Carvajal, Christian
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Carvajal, Christian
Main Affiliation
Ambato

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Digital Twin Integration for Active Learning in Robotic Manipulator Control Within Engineering 4.0

2025 , Fernando J. Pantusin , Jessica S. Ortiz , Carvajal, Christian , Víctor H. Andaluz , Lenin G. Yar , Flavio Roberti , Daniel Gandolfo

Robotic systems play an increasingly significant role in both education and industry; however, access to physical robots remains a challenge due to high costs and operational risks. This work presents a training platform based on Digital Twins, aimed at active learning in the control of robotic manipulators, with a focus on the UFACTORY 850 arm. The proposed approach integrates mathematical modeling, interactive simulation, and experimental validation, enabling the implementation and testing of control strategies in three virtual scenarios that replicate real-world conditions: a laboratory, a service environment, and an industrial production line. The system relies on kinematic and dynamic models of the manipulator, using maneuverability velocities as input signals, and employs ROS as middleware to link the Unity 2022.2.14 graphics engine with the control algorithms developed in MATLAB R2022a. Experimental results demonstrate the accuracy of the implemented models and the effectiveness of the control algorithms, validating the usefulness of Digital Twins as a pedagogical tool to support safe, accessible, and innovative learning in robotic engineering.

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A Hardware‐in‐the‐Loop and 3D Simulation Framework for Active Learning in Engineering Education

2025 , Jessica S. Ortiz , Manuel A. Masapanta , Víctor H. Andaluz , Carvajal, Christian

This paper describes the implementation of an industrial control system using the Hardware‐in‐the‐Loop (HIL) technique, integrating a Siemens S7‐1200 PLC with a virtual plant developed in Unity 3D, using the Modbus TCP communication protocol. This integration allows real‐time simulation of industrial processes in a safe, immersive and interactive environment, facilitating the design, testing and validation of control strategies without the need for a physical plant. As part of the study, usability tests were carried out to verify whether the proposed solution is suitable for use as a teaching resource by engineering students. The evaluation was applied to two groups of 20 students each, who interacted with the virtual environment and executed control and monitoring tasks of the simulated process. The results obtained show a satisfactory acceptance of the platform, highlighting its usefulness as a support tool for the understanding and manipulation of automated processes in a controlled environment. This approach proves to be an efficient, safe and scalable alternative for training in industrial automation, aligned with the principles of Industry 4.0.

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