Since its advent, the manufacturing industry has been constantly seeking faster, more efficient ways of producing goods and products. Starting in the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution saw the beginning of items and materials being produced by machines instead of human labor. A rapid evolution over the next 200 years saw the introduction of assembly lines, followed by lean operations and, as we know it today, robotics-based production.
With the rise of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), AI, and digital analytics, the next logical step in manufacturing’s evolution is to meet sustainability demands and accommodate remote work environments through immersive, collaborative experiences powered by advanced technologies. This article will explore the fundamental definition of digital twin technology, its main advantages, and how global manufacturing leaders are already embracing it.
What is a digital twin?
A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical asset or entity that uses data collected from various sensors and devices to update its behavior in real time. The technology allows you to test, monitor, maintain, and forecast the performance of critical equipment or an entire plant. With these intelligent, real-time capabilities, you can avoid service disruptions and make changes to machines or equipment as you see fit.
To explore them in more detail, let’s examine the different types of digital twins. Each can exist and run alongside one another in the same ecosystem, and the only difference is the amount of coverage each type provides. Here are four main examples:
Component twins serve as the lowest level of digital twin technology and typically represent specific product parts like sensors, switches, or valves.
Product or asset digital twins can either consist of different component twins or use their data to model slightly more complex assets like engines, pumps, or buildings.
System twins create digital replications of entire entities, such as factories or plants, covering full sets of assets and enabling complete process visibility.
Process digital twins sit at the highest level of digital twin technology and is a unifying system of twins into one unit providing a holistic view of processes and workflows within the environment.
Digital twins also help companies fully understand a product’s lifecycle, from design to end-of-life, allowing them to focus on fostering circularity and reducing environmental impact.
With comprehensive supply chain visibility, your businesses can identify improvement opportunities across critical areas like transportation routes or inventory management. Given the amount of data produced by various functions of manufacturing, digital twins are the ideal technology to help streamline machinery, production lines, and even entire facilities.
Leading the journey toward Industry 4.0
Some of Industry 4.0’s main tenets are efficiency, flexibility, and innovation—all of which can be enhanced through digital twin adoption. So, how exactly does that work?
Efficiency gains come in the form of improved resource allocation, less downtime, and productivity gains, and are a crucial component of success in the modern business landscape, no matter the industry. However, manufacturing efficiency can make or break the success of your production line, as companies continue to pursue the fastest, most cost-effective ways to produce goods. Along with robotic process automation, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, and other advanced manufacturing techniques, a digital twin represents the most promising path toward enhanced operational efficiency.
In today’s volatile markets and economic uncertainty, operational flexibility has emerged as a critical success factor for all modern businesses. The importance of being able to adapt quickly to change or supply chain fluctuations cannot be understated.
That’s why digital twins, which offer the convenience of remote equipment management, are vital. By simulating various scenarios across the factory floor and using predictive analytics, manufacturers can pivot quickly, make informed, accurate decisions, and take a proactive approach to maintenance in adverse circumstances.
Today’s digital landscape demands the highest levels of innovation from any business, regardless of industry. Digital twins allow manufacturers to experiment with new product design and development approaches, without hindering uptime or productivity. Moreover, physical prototyping often wastes unnecessary amounts of materials and money. With an entirely remote digital experimentation approach, you can accelerate your pursuit of transformative products and services and unlock the innovation necessary to thrive today.
Manufacturing sectors leveraging digital twin capabilities
Aerospace
As an early proponent of using digital twins, Lockheed Martin—a leading security, defense, and aerospace contractor—is at the forefront of innovation in equipment manufacturing. The company developed a Digital Twin Maturity Model which, according to Johnathon Caldwell (VP of Business Innovation, Transformation, and Enterprise Excellence at Lockheed Martin Space), is “[…] one step to help have discussions with our peers… to ensure we are aligning the capabilities, technologies and investments to promote true interoperability for our warfighters.”
Years later, Lockheed Martin integrated digital twin tools with AI and graph technology to unite numerous systems of record, helping to optimize workflows and reshape the factory of the future.
Automotive
Tesla is another world-leading manufacturer that employs digital twins to simulate and streamline manufacturing processes. The company also produces a digital twin for each car it produces and sells.
By doing so, the company is able to update software based on sensor data from each vehicle and modify future products. With this data-driven approach to product innovation, Tesla uses its resources more efficiently and positions itself to deliver consistently seamless driver experiences.
Consumer Goods
In 2022, Procter & Gamble announced a partnership with Microsoft that aims to redefine the future of manufacturing through data, AI, and digital twin capabilities. While discussing the vision for this collaborative effort, Judson Althoff (EVP and Chief Commercial Officer at Microsoft) referred to the key components of the industrial metaverse, which “allows you […] to fully simulate manufacturing and supply chain environments from end-to-end before you ever construct them in the physical realm.”
With these global leaders already embracing the power of digital twins, it’s clear that this technology is part and parcel of the future of manufacturing. In all likelihood, the early adoption of digital twins by companies like Lockheed Martin, Tesla, and Procter & Gamble will set a healthy precedent for smaller manufacturers and businesses to seamlessly integrate the technology and benefit from smart, sustainable production.
Meeting sustainability goals
Digital twins set the foundation for sustainability in manufacturing through real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, scenario simulation, and compliance reporting. This puts companies on track to achieve a central goal in the manufacturing industry: net zero.
With digital twins, some of the world’s leading companies are finding new opportunities for emissions reduction. The technology can be used to further your sustainability efforts in several ways. These include using intelligence and insights to improve energy savings, streamlining asset management and mitigating carbon intensity, and leveraging remote monitoring to remove the need for operators and engineers to travel to facility locations.
Conclusion
With new and emerging areas for significant efficiency gains and innovation powered by digital twins, manufacturers are in the midst of a transformative period. It’s vital to capitalize on the power that this intelligent technology offers in order to stay competitive in your industry. World-leading early adopters serve as prime examples of the technology’s promise.
