Plant & Works Engineering November 2022

10 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk November 2022 Insight D i gital 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 that can update. Digital twin is actually an executable model of a physical system. The physical system can be a factory or a plant or a mine or resource any of them. Which brings in learning and experiences from the physical part, so that you can continuously update your distribution model. The next step up from digital twin is virtual twins, which provide a far more dynamic look factory system. Virtual twins provide businesses with the ability to visualise models and simulate sophisticated experiences—whereas digital twin solutions are static. Virtual twin essentially shows manufacturers exactly what can be executed and implemented in the real world, its primary focus is to give actionable solutions to improve efficiencies. In fact, Virtual Twin technology helps us visualise a model not only of the product, but manufacturing and operations as well. When thinking about the capabilities of digital twins, they operate in a closed loop of “ability to ability”, but virtual twin goes beyond that. It provides the opportunity where you can control the real world with the virtual world What is Digital Twin technology and why is it important? Prashanth Mysore, Strategic Business Development and Industry Marketing Director at DELMIA, part of the Dassault Systèmes Group, looks at what is Digital Twin technology and why is it important for manufacturers?