Home of virtual commissioning since 1995
Virtual commissioning of machines and systems in real time
Plan, test and optimise efficient and safe systems
using WinMOD real-time simulations
The WinMOD concept
WinMOD is the leading modular real-time simulation platform for the virtual planning, commissioning, validation and optimisation of automation projects. With WinMOD, you can create functional digital twins for commissioning your machines and systems under realistic conditions – easily, quickly and safely in the office. The platform seamlessly connects your automation systems to the behaviour model and, thanks to the possibility of process, 3D and various co-simulations, offers comprehensive tools for the holistic representation and testing of complex automation solutions.
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Further information
Virtual commissioning (VC)
Virtual commissioning (VC) with WinMOD allows automation software and automation structures to be tested intensively and without risk prior to actual installation. This saves time and money, as potential planning and implementation errors in programming can be identified and rectified at an early stage.
WinMOD supports both real automation systems (Hardware in the Loop = HIL) and virtual ones (Software in the Loop = SIL).
Factory Acceptance Test (FAT)
In process-oriented sectors such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, building materials, water and wastewater, factory acceptance tests (FAT) are a proven part of the software testing process for automation systems. Previously carried out with a high level of hardware usage – for example, using physical switches and potentiometers – since 1995, thanks to WinMOD, the test has been carried out as a virtual commissioning process. All levels of automation are tested: from PLCs and HMIs to the operational management level (MES) – efficiently, digitally and realistically.
Operator training with the digital twin
A successfully completed VC or FAT with WinMOD lays the foundation for a practical Operator Training System (OTS). The resulting digital twin accurately replicates your automated plant – including the original software version of all automation systems involved. In a safe and realistic environment, operators and maintenance personnel train typical procedures, emergency scenarios and complex processes – without affecting real production. The behaviour of the plant can be experienced under varying conditions, training courses can be repeated flexibly and adapted precisely to different requirements.
software test
WinMOD creates test environments for developers and engineers to test their AS software under realistic conditions and variable load scenarios – without any risk. Thanks to the detailed simulation of the entire machine/plant, errors can be detected and corrected at an early stage – even before they are actually installed.
Various manual and automated manipulation options, imported via external software testing tools, enable test scenarios that are necessary but cannot be performed without risk in a real environment.
This provides extreme safety for programmers, commissioning engineers and all trades involved in subsequent processes.
Factory automation with WinMOD
Whether production lines with robots or complex, fully automated warehouses: WinMOD realistically maps your production and transport technology. Actuator and sensor systems, such as frequency converters, RFID and other identification systems, are virtualised. Material flow systems (MFS) in particular are linked for strategy testing.
- Container conveying systems
- Pallet conveying systems
- Automated Warehouses
- Mechanical engineering
- robotics
- Pick-and-place systems
- Electric overhead and floor tracks
- Power and Free
- Automated Guided Vehicles
- production lines
Process automation with WinMOD
WinMOD is the right system for simulating processes involving liquids, gases and bulk solids. With highly efficient libraries, you can virtualise control systems, chemical reactors, temperature curves, hydraulic and pneumatic systems in all variants in real time. Connect small and large control systems, right up to complete process control systems.
- Chemistry/Pharmacy
- Biotechnology
- Food
- Coal and steel industry
- Air conditioning/refrigeration technology
- Energy
- Water/wastewater
- Transportation and infrastructure
- Building automation
- Shipbuilding/offshore installations
Automotive engineering with WinMOD
WinMOD is used to build „real“ virtual cars. From the body shell to the „marriage“ and final assembly, production chains are mapped completely virtually and realistically. Projects are created efficiently by integrating real CAD data and virtualisation in the SIMLINE real-time 3D environment.
- pressing plants
- Body welding cells
- Paint shop lines
- MAT basic assembly
- battery manufacturing
- Pallet conveying systems
- Automatic car body storage
- SKID Conveying Systems
- electric monorail
- Skillet-SKID lines
OUR SERVICES
Tailor-made solutions for your project
With WinMOD, you not only receive real-time simulation software, but we also support you as a reliable partner in introducing the system into your workflow.
presentation
We will introduce you to our WinMOD system in an individual remote workshop, in which the most important system features and workflows will be explained.
Training
We use sample projects to train you in the correct procedures and working methods in WinMOD. The training takes place online and can also be tailored to customer projects.
project support
We will support you in getting started with your first WinMOD project as part of our WinMOD project support.
engineering
On request, we can take care of the preparation and testing of company-specific behaviour models, process components and WinMOD-SIMLINE components.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does ‘virtual commissioning’ mean? / What is ‘virtual commissioning’? / What is ‘virtual commissioning’?
