Towards cloud-based virtual commissioning of distributed automation systems

Thumbnail Image

URL

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

School of Electrical Engineering | Doctoral thesis (article-based) | Defence date: 2025-10-31

Authors

Date

2025

Department

Sähkötekniikan ja automaation laitos
Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation

Major/Subject

Mcode

Degree programme

Language

en

Pages

134 + app. 80

Series

Aalto University publication series Doctoral Theses, 191/2025

Abstract

Virtual Commissioning (VC) of distributed automation systems faces critical challenges in manual configuration complexity, performance prediction accuracy, and validation scalability. To address these limitations, this thesis develops CloViC (Cloud-based VC), an integrated framework that unifies advanced performance analysis, cloud computing, and AI-enhanced validation into a single web platform. Using containerization and orchestration technologies, the approach dynamically deploys soft PLC instances, OPC UA servers, and supporting services in cloud environments to minimize manual configuration and enable analysis of system performance. A key innovation is the automated benchmarking process that extracts comprehensive performance knowledge bases from systematic measurements across heterogeneous platforms. By measuring control performance metrics such as execution time, CPU load, and jitter with varying computational complexities, this approach enables accurate performance analysis during VC rather than solely focusing on functional requirement validation. The thesis introduces LLM4VC framework, an AI-assisted testing analyzer as one of services in CloViC, that transforms raw runtime logs into standardized, machine-readable formats through customized Python scripts. Enhanced with context-aware insights from LLM, this analyzer automatically processes distributed system logs against Machine-Readable Expected Behavior generated from engineering specifications. This AI-enhanced approach enables automated anomaly detection, fault diagnosis, and performance assessment without manual intervention.CloViC provides scalable backend services including automatic I/O simulation, real-time performance monitoring, and intelligent system configuration management. The platform is deployed on Azure Kubernetes Service as microservices, enabling efficient and flexible VC experiences accessible through web interfaces. Experimental validation through representative case studies that are Hot Water Tank control and EnAS Test Control Application demonstrates significant improvements in VC efficiency and accuracy. Automated benchmarking reveals performance variations in six heterogeneous platforms, while AI-assisted analysis achieves reliable fault detection across multiple failure scenarios. CloViC accelerates development cycles by providing immediate feedback on performance metrics and supports data-driven distribution strategies through continuous monitoring, establishing a new foundation for agile, adaptive distributed automation system development in Industry 4.0 environments.

Description

Supervising professor

Vyatkin, Valeriy, Prof., Aalto University, Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Finland

Thesis advisor

Atmojo, Udayanto Dwi, Dr., Aalto University, Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Finland

Keywords

distributed automation systems, virtual commissioning, IEC 61499, cloud computing, performance analysis, artificial intelligence

Other note

Parts

  • [Publication 1]: Tuojian Lyu, Jan Olaf Blech, and Valeriy Vyatkin. SMT-based deployment calculation for IEC 61499 control applications. In 2021 4th IEEE International Conference on Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems (ICPS), pp. 172-178, July 2021.
    Full text in Acris/Aaltodoc: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-2021120110549
    DOI: 10.1109/ICPS49255.2021.9468194 View at publisher
  • [Publication 2]: Tuojian Lyu, Udayanto Dwi Atmojo, and Valeriy Vyatkin. Towards cloud-based VC of distributed automation applications with IEC 61499 and containerization technology. In IECON 2021 – 47th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, pp. 1-7, October 2021.
    Full text in Acris/Aaltodoc: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202202021670
    DOI: 10.1109/IECON48115.2021.9589945 View at publisher
  • [Publication 3]: Tuojian Lyu, Udayanto Dwi Atmojo, and Valeriy Vyatkin. On automatic generation of OPC UA connections in IEC 61499 automation systems. In 2022 IEEE 5th International Conference on Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems (ICPS), pp. 1-6, May 2022.
    DOI: 10.1109/ICPS51978.2022.9816861 View at publisher
  • [Publication 4]: Tuojian Lyu, Udayanto Dwi Atmojo, and Valeriy Vyatkin. On enhancing reconfigurability of I/O connection and access in IEC 61499. In 2022 IEEE 31st International Symposium on Industrial Electronics (ISIE), pp. 818-823, June 2022.
    Full text in Acris/Aaltodoc: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202302202150
    DOI: 10.1109/ISIE51582.2022.9831506 View at publisher
  • [Publication 5]: Tuojian Lyu, Tung Nguyen, Roman Rumiantsev, Mikhail Kolesnikov, Hansani Perera, Udayanto Dwi Atmojo, and Valeriy Vyatkin. Towards Web Platform for Cloud-Based VC of IEC 61499 Distributed Automation Systems. In 2024 IEEE 29th International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation (ETFA), pp. 1-4, September 2024.
    Full text in Acris/Aaltodoc: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202501171312
    DOI: 10.1109/ETFA61755.2024.10710351 View at publisher
  • [Publication 6]: Tuojian Lyu, and Valeriy Vyatkin. Computing Performance Analysis of IEC 61499 Distributed Automation Systems. In 2025 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Technology (ICIT), pp. 1-6, March 2025.
    Full text in Acris/Aaltodoc: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202505143641
    DOI: 10.1109/ICIT63637.2025.10965335 View at publisher
  • [Publication 7]: Tuojian Lyu, Huazhi Han, Udayanto Dwi Atomojo, and Valeriy Vyatkin. Real-time VC Reality Check: Benchmarking IEC 61499 Runtime Performance Across Industrial, Edge, and Cloud Platforms. Submitted to IEEE Open Journal of the Industrial Electronics Society, 12 pages, August 2025.
  • [Publication 8]: Tuojian Lyu, Udayanto Dwi Atmojo, and Valeriy Vyatkin. Complexity-Aware Distribution Optimization for Computing-Intensive IEC 61499 Distributed Automation Systems. In 2025 IEEE 23rd IEEE International Conference on Industrial Informatics (INDIN), pp. 1-6, July 2025.
  • [Publication 9]: Tuojian Lyu, Udayanto Dwi Atmojo, and Valeriy Vyatkin. LLM4VC: Harnessing Large Language Models for VC of IEC 61499 Automation Systems. In 2025 IEEE 34th International Symposium on Industrial Electronics (ISIE), pp. 1-6, June 2025.
    DOI: 10.1109/ISIE62713.2025.11124673 View at publisher

Citation

Permanent link to this item

https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-64-2752-2

Collections

[diss] Sähkötekniikan korkeakoulu / ELEC