Closed-Loop Digital Twin for Solids Level Sensing — From Physics to PLC

Описание: In many digital twin demonstrations, sensors only feed dashboards.
But in real industrial plants, sensors drive PLC decisions — when to open valves, trigger alarms, or stop a batch.

In this video, I present a closed-loop cyber-physical architecture where a virtual level sensor, simulated in NVIDIA Isaac Sim, behaves like a real industrial radar or laser sensor and feeds a PLC in real time.

The key principle is simple:
the PLC remains the decision-maker.
Whether the level signal comes from a real sensor installed in the plant or from a physics-based digital twin, the PLC logic stays exactly the same.

What this video covers:
• Cyber-physical architecture for solids level sensing
• Physics-based virtual distance sensor in NVIDIA Isaac Sim
• Real-time tank filling simulation
• Material level calculation from distance
• Data exchange with a PLC using Pylogix
• Volume calculation performed inside the PLC
• Edge-case testing (overflow, abnormal filling) without risking real equipment
This approach is especially useful for:
• FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing)
• Operator training
• Commissioning preparation
• R&D and control strategy validation

This is not a fancy HMI.
It’s a cyber-physical system where physics, sensors, and PLC logic interact in real time.
More industrial digital twin content coming soon on IndusphereTech.
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⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Hook — The real problem
00:37 Cyber-Physical Architecture overview
01:00 Virtual sensor concept in Isaac Sim
01:35 Tank filling simulation (Isaac Sim)
02:15 Material level calculation
02:45 PLC receives level data (Pylogix)
03:20 Volume calculation in the PLC
03:50 Edge cases and overflow testing
04:25 Why these matters (FAT, training, R&D)
04:55 Closing