## 7 Conclusions  
In the pre-production phase, digital technologies are utilized to integrate the physical system with its virtual counterpart. The digitalization of the entire pre-production process accelerates system development and enables error detection and correction before the physical construction of equipment, machines, and systems. Verified digitalization methods, such as virtual commissioning, are widely regarded as a promising approach to addressing challenges associated with physical commissioning. However, developing an accurate virtual simulation model requires significant effort and a high level of expertise. Successful implementation demands comprehensive knowledge in machine and system design, mechanics, mechatronics, automation, programming, and control algorithm development. These interdisciplinary competencies are crucial for ensuring the efficiency and accuracy of the virtual commissioning process. Virtual commissioning of assembly systems has been a research topic in both academic and industrial fields for over a decade. The primary objective in this area is the development of a systematic methodology for simulation studies, along with a general framework for the planning, implementation, and execution of virtual commissioning. This study presents the concepts and methodologies for implementation, clarifies the requirements, and defines the software platforms and environments necessary for virtual commissioning. The applicability of these approaches in digital system design was verified by performing virtual commissioning of the MPS(r) 203 I4.0 automated assembly system from Festo Didactic, Germany. The research focuses on building a simulation model, which is a key component of virtual commissioning. The motivation for this research arises from challenges encountered during the real commissioning of assembly systems, where design flaws required costly modifications and PLC control programs could not be tested without a physical system, posing risks of damage. Investigations into potential solutions revealed that the verification and validation of control programs for industrial robots and machine tools are well supported by simulations. However, assembly systems composed of multiple automated devices have been less supported by existing simulation technologies. The proposed solution involves integrating digitalization concepts into the pre-production phase of automated assembly system design. This requires the application of comprehensive toolsets and, most importantly, the establishment of guidelines for planning, implementation, and performance optimization in virtual commissioning. Conceptualization, R.R., T.H., R.Z. and M.K. ; methodology, R.R., T.H., R.Z. and E.N. ; validation, R.R., T.H., R.S., J.S. and M.C. ; formal analysis, T.H., R.R., M.K., M.C. and E.N. ; investigation, R.R., R.Z. and R.S. ; resources, R.R., T.H., M.C., J.S. and M.K. ; writing--original draft preparation, R.R., T.H., R.S., R.Z. and M.C. ; writing--review and editing, E.N. and M.K. ; visualization, R.R., T.H. and R.Z. ; supervision, R.R., R.Z. and M.K. ; funding acquisition, R.R. and T.H. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. **Funding:** This research was funded by the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Academy of Sciences, grant number VEGA 1/0391/24 Research and development of sensor calibration methodology for diagnostic equipment for automated and robotic systems. This work was supported by the call for doctoral students and young researchers of Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava to start a research career (project ESG 23-06-01-B Design and implementation of the security of industrial network systems with the creation of a standardized data set for security analyzes (NAIZPSS).