Development of a digital factory using automation simulation tools

This paper describes an academic project building on various state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 technologies. The project considers as the primary scenario the current problem behind the accumulation of biological waste in the vicinity of hospitals due to the COVID-19. To that end, a fully automated personal protective equipment recycling plant is developed using the Factory I/O simulation tool, TIA Portal, and Ignition. The project is considered to serve well as a reference for other Electrical Engineering undergraduates while complementing their training in skills such as design, automation, and supervision of industrial processes.