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A digital twin-based remote assistance system with on-site augmented reality support for machine maintenance.
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613737481928704 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Brink, Adriaan Pieter |
| author2 | Kruger, Karel |
| author_browse | Brink, Adriaan Pieter Kruger, Karel |
| author_facet | Kruger, Karel Brink, Adriaan Pieter |
| author_sort | Brink, Adriaan Pieter |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description |
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131597 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:40:54.381Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131597 A digital twin-based remote assistance system with on-site augmented reality support for machine maintenance. Brink, Adriaan Pieter Kruger, Karel Basson, Anton Herman Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Digital twins (Computer simulation) Machinery -- Maintenance and repair Cooperating objects (Computer systems) Augmented reality UCTD Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Across industries, the need to work and provide assistance from a remote location was exacerbated by travel restrictions enforced during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is especially true for companies that offer after-sales support of their equipment to international clients. As such, there is a growing need for solutions that allow specialists to provide effective remote assistance to On-site Technicians working on equipment, e.g. performing maintenance. To address this need, this thesis presents the development of a proof-of-concept Digital Twin-based Remote Assistance System (RAS) with Augmented Reality (AR) support for On-site Technicians performing maintenance on machines. Through an analysis of the remote assistance context and stakeholder needs, the thesis formulates a set of functional and non-functional requirements. The requirements are used to guide the design of the architecture for the RAS, which is based on an existing service-oriented architecture for a system of Digital Twins (DTs). The RAS architecture is implemented in a case study, which is based on the remote assistance activity for a specific machine of a South African mining equipment supplier. The case study implementation uses various services of the Microsoft Azure platform for the DT and digital service components. In the case study, the On-site Technician is equipped with a Microsoft Hololens AR headset, which hosts an AR user interface developed using Unity. The functionality and performance of the case study implementation of the RAS is verified against the functional and non-functional requirements formulated in the thesis. The verification is based on the results of two experiments. The results of the verification experiments show that the implemented RAS met the functional requirements, achieving near real-time transmission of operational data, enriched communication between the Remote Assistant and On-site Technician and effective use of AR in supporting the On-site Technician. Non-functional requirements, such as vendor independence, system flexibility, and compatibility with network constraints, were also verified. The implemented RAS could be reconfigured to include other DTs and proved adaptable to different hardware and software platforms – highlighting its potential for scalability and integration into various industrial environments. Based on the results of the verification of the case study implementation, the thesis presents a holistic evaluation of the developed RAS against the thesis objective. The evaluation confirms that the RAS improves remote assistance by providing near real-time, accurate guidance during maintenance activities. The RAS allows On-site Technicians to view relevant data, such as equipment status and maintenance instructions, directly within their AR headset, which can potentially reduce errors and downtime. While the proof-of-concept RAS focused on supporting machine maintenance, the flexibility of the RAS – as enabled by the developed architecture and implementation technologies – is expected to support applications in other industrial sectors and remote assistance scenarios. