Hello, I am Yuchen Xia.
My research focuses on LLM agents, digital twins, and autonomous industrial systems. Since 2021, I have focused on this research direction, led two R&D projects on industrial agent systems, and developed multiple LLM-powered solutions deployed in real-world industrial applications.
Academic Background
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Ph.D. (Dr.-Ing.), Institute for Industrial Automation and Software Engineering, University of Stuttgart, Germany, 2020–2026
Dissertation: Integrating Large Language Model Agents with Digital Twins for Industrial Autonomous Systems [PDF]
Doctoral scholarship from the Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft (sdw), financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF; now BMFTR), with subsequent doctoral funding from the Graduate School of Excellence advanced Manufacturing Engineering (GSaME) at the University of Stuttgart.
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M.Sc., Mechatronics and Autonomous Systems, University of Stuttgart, Germany, 2017–2019
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Bilateral double bachelor’s degree program between Wuhan University and the University of Stuttgart.
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Bilateral double bachelor’s degree program between Wuhan University and the University of Stuttgart.
Acknowledgements
Dissertation: Integrating Large Language Model Agents with Digital Twins for Industrial Autonomous Systems [🎓📑 PDF]
The exam presentation is available online: the recording has received over 13K views on 🎬 Bilibili (哔哩哔哩), a major Chinese video platform. It is also available on 🎬 YouTube.
For research: Applying Large Language Models for intelligent industrial automation.
For research: LLM Experiments with Simulation: Multi-Agent System for Simulation Model Parameterization in Digital Twins.
Research Highlights
LLM Agents + Digital Twins for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing — Technology Transfer Project — University of Stuttgart × AstraZeneca PLC
Technical lead for a technology transfer project developing an AI multi-agent system to support and accelerate pharmaceutical process development. LLM agents autonomously conduct controlled experiments using high-fidelity simulation models embedded in digital twins, and turn the resulting evidence into actionable process recommendations.
Following the successful Project-Phase-I proof of concept, Project-Phase-II focuses on scaling the system to solve more complex tasks through model orchestration and automate multi-objective optimization.
References: [IAS Report] [Industry News]
Two related papers are currently in publication process.
Towards autonomous system: flexible modular production system enhanced with large language model agents, Yuchen Xia, Methan Shenoy, Nasser Jazdi, Michael Weyrich, IEEE 28th ETFA, 2023, [IEEE published (PDF)] [arXiv Pre-print (PDF)] [Youtube Video]
TLDR: LLM agents plan workflows and control automation facility.
LLM experiments with simulation: Large Language Model Multi-Agent System for Simulation Model Parametrization in Digital Twins, Yuchen Xia, Daniel Dittler, Nasser Jazdi, Haonan Chen, Michael Weyrich, IEEE 29th ETFA, 2024, [IEEE published (PDF)] [arXiv Pre-print (PDF)] [GitHub] 🏆Best-Paper-Award at IEEE-ETFA-2024 (Sep 13, 2024)
TLDR: LLM agents simulate experiments.
Generation of Asset Administration Shell With Large Language Model Agents: Toward Semantic Interoperability in Digital Twins in the Context of Industry 4.0, Yuchen Xia, Zhewen Xiao, Nasser Jazdi, Michael Weyrich, IEEE Access, 2024, [IEEE published (PDF)] [GitHub]
TLDR: Translate unstructured data into structured information model.
Control Industrial Automation System with Large Language Models, Yuchen Xia, Nasser Jazdi, Jize Zhang, Chaitanya Shah, Michael Weyrich, (accepted) IEEE 30th ETFA, 2025, [IEEE published (PDF)] [arXiv Pre-print (PDF)] [GitHub]
TLDR: Control of automation and robotics system with LLM Agents.
Incorporating Large Language Models into Production Systems for Enhanced Task Automation and Flexibility, Yuchen Xia, Jize Zhang, Nasser Jazdi, Michael Weyrich, VDI-Berichte Nr. 2437, 2024, [VDI Conference (PDF)] [arXiv Pre-print (PDF)]
TLDR: Event & service-based control with LLMs for automation and robotics.
Enhance FMEA with Large Language Models for Assisted Risk Management in Technical Processes and Products, Yuchen Xia, Nasser Jazdi, Michael Weyrich, IEEE 29th ETFA, 2024, [IEEE published (PDF)] [Pre-print (PDF)] [GitHub]
TLDR: A small demo of LLM assistance in brainstorming and creating documents for risk management.
Podcast interview with Peter Seeberg, LLM Multi-Agent System, Industrial AI Podcast, 2024, [LinkedIn Post] [Apple Podcasts] [Spotify]
TLDR: Interview and discussion about LLM agents for simulation and digital twins.
