Nowadays, reconfiguration and adaptation by means of optimal re-parametrization in industrial cyber-physical systems (ICPS) is one of the bottlenecks for the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry. This work proposes a cloud-to-edges-based ICPS equipped with machine learning techniques. The proposed reasoning module includes a learning procedure based on two reinforcement learning techniques, running in parallel, for updating both the data-conditioning and processing strategy and the prediction model. The presented solution distributes computational resources and analytic engines in multiple layers and independent modules increasing the smartness and the autonomy for monitoring and control the behavior at shop floor level. The suitability of the proposed solution, evaluated in a pilot line, is endorsed by fast time response (i.e., 0.01s at the edge level) and the appropriate setting of optimal operational parameters for guaranteeing the desired quality surface roughness during macro and micro milling operations.

The unmanned control of the steering wheel is, at present, one of the most important challenges facing researchers in autonomous vehicles within the field of intelligent transportation systems (ITSs). In this paper, we present a two-layer control architecture for automatically moving the steering wheel of a mass-produced vehicle. The first layer is designed to calculate the target position of the steering wheel at any time and is based on fuzzy logic. The second is a classic control layer that moves the steering bar by means of an actuator to achieve the position targeted by the first layer. Real-time kinematic differential global positioning system (RTK-DGPS) equipment is the main sensor input for positioning. It is accurate to about 1 cm and can finely locate the vehicle trajectory. The developed systems are installed on a Citroe/spl uml/n Berlingo van, which is used as a testbed vehicle. Once this control architecture has been implemented, installed, and tuned, the resulting steering maneuvering is very similar to human driving, and the trajectory errors from the reference route are reduced to a minimum. The experimental results show that the combination of GPS and artificial-intelligence-based techniques behaves outstandingly. We can also draw other important conclusions regarding the design of a control system derived from human driving experience, providing an alternative mathematical formalism for computation, human reasoning, and integration of qualitative and quantitative information.

A digital twin-based optimization procedure is presented for an ultraprecision motion system with a flexible shaft connecting the motor to the (elastic) load, which is subject to both backlash and friction. The main contributions of the study are the design of the digital twin and its implementation, assuming a two-mass drive system. The procedure includes the virtual representation of mechanical and electrical components, non-linearities (backlash and friction), and the corresponding control system. A procedure for digital twin-based optimization is also presented, in which the maximum absolute position error is minimized while maintaining accuracy with no significant increase in the control effort. The optimal settings for the controller parameters and for the backlash peak amplitude, the backlash peak time, and the hysteresis amplitude are then determined, in order to guarantee an appropriate dynamic response in the presence of backlash and friction. The surface quality of certain manufactured components, such as hip and knee implants, depends on the smoothness and the accuracy of the real trajectory produced in the cutting process that is strongly influenced by the maximum position error. The simulations and experimental studies are presented using a real platform and two references for trajectory control, and a comparison of four digital twin-based optimization methods. The simulation study and the real-time experiments demonstrate the suitability of the digital twin-based optimization procedure and lay the foundations for the implementation of the proposed method at an industrial level.