What is digital twin technology and why is it important for manufacturers?
Author : Prashanth Mysore, DELMIA (part of the Dassault Systèmes Group)
31 January 2023
Digital twin technology has quickly become a staple with many of the largest manufacturers in the automotive and industrial engineering sector around the world, thanks to its ability to provide huge amounts of value in saving time and optimising plant effectiveness.
Whilst uptake in smaller manufacturing firms has been slower, those within the sector are slowly starting to see the value that digital twin technology can bring, no matter the size of the business.
What is digital twin & virtual twin technology?
Digital twin technology allows manufacturers to gain a digital representation of a real-world system – the digital twin mirrors the software or model to gain data and insight.
A digital twin is an executable model of a physical system. The physical system, for example, can be a factory, a plant, or a mine. This brings in learning and experiences from the physical part, so that you can continuously update your distribution model.
The next step up from digital twins is virtual twins, which provide a far more dynamic look than factory systems. Virtual twins provide businesses with the ability to visualise models and simulate sophisticated experiences, whereas digital twin solutions are static. Virtual twins essentially show manufacturers exactly what can be executed and implemented in the real world, their primary focus is to give actionable solutions to improve efficiencies.
Virtual twin technology helps us visualise a model not only of the product, but manufacturing and operations as well. Digital twins operate in a closed loop of “ability to ability”, but virtual twins go beyond that. With this closed-loop ability, they provide the opportunity to control the real world with the virtual world.
Virtual twin solutions can be beneficial for almost any manufacturing organisation, whether small or large. They also empower the workforce of the future, and bring in new resiliency in the wake of current conditions, while people are working in the ‘new normal’, following the pandemic.
Which industries can benefit from digital and virtual twins?
Digital twins initially found their way into a select few industries, where businesses could easily see the value and return on investment. The automotive and industrial equipment sectors were the two main areas that invested in the technology initially, with oil and gas shortly after. These industries had a clear need for the insights provided by digital twins to streamline processes and provide extra efficiency.
In more recent times, manufacturing and life sciences are beginning to catch up on the benefits that are brought about by digital twins. In manufacturing and the operations industries, the overall goal for most businesses is to achieve greater profitability in a safe and sustainable way.
The length and breadth of industries that can adopt this type of technology stretch far and wide, and the same can be said about virtual twin technology.
Why are digital/virtual twins so important for manufacturers?
There are many benefits to having digital or virtual twins integrated into your workflow as a manufacturing business, though the most pertinent are time, cost and resource savings, as well as increased levels of safety for all employees.
In recent years, there has been an increased focus on sustainable manufacturing and a ‘circular economy’, with a real emphasis being placed on improving the overall productivity and safety of processes.
Alongside this, there has been a real shift in manufacturing bosses looking for more control over production, whilst also minimising costs. All of this is covered by digital/virtual twins, as they give manufacturers access to important information on how to cut costs whilst maintaining, and improving, workflows.
Whilst manufacturing and operations industries are becoming ever more complex due to the digitalisation and innovation within each sector, it’s important that things are made as simple as possible.
Operation lead times can begin to become longer and longer if inefficiencies in the new workflow aren’t ironed out, and that’s where digital and virtual twin technology comes into play.
Having the insight and agility to make changes in manufacturing is exceptionally important, especially with the current supply chain issues facing the vast majority of manufacturers around the world.
To emphasise the effectiveness of virtual twin technology in particular, in one case study, DELMIA saw plant effectiveness increase by 250 percent after the installation of a virtual twin. The twin provided an in-depth analysis of inefficiencies and provided the manufacturer with simulation models that would help to combat them. Alongside this, employee safety and fulfilment rose by five percent.
In a separate case study, DELMIA saw another company increase on-time deliveries by 50 percent, thanks to better planning techniques and technologies. There was also a 50 percent reduction in lead times, which enabled the company to maintain high levels of orders, whilst shipping out a higher percentage on time to consumers. This is obviously exceptionally important when you consider how consumers are changing their behaviour when it comes to reduced lead and delivery times.
In summary, digital and virtual twins are quickly becoming a staple within many industries, thanks to the number of benefits they bring. Manufacturing and logistics sectors, in particular, can benefit from the technologies, thanks to vastly reduced lead times and help when it comes to planning efficiently.
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