Applying Large Language Models for intelligent industrial automation, Yuchen Xia, Nasser Jazdi, Michael Weyrich, atp magazin, Vol. 66, No. 6-7, pp. 62-71, 2024, [atp magazin (PDF)] [Subscribe atp magazin] 🏆atp award, VDI-Wissensforum, Automation 2025
TLDR: An overview paper explaining methodologies for applying LLM in industrial automation.
Publications (also see Google Scholar)
| Title | Year | Google Link |
|---|---|---|
| Simulation-Integrated LLM-Agent System for Computation Orchestration and Parameter Optimisation in Process Engineering | 2026 | under review |
| Ph.D. Thesis: Integrating Large Language Model Agents with Digital Twins for Industrial Autonomous Systems | 2026 | 📑Dissertation PDF 🔖 Citation.bib |
| LLM Agents Perform Controlled Experiments Using Simulation Models | 2026 | 📑Paper preprint |
| An Architecture for Integrating Large Language Models with Digital Twins and Automation Systems | 2025 | 📑Paper preprint 📑Paper on IEEE 🔖 Citation.bib |
| Control Industrial Automation Systems with Large Language Models | 2025 | 📑Paper on arxiv 📑Paper on IEEE 🔖 Citation.bib |
| Applying Large Language Models for Intelligent Industrial Automation -🏆 atp award 2024 – VDI Automation (July 01, 2025) | 2024 | 📑Paper 🔖 Citation.bib |
| LLM experiments with simulation: Large Language Model Multi-Agent System for Simulation Model Parameterization in Digital Twins -🏆 Best Paper – ETFA 2024 (Sep 13, 2024) | 2024 | 📑Paper on arxiv 📑Paper on IEEE 🔖 Citation.bib |
| Generation of asset administration shell with large language model agents: Towards semantic interoperability in digital twins in the context of Industry 4.0 | 2024 | 📑Paper on IEEE 📑Paper on arxiv 🔖 Citation.bib |
| Incorporating Large Language Models into Production Systems for Enhanced Task Automation and Flexibility | 2024 | 📑Paper on arxiv 🔖 Citation.bib |
| A Flexible Digital Twin Framework for ATMP Production – Towards an Efficient CAR T Cell Manufacturing | 2024 | 📑Paper 🔖 Citation.bib |
| Enhance FMEA with Large Language Models for Assisted Risk Management in Technical Processes and Products | 2024 | 📑Paper on IEEE 📑Paper on techrxiv 🔖 Citation.bib |
| Towards autonomous systems: Flexible modular production system enhanced with large language model agents -⭐️ most cited in conference proceeding 🔗📑Paper on IEEE | 2023 | 📑Paper on arxiv 📑Paper on IEEE 🔖 Citation.bib |
| Automated generation of Asset Administration Shell: A transfer-learning approach with neural language model and semantic fingerprints | 2022 | 📑Paper on IEEE 🔖 Citation.bib |
Teaching and Supervision of Research Theses
I have designed 50 research topics for master students and mentored them throughout their thesis work. Altogether, that’s more than 30 master students. Most of them are now engineers working in industry after their successful graduation. We keep in touch from time to time.
List of supervised students’ theses:
2026
| No. | Type | Topic | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | Master Thesis | Adaptive Tool Selection via State Modeling for LLM Agents in Task Automation | Slides |
| 49 | Master Thesis | Secure Task Delegation for Tool-Using Language Model Agents in Workflow Automation | Slides |
2025
| No. | Type | Topic | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Master Thesis | Enhancing LLM Interpretability for time series with Algorithmic Feature Extraction | Slides |
| 47 | Master Thesis | Resource-Constrained Optimization for On-Premise Deployment of LLM Applications | Slides |
| 46 | Master Thesis | Integrating Vision-Language Models and Object Recognition for Image Analysis in Manufacturing Systems | Slides |
| 45 | Master Thesis | Design and Implementation of an LLM-Powered GUI Agent System for Automated Interface Interaction | Slides |
| 44 | Master Thesis | Vision-Language ModelBased Anomaly Detection and Analysis Using Simulated and Camera Data | Slides |
| 43 | Master Thesis | Large Language Model Agents for AI-Assisted Document Editing for Manufacturing Process Compliance | Slides |
| 42 | Master Thesis | Optimizing LLM Interaction with Domain-Specific Simulation via Model Fine-Tuning | Slides |
| 41 | Master Thesis | Information Extraction with LLM Agents and Code Generation based on a Model-Driven Software Platform | Slides |
| 40 | Master Thesis | Scalable Graph-RAG-based Knowledge System for Domain-Specific Workflow Automation with LLMs | Slides |
| 39 | Master Thesis | Synthetic Data Creation for Training LLMs on Domain-Specific Knowledge | Slides |
| 38 | Master Thesis | Training LLMs on a Domain-Specific Knowledge Base with Reinforcement Learning | Slides |
