Rockwell Automation, Inc. will integrate the NVIDIA Omniverse application programming interfaces into its Emulate3D digital twin software. The goal is to enhance factory operations through artificial intelligence and physics-based simulation technology.

Digital twins enhance equipment development and control testing through simulation models and emulation, reducing startup time and risk. As equipment is connected into lines, models scale and challenges arise from siloed expertise and integration issues between separately engineered components.

A system-level perspective, including interoperability across machines, can solve these issues, but it requires collaboration for system-level testing. As lines scale, larger digital twins require more computational power, risking bottlenecks. Automation leaders need scalable solutions to achieve full factory-scale models, building on digital twin successes.

Rockwell Automation's Emulate3D software uses the latest NVIDIA Omniverse APIs to create factory-scale dynamic digital twins based on OpenUSD interoperability and NVIDIA RTX rendering technologies. While visualization was previously possible, this enhancement enables true emulation and dynamic testing of multiple machines within a system.

Here are some details about NVIDIA’s Omniverse:

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The integration, planned for early 2025, is designed to offer improved visualization and simulation capabilities for manufacturing environments. "Our integration of Emulate3D with NVIDIA Omniverse marks a significant leap forward in bringing autonomous operations to life," said Blake Moret, chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation, in a statement. "By combining our deep industrial expertise with NVIDIA's cutting-edge technology, we're helping our customers achieve new levels of efficiency, innovation, and collaboration in their manufacturing processes."

Creating a setting for multiple digital twins

By using NVIDIA Omniverse, Emulate3D will allow multiple dynamic digital twins to be combined and visualized as a complete factory through a web app. This vendor-agnostic, scalable approach addresses the growing need for factory-scale digital twins created by engineers collaborating across various teams.

Rockwell Automation noted that its expertise in industrial automation and Emulate3D's comprehensive modeling capabilities pair with the NVIDIA Omniverse platform to enable real-time collaboration at scale. “AI-enabled digital twins are driving the next wave of digital manufacturing and automation,” said Rev Lebaredian, VP of Omniverse and simulation technology at NVIDIA, in a statement. "Rockwell Automation’s Emulate3D software allows manufacturers to collaboratively visualize, simulate, and optimize their operations in real time with NVIDIA Omniverse.”

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Rockwell noted that the collaborative solution will offer manufacturers:

• Hyperscale capabilities through Emulate3D’s multi-model technology

• Cloud-based deployment options for maximum flexibility

• Vendor-agnostic connectivity to a wide range of 3D applications

• A unified web app for stakeholder visualization

Emulate3D digital twin software helps users preemptively identify potential control issues, saving valuable time and resources during implementation. Plant personnel receive additional support by having a virtual space to train on new systems, predict future performance, and simulate line changes without real-world consequences. Emulate3D digital twin software provides a comprehensive and dynamic approach to enhancing efficiency and precision in industrial operations.

The complex digital twin scales up

NVIDIA Omniverse lets developers integrate various factory layers into a comprehensive model, combining architectural software with industrial digital twins. This enables greater coordination across industrial design and operation. Built for scalability, Omniverse’s Universal Scene Description (OpenUSD) foundations and cloud deployments grow alongside projects, helping meet customer demands for even the most complex endeavors.

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This unique solution is particularly valuable for industries with complex, hybrid applications such as consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, life sciences, semiconductor manufacturing, automotive, and material handling.