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oor verskeie nywerhede heen is die behoefte om van 'n afgeleë plek af te werk en bystand te verleen, vererger deur reisbeperkings wat tydens die Covid-19- pandemie ingestel is. Dit is veral waar vir maatskappye wat naverkoopdiens vir hul toerusting aan internasionale kliënte bied. Gevolglik is daar 'n groeiende behoefte aan oplossings wat spesialiste in staat stel om doeltreffende afstandhulp te bied aan tegnici op die terrein wat aan toerusting werk, bv. om instandhouding te verrig. Om hierdie behoefte aan te spreek, bied hierdie tesis die ontwikkeling van 'n bewys-van-konsep digitale-tweeling-gebaseerde afgeleë-bystandstelsel (remote assistance system (RAS)) met verhoogde-werklikheid (augmented reality (AR)) ondersteuning vir tegnici op die terrein wat instandhouding aan masjiene verrig. Deur 'n ontleding van die afgeleë-bystandskonteks en belanghebbende se behoeftes, formuleer die tesis 'n stel funksionele en nie-funksionele vereistes. Die vereistes word gebruik om die ontwerp van die argitektuur vir die RAS te rig, wat gebaseer is op 'n bestaande diens-georiënteerde argitektuur vir 'n stelsel van digitale tweelinge (DT’e). Die RAS-argitektuur word geïmplementeer in 'n gevallestudie, wat gebaseer is op die afgeleë-bystandaktiwiteit vir 'n spesifieke masjien van 'n Suid-Afrikaanse mynbou-toerustingverskaffer. Die gevallestudie-implementering maak gebruik van verskeie dienste van die Microsoft Azure-platform vir die komponente van die DT en digitale dienste. In die gevallestudie word die tegnikus op die terrein toegerus met 'n Microsoft Hololens AR-toestel, wat 'n AR-gebruikerskoppelvlak onderhou wat met Unity ontwikkel is. Die funksionaliteit en verrigting van die gevallestudie-implementering van die RAS word geverifieer teen die funksionele en nie-funksionele vereistes wat in die tesis geformuleer is. Die verifikasie is gebaseer op die resultate van twee eksperimente. https://scholar.sun.ac.za v Die resultate van die verifikasie-eksperimente toon dat die geïmplementeerde RAS aan die funksionele vereistes voldoen het, deur die byna in-tydse transmissie van operasionele data, verrykte kommunikasie tussen die afgeleë assistent en tegnikus op die terrein, en effektiewe gebruik van AR in die ondersteuning van die tegnikus op die terrein te behaal. Nie-funksionele vereistes, soos verkoperonafhanklikheid, stelselbuigsaamheid en verenigbaarheid met netwerkbeperkings, is ook geverifieer. Die geïmplementeerde RAS kon herkonfigureer word om ander DT'e in te sluit en het bewys dat dit aanpasbaar is by verskillende hardeware– en sagtewareplatforms, wat die potensiaal vir skaalbaarheid en integrasie in verskeie industriële omgewings beklemtoon. Op grond van die resultate van die verifikasie van die gevallestudieimplementering, bied die tesis 'n holistiese evaluering van die ontwikkelde RAS teenoor die doel van die tesis. Die evaluering bevestig dat die RAS afgeleë-bystand verbeter deur byna in-tydse, akkurate leiding tydens instandhoudingsaktiwiteite te verskaf. Die RAS stel tegnici op die terrein in staat om relevante data, soos toerustingstatus en instandhoudingsinstruksies, direk binne hul AR-toestel te sien, wat moontlik foute en stilstandtyd kan verminder. Terwyl die bewys-van-konsep RAS gefokus was op die ondersteuning van masjieninstandhouding, word verwag dat die buigsaamheid van die RAS – soos moontlik gemaak deur die ontwikkelde argitektuur en implementeringstegnologieë – toepassings in ander industriële sektore en afgeleë-bystandscenario's kan ondersteun. Masters 2025-01-28T12:14:33Z 2025-01-28T12:14:33Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131597 en Stellenbosch University xv, 121 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Digital twins (Computer simulation) Machinery -- Maintenance and repair Cooperating objects (Computer systems) Augmented reality UCTD Brink, Adriaan Pieter A digital twin-based remote assistance system with on-site augmented reality support for machine maintenance. |
| title | A digital twin-based remote assistance system with on-site augmented reality support for machine maintenance. |
| title_full | A digital twin-based remote assistance system with on-site augmented reality support for machine maintenance. |
| title_fullStr | A digital twin-based remote assistance system with on-site augmented reality support for machine maintenance. |
| title_full_unstemmed | A digital twin-based remote assistance system with on-site augmented reality support for machine maintenance. |
| title_short | A digital twin-based remote assistance system with on-site augmented reality support for machine maintenance. |
| title_sort | digital twin based remote assistance system with on site augmented reality support for machine maintenance |
| topic | Digital twins (Computer simulation) Machinery -- Maintenance and repair Cooperating objects (Computer systems) Augmented reality UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131597 |
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