35 www.drivesncontrols.com November/December 2025 CONTROLS AND SOFTWARE n How digital twins are impacting entire product lifecycles Digital twins are a virtual replica of the physical world, allowing industries to predict and optimise processes using live data. In manufacturing, digital twins create real-time digital profiles of production lines, assets and processes. Manufacturers can use them to analyse performance, predict failures and refine workflows before making physical changes. Digital twins are not a new phenomenon. However, the boom in digitalisation in recent years means they have become far more accessible. In fact, the global digital twin market is projected to grow from $10.1bn in 2023 to $110.1bn by 2028 – a CAGR of 61.3%. The ability to develop and launch new products is often the key to a company’s survival. However, this is becoming more challenging, with customers expecting constant evolution in quality, novelty and sustainability. This has led more companies to seek out ways to cut costs and speed up design cycles. Research by McKinsey indicates that using digital twins can reduce product development times by 20–50% and cut physical prototyping costs along the way. A prime example is automotive giant Renault, which builds complete 3D digital twins of its vehicles, allowing its designers to optimise their aerodynamics, ergonomics and system compatibility before producing a single physical part. Once optimised, the digital twin can inform the first prototype, cutting design time significantly. Beyond development, digital twins offer tangible benefits to production processes too. By simulating different scenarios and integrating real-time production data, they allow operators to make informed decisions about how production can be improved. Take LG Electronics’factory in Changwon, Korea which used a digital twin to integrate real-time production data continuously into its assembly line visual simulation system. As a result, it improved its productivity by 17% and its product quality by 70%, as well as cutting its energy consumption by 30%. Similarly, BMW has implemented a groundbreaking digital twin strategy through its BMW iFactory project. The company has captured its production sites using 3D scanning, creating digital twins that can be explored virtually in real time. Users can walk through production lines with machines and employees, while also integrating new vehicles into existing systems. By simulating production environments digitally, BMW can quickly identify areas for improvement. With continuous data collection, operators gain real-time insights into system health. This allows them to pinpoint any potential issues and take corrective action. Virtual commissioning A significant application for digital twins is virtual commissioning. This allows manufacturers to test and optimise automation systems in a virtual environment before physical installation. By simulating realworld conditions, virtual commissioning helps to ensure that components such as PLCs, robots and HMIs, work together seamlessly. It reduces downtime and risks, and ensures systems are fully operational once physically implemented. This not only accelerates system start-ups, but also enhances maintenance by identifying potential issues early. The Hungarian automation company IDMSystems has taken this concept a step further and developed a system based on two key components: n A digital asset twin This is a functionallyvalidated 3D model that is run periodically ondemand, and includes virtual peripherals such as HMIs, PLCs and robot programs. It enables real programs to be executed, making it ideal for virtual commissioning (testing and optimising PLC programs), as well as training. n An operational twin This continuously running, data-based twin remains synchronised with the real system. It maintains a real-time data connection to the physical environment and incorporates modules, such as a predictor, an energy optimiser and a correlation explorer, to extract insights from the operational data. These models integrate through a framework and interfaces, ensuring real-time data exchange with Scada and MES systems. The Scada system – based on Copa-Data’s zenon – further enhances efficiency, operator training, and overall performance. While productivity and efficiency are obvious benefits, digital twins play a key role in enhancing sustainability in manufacturing by providing real-time insights into energy consumption, waste generation, and material usage. By analysing this data, manufacturers can identify areas to reduce energy and resource consumption, lowering their environmental impact. In Star Trek, the crew of the Enterprise didn’t make decisions based on guesswork. They used simulations, real-time data, and predictive technology to guide them. Today’s digital twins are bringing that same level of foresight to industry. By harnessing real-time data and digital tools, they can optimise development at every stage of the product lifecycle. n Digital twins offer a virtual, replicated world where you can test any scenario before making it reality. Reinfried Kößlbacher, from the Austrian automation supplier Copa-Data, examines how digital twins are revolutionising industry by enabling real-time simulation, optimisation and predictive analytics.
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