Over 750 visitors and 21 exhibitors came to the Infinity Hotel in Unterschleißheim, north of Munich, for Matlab Expo 2017. The welcome address by Mathworks Managing Director Andreas Schindler was followed by three keynote speeches, which provided an insight into current trend topics such as autonomous technologies, robotics and autonomous driving.

Dr. Marc Segelken then outlined the innovations in Matlab and Simulink. For example, new data types in Matlab with time-stamped table data, text data and data help with data analysis. Segelken also presented improvements to the Live Editor. With regard to the Simulink software, he explained how just-in-time acceleration reduces the time required for simulations in accelerator mode.

Track for plant manufacturers

After these general presentations, things became more specific. In the 'Modelling of machines and systems' track, Mathworks Product Manager Steve Miller showed how users can minimize energy consumption and increase the robustness of robot systems with Simscape. He also used an example - consisting of a robot and two conveyor belts - to highlight the possible applications of virtual commissioning for early verification of the functionality of the overall system.

Dr. Hubertus Schauerte from the SMS Group took the same line. The machine and plant manufacturer from the metallurgical and rolling mill technology sector uses hardware-in-the-loop test simulations (HILT) to test complex automation systems in advance of the actual commissioning. The speaker showed how even complex systems with all automation-relevant aspects can be modeled, connected to the automation systems via the original fieldbus systems and operated. The automation system cannot distinguish whether the real system or a simulation model is connected. In this constellation, individual module tests are carried out up to the virtual production test of the system. Simulink is used to provide simulation models for the kinematic and dynamic system behavior with corresponding mathematical-physical real-time models.

Trumpf Maschinen Austria also relies on model-based development, as Dr. Martin Bruckner, Head of Sensor and Control Technology, demonstrated. Model-based development using Simulink and automatic generation of the control code for the B&R PLC used are used to develop the control algorithms involved. The presentation dealt with the design of the algorithms for the 'TruBend 5000' bending machine as an example.

The slot 'Innovation and industry - increasing competitiveness with model-based techniques and data analytics' - with 20 external and six internal Mathworks participants - was aimed specifically at decision-makers.

Mathworks and Industry 4.0

There, Philipp Wallner, Industry Manager for Industrial Automation & Machinery at Mathworks, together with his colleagues Hans Martin Ritt and Nadja Terhag-Graeff, gave an overview of the opportunities that are opening up with Mathworks software as part of Industry 4.0. Wallner: "It is worth moving towards model-based development in the future". This would allow you to play with the models and test different options before the systems are built. At the same time, he appealed to both automation engineers and component manufacturers to publish Matlab and Simulink models for their products, as is common practice in the automotive sector, for example.

When asked how Mathworks sets itself apart from the competition, Wallner mentioned two points: One of Matlab's strengths has always been data analysis and how the program can handle engineering data of any kind. In addition, the combination of Matlab for data analytics and algorithm development and Simulink for model-based development is unique and therefore a major competitive advantage.