Virtual commissioning refers to the testing and validation of a plant’s control system using a digital model. This enables PLC programmes, robot programmes and other control functions, as well as their interaction with the virtual plant, to be tested and optimised before the actual plant is fully assembled and commissioned.
Why virtual commissioning? / What are the benefits of virtual commissioning?
Virtual commissioning offers a Time saved from to to 75 % during actual commissioning on site. The key benefits of using WinMOD include:
- Early Error detection:Software bugs are now being identified and rectified in a relaxed atmosphere in the office, rather than under time pressure on the building site.
- Solid Cost reduction:They help you avoid unexpected delays for customers, save on expensive travel costs for last-minute call-outs and eliminate the risk of hardware damage caused by collisions.
- Higher Software quality:By enabling the straightforward simulation of fault scenarios, the control code achieves a level of maturity that could not possibly be tested on real machines for safety reasons.
What is the business case for virtual commissioning in the automation industry?
The economic justification (the ROI) for virtual commissioning is best explained by the principle of radical risk minimisation. Any error that is only noticed once work has begun on the customer’s actual construction site costs many times more than it would have cost to rectify it in the office. In practice, the investment in a WinMOD licence and the time spent building the model often pay for themselves simply by preventing the very first system crash.
When considering cost-effectiveness from a holistic perspective, the benefits are not limited solely to reducing travel and accommodation costs. Here is a detailed breakdown of the risks that are effectively mitigated by WinMOD:
| Risk factor | The real problem on the building site | The cost-effective solution through virtual commissioning (e.g. using WinMOD) |
| Test risks (hardware) | PLC code that has not been adequately tested on actual machines poses a serious fire hazard. Faulty control logic can, for example, lead to unexpected movements, causing parts of the system or workpieces to collide with one another and result in damage. | Free collisions: Nothing breaks in the digital twin. You can test critical limit conditions and emergency stop sequences in a completely non-destructive manner, as often as you like. |
| Human risks | Commissioning engineers often work on site under extreme time pressure, whilst suffering from jet lag or construction site noise. Fatigue inevitably leads to a higher error rate. Furthermore, working alongside machines weighing several tonnes that have not yet been tested poses an enormous physical safety risk to staff. | Stress-free engineering: The most critical and error-prone part of the work – debugging the code – is moved to a quiet, safe and ergonomically designed office environment. This protects staff health and helps retain skilled workers. |
| Hidden sources of error | Modern systems consist of tens of thousands of I/O signals. A simple transposition in the sensor configuration within the E-CAD software may go unnoticed mechanically, but leads to a system crash in the software. On site, the nerve-wracking search for a needle in a haystack then begins. | Maximum transparency: WinMOD visualises signals and logic in real time. Signal errors are immediately apparent thanks to the 3D simulation and can be rectified with just a few clicks, before the first actual cable is laid. |
| Financial risks | Delays in delivery can prove extremely costly in plant engineering. In the event of delays, contractual penalties can very quickly eat into the entire project margin. Actual commissioning often acts as a bottleneck, as it can only take place at the end of the project chain. | Reliability of delivery: Through Concurrent Engineering Programmers no longer have to wait until the mechanical components have been fully assembled. The software is tested in parallel, which drastically reduces lead times and ensures the delivery date is met. |
In summary: From a commercial perspective, virtual commissioning is not merely „simulation software“, but the most effective insurance policy against contractual penalties, hardware damage and staff burnout that a plant manufacturer can take out today.
What is a digital twin? / What is a digital twin, explained simply?
A digital twin is the exact virtual replica of a real-world object, system or plant. Not only does it look exactly like the original, but it also accurately replicates its behaviour in systems such as WinMOD. When you press a button in the real world, something happens – the twin does exactly the same thing digitally, which makes it a central component of Industry 4.0.
What does a digital twin do?
A digital twin exchanges data in real time with its real-world environment or the connected control system. For example, it receives control commands from the PLC (such as „Motor on“) and immediately sends the corresponding feedback (such as „Light barrier interrupted“) back via the WinMOD real-time simulation, thereby creating a closed-loop control system.
What are the benefits of a digital twin?
A digital twin makes invisible software processes visible and enables design faults to be predicted. Operators and planners benefit in the long term:
- It acts as an extremely secure sandbox for engineering.
- Optimisations (e.g. increasing cycle times) can be tested without risk.
- Alterations or extensions (Retrofits) can be tested virtually without having to halt ongoing production at the plant.
CONTACT
Start your project with WinMOD
We are happy to advise and support you with your first project. After a short online introduction, you can get started with WinMOD right away and test it out.
Just give us a call!
