Transformation of continuous simulation models of automated manufacturing systems into discrete event models on different levels of detail

To test the control code of an automated manufacturing system, virtual commissioning (VC) can be employed: the binary input and output signals of the controller (usually a Programmable Logic Controller, PLC) are connected with a simulation model of the plant. To resemble the physical behavior of the plant and of the sensors and actuators, the simulation model is usually a mixed continuous/discrete model. For different types of tests and different sizes of plants, simulation models are required at different detail. Four “Levels of Detail” (LoD) have been proposed in the literature for the continuous simulation models of modules in manufacturing plants. In this contribution, a similar four-LoD classification is proposed for discrete modelling, and this is exemplified by the transformation of four simulation models (which model the continuous physical behavior of a conveyor at four different LoD) to correspondent discrete simulation models. This will allow, with the same variation of the LoD, carrying out other validation and verification methods which are based on discrete event models.