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An aggregated digital twin system for a human-robot collaboration manufacturing cell
Joseph, A. J. 2025. An Aggregated Digital Twin System for a Human-Robot Collaboration Manufacturing Cell. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/ed1e6250-e739-4983-8371-9a3aaba2b717
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614116421566464 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Joseph, Akhil Jose |
| author2 | Kruger, Karel |
| author_browse | Joseph, Akhil Jose Kruger, Karel |
| author_facet | Kruger, Karel Joseph, Akhil Jose |
| author_sort | Joseph, Akhil Jose |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Joseph, A. J. 2025. An Aggregated Digital Twin System for a Human-Robot Collaboration Manufacturing Cell. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/ed1e6250-e739-4983-8371-9a3aaba2b717 |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132221 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:55.727Z |
| 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:10019.1/132221 An aggregated digital twin system for a human-robot collaboration manufacturing cell Joseph, Akhil Jose Kruger, Karel Basson, Anton Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Digital twins (Computer simulation) Cooperating objects (Computer systems) Groupware (Computer software) Manufacturing cells Robotics -- Human factors UCTD Joseph, A. J. 2025. An Aggregated Digital Twin System for a Human-Robot Collaboration Manufacturing Cell. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/ed1e6250-e739-4983-8371-9a3aaba2b717 Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis focuses on the design and implementation of a digital twin (DT) for a collaborative manufacturing workcell to enhance data-driven decision-making and enable intelligent robot control. The DT is implemented following the Six Layer Architecture for Digital Twins with Aggregation (SLADT-A), which provides a structured framework for functionality encapsulation and separation. The ROS 2 platform is used to implement the SLADT-A architecture in this thesis. The systems engineering design process and a case study-based research method is employed in this study. The collaborative assembly workcell, in the Stellenbosch University Learning Factory, served as the case study where human operators and a UR5e robot collaborate in a shared workspace to assemble reconfigurable model trains. The ROS 2 implementation of SLADT-A used in this case study to implement an aggregated DT of a collaborative workcell, for monitoring, dynamic control and co-ordination of the workcell. The DT aggregates data for visualization, collision checking, and task generation, allowing seamless operation in overlapping workzones. The system demonstrated capabilities for real-time operation, extensibility, and reconfigurability. Latency analysis showed acceptable performance, although further optimization and analysis is required to improve and characterise system performance and network latencies. The thesis concludes that the ROS 2 implementation of SLADT-A meets the functional requirements for a collaborative workcell DT, showcasing dynamic adaptability, usability, and reconfigurability. However, further research is necessary to refine its performance under complex processing conditions and to explore scalability to larger systems. Future work should focus on characterising full system performance and latency and integrating off-the-shelf simulation tools to extend its application in real-world scenarios. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis fokus op die ontwerp en implementering van 'n digitale tweeling (DT) vir 'n samewerkende vervaardigingswerksel om data-gedrewe besluitneming te verbeter en intelligente robotbeheer moontlik te maak. Die DT word geïmplementeer na aanleiding van die Six Layer Architecture for Digital Twins with Aggregation (SLADT-A), wat 'n gestruktureerde raamwerk vir funksionaliteitinkapseling en –skeiding verskaf. Die ROS 2 platform word gebruik om die SLADTA-argitektuur te implementeer in hierdie tesis. Die stelselingenieurswese-ontwerpproses en 'n gevallestudie-gebaseerde navorsingsmetode word in hierdie studie aangewend. Die samewerkende monteerwerksel, in die Universiteit Stellenbosch Leerfabriek, het gedien as die gevallestudie waar menslike operateurs en 'n UR5e-robot in 'n gedeelde werkspasie saam werk om herkonfigureerbare modeltreine saam te stel. Die ROS 2 implemetering van SLADT-A word in hierdie gevallestudie gebruik om 'n saamgestelde DT van 'n samewerkende werksel te implementeer, vir monitering, dinamiese beheer en koördinering van die werksel. Die DT versamel data vir visualisering, botsingskontrole en taakgenerering, wat naatlose werking in oorvleuelende werksones moontlik maak. Die stelsel het vermoëns getoon vir intydse werking, uitbreidbaarheid en herkonfigureerbaarheid. Vertragingsanalise het aanvaarbare werkverrigting getoon, alhoewel verdere optimalisering en analise nodig is om stelselwerkverrigting en netwerkvertragings te verbeter en te karakteriseer. Die thesis kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die ROS 2 implementering van SLADT-A voldoen aan die funksionele vereistes vir 'n samewerkende werksel-DT, wat dinamiese aanpasbaarheid, bruikbaarheid en herkonfigureerbaarheid toon. Verdere navorsing is egter nodig om die stelsel se werkverrigting onder komplekse verwerkingstoestande te verfyn en om skaleerbaarheid na groter stelsels te verken. Toekomstige werk moet fokus op die karakterisering van volle stelselwerkverrigting en -vertraging en die integrasie van van-die-rak simulasieinstrumente om die toepassing daarvan in werklike scenario's uit te brei. Masters 2025-05-30T08:12:29Z 2025-05-30T08:12:29Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132221 en Stellenbosch University xiii, 103 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Digital twins (Computer simulation) Cooperating objects (Computer systems) Groupware (Computer software) Manufacturing cells Robotics -- Human factors UCTD Joseph, Akhil Jose An aggregated digital twin system for a human-robot collaboration manufacturing cell |
| title | An aggregated digital twin system for a human-robot collaboration manufacturing cell |
| title_full | An aggregated digital twin system for a human-robot collaboration manufacturing cell |
| title_fullStr | An aggregated digital twin system for a human-robot collaboration manufacturing cell |
| title_full_unstemmed | An aggregated digital twin system for a human-robot collaboration manufacturing cell |
| title_short | An aggregated digital twin system for a human-robot collaboration manufacturing cell |
| title_sort | aggregated digital twin system for a human robot collaboration manufacturing cell |
| topic | Digital twins (Computer simulation) Cooperating objects (Computer systems) Groupware (Computer software) Manufacturing cells Robotics -- Human factors UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132221 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT josephakhiljose anaggregateddigitaltwinsystemforahumanrobotcollaborationmanufacturingcell AT josephakhiljose aggregateddigitaltwinsystemforahumanrobotcollaborationmanufacturingcell |