Design workflow

Design Workflow in Twin Fabrica

The design workflow in Twin Fabrica follows a structured process that helps you create and calibrate virtual thermal sensors efficiently. The software is divided into key phases, each representing an important step in the sensor design and validation process.

Steps to Follow the Design Workflow

1. Understanding the workflow:

Twin Fabrica is specifically designed for the development and calibration of virtual thermal sensors. The design process is broken down into distinct phases, which are represented in the software interface as different tabs:

1. PROJECT
2. PHYSICS
3. REDUCTION
4. CALIBRATION
5. SIMULATION

Each tab corresponds to a critical step in the design and calibration process, making it easy to follow from start to finish.

The PHYSICS tab is the first phase in creating a virtual thermal sensor. Here, you define the heat sources, assign materials, and set boundary conditions that govern heat exchange with the environment. This foundational setup ensures accurate representation of thermal phenomena. Once completed, this phase sets the stage for building a Full Order Model (FOM), which is the starting point for the following reduction, calibration, and simulation steps.

2. Model Order Reduction:

After defining the full physics of the system, the next step is Model Order Reduction. In this phase, the high-fidelity Full Order Model (FOM) is reduced to a Reduced Order Model (ROM), simplifying the model without losing the essential thermal dynamics.

This reduction process significantly lowers the computational load, making the model faster and more efficient for tasks like optimization and simulation. Once the ROM is created, it becomes the basis for calibration and validation in the following stages.

3. Calibration:

With the ROM in place, the next step is Calibration. In this phase, you import experimental data from a physical test setup into Twin Fabrica. Each sensor and thermal measurement point is defined, and the model is fine-tuned to match real-world data.

The goal of this process is to minimize the gap between simulated results and real-world measurements, ensuring that the ROM behaves accurately under actual conditions. Once the calibration is complete, you’ll have a precise and optimized ROM ready for deployment.

4. Simulation:

The final step in the design workflow is Simulation. Here, you validate the performance of the calibrated ROM by comparing its predictions against experimental data—either the same data used during calibration or new validation data.

Additionally, you can integrate components like state observers to enhance the model's accuracy and robustness. These observers combine simulated data with real-time sensor measurements, improving the virtual sensor’s performance in practical applications.

By following these steps, Twin Fabrica guides you through a comprehensive and efficient process for developing high-performance virtual thermal sensors suitable for real-world deployment.