Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced that it has developed edge digital twin technology in collaboration with RWTH Aachen University in Germany. The technology corrects errors in real time on computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools. The development occurred through joint research conducted from April 2023 to March 2026 on online edge computing using a high-speed processing unit. The digital twin estimates machining errors caused by slight deformation of machined parts due to cutting tool force and feeds the results back into the control system in real time.
The digital twin uses a proprietary compact physical model composed of a minimum number of equations. This model was created using large amounts of data, including axis positions, currents, and cutting forces, acquired at a high sampling rate. Only the information necessary for estimating machining errors is extracted.
Tests on a CNC machine tool showed that the technology can reduce errors in machining due to tool-induced part deformation by up to 50%. The reduction in defective parts and stabilization of surface quality leads to improved productivity and reduced environmental impact.
The edge digital twin implementation enables real-time compensation during the cutting process, lowering the number of mistakes and defective parts produced.
