environment for engineering education

Digital twins are created by combining a design model with the use phase data of a product or a system. They are developed in order to observe and test the behavior of the target over its life cycle. This paper introduces a versatile learning environment focusing on a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS). The FMS Training center phenomenon based learning environment consists of a physical training system and its digital twin. The realization of the digital twin is a virtual model linked to a system simulator and an industrial controller. Students can thus become familiar with the fully automated production system and develop and test programs in a virtual environment before visiting the production facility. The digital twin also meets an industrial need as it facilitates virtual commissioning of new system installations. Evaluation of the benefits in educational context, and the largest obstacles, of developing system level digital twins are described. A full system description of the learning environment is presented with the pedagogical objectives of the associated exercises. Future development and extendibility of the learning environment are also discussed.