The education process of industrial automation and integrated systems has multiple levels
of granularity, parallel to the granularity level of the physical automated systems.

The lowest granularity level starts at working with individual components, such as sensors, actuators,
robots, vision systems, etc. then controlling them with PLCs and drives, and building a
network of controllers and PLCs in a distributed control system (DCS).

Moving up in the
granularity level would be teaching students about industrial communication protocols,
integrating Human Machine-Interface (HMI) and building a Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) system. On top of that knowledge comes the implementation of
Industry 4.0 and industrial internet of things (IIoT).

The hands-on experience in such a
learning process is crucial, specially working with industrial grade components, and with a
neutral approach toward technology, i.e. not focusing on a specific automation supplier.
While advanced automated systems are supplied by many vendors, with some digital twin
(DT) capabilities, they are mostly a closed box, with very little flexibility to change the
underlying architecture or technology, hindering the maximum benefit of student hands-on
experience.

This internship intends to build a simulated changeable automated elevator
system and link it to the physical system to create a digital twin (DT).

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