| 37 | Master Thesis | Development of a Simulation Platform with LLM Integration for Intelligent Manufacturing | Slides |
2024
| No. | Type | Topic | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | Research Thesis | LLM-Powered Automation of Robotic Tasks in Warehouse Systems | Slides |
| 35 | Master Thesis | Investigation of Textual Representation Methods for Improved Data Interpretation by LLMs in Engineering | Slides |
| 34 | Master Thesis | A Comprehensive Benchmark System for Evaluating LLM Performance in Industrial Automation | Slides |
| 33 | Research Thesis | Evaluating PDDL-Based and LLM-Based Task Planning of Robot Behavior for Production Processes | Slides |
| 32 | Master Thesis | Automating Safety and Risk Management with LLM Agents | Slides |
| 31 | Research Thesis | Fine-Tuning LLMs for Enhanced Semantic Interpretation of Microservices in Automation Systems | Slides |
| 30 | Research Thesis | Transforming Vehicle User Manuals into an Interactive AI Chatbot Powered by LLMs | Slides |
| 29 | Master Thesis | Synthetic Training Data Creation for Supervised Fine-Tuning of LLMs for Autonomous Production Planning | Slides |
| 28 | Master Thesis | Integrating LLM Agents with Embedded Systems for Smart Oven Control | Slides |
| 27 | Research Thesis | Survey on LLMs for Applications in Industrial Automation and Software Engineering | Slides |
2023
| No. | Type | Topic | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Research Thesis | Large Language Models for OPC UA Server Data Retrieval | Slides |
| 25 | Bachelor Thesis | Generation of Simscape Models Using Large Language Models | — |
| 24 | Master Thesis | Design of a modular architecture for efficient and intelligent system integration and control | — |
| 23 | Master Thesis | Refining Automation Systems for Enhanced Modular Control | Slides |
| 22 | Research Thesis | Information Mining of Traffic Maps for Test Case Generation | — |
| 21 | Research Thesis | Interpretability Study of LLMs with Probing Techniques | Slides |
| 20 | Research Thesis | Evaluation of Quantized LLMs for Semantic Interpretation and Reasoning in Industrial Automation | Slides |
| 19 | Research Thesis | Prompt Optimization with a Dual GPT-Agent Feedback System | Slides |
| 18 | Research Thesis | Model Transformation and Validation for Test Case Generation | — |
| 17 | Research Thesis | Automated Test Scenario Generation for Autonomous Driving from Accident Reports | Slides |
| 16 | Research Thesis | Investigation of the Explainability of LLM-Generated Results | Slides |
| 15 | Research Thesis | Development of a MTP-based adapter for the integration of robot systems into higher-level process orchestration systems | — |
| 14 | Master Thesis | Semantic Modeling and Automated Skill Matching Using Neural Language Models | Slides |
| 13 | Research Thesis | Experimental Evaluation of LLMs for Semantic Matching in Automation Systems | Slides |
| 12 | Research Thesis | Development of an Enterprise Architect Plugin for Simulink Model Generation | — |
| 11 | Master Thesis | Development of a Knowledge Management System Powered by LLMs | Slides |
2022
| No. | Type | Topic | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Master Thesis | Capability Modeling of a Production System Using a Machine Tool Example | Slides |
| 9 | Master Thesis | Development of a digital twin with a semantic query and command interface for a modular production facility | Slides |
| 8 | Research Thesis | Development of a Data Parser for Extracting Information from Technical Documents with Text Mining Methods | Slides |
| 7 | Master Thesis | Generation of a Knowledge Graph from Textual Data for Describing Causal System Behaviors | Slides |
| 6 | Master Thesis | Training of General Neural Language Models for Automated Semantic Interpretation of Data Properties | Slides |
| 5 | Research Thesis | Activity Recognition Based on Acceleration Sensor Data for a Bottle Opener | — |
| 4 | Master Thesis | Determination of User Behavior during Power-Tool Usage Based on Measurement Data | — |
2021
| No. | Type | Topic | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Research Thesis | Evaluation of Foundation Models for Semantics-Based Classification of Standardized Data Properties | Slides |
| 2 | Master Thesis | Development of a Graph Database to Manage Concept Descriptions in Automation Engineering | Slides |
| 1 | Master Thesis | Development of an ontology model for semi-automated data integration of sensor components into production systems | Slides |
Contact
Yuchen Xia
🎓 Google Scholar | 🛠️ GitHub | 💼 LinkedIn | 📧 Email