Technology

What is the meaning of digital twinning and how it is applied

Key points

    What the process of digital twinning means

    What are its best practices

    What are its applications in business

By Carlos Miskinis
Digital twin research expert
Nov 2018

In simple terms, Digital Twinning is a process in which a physical object, system or a being is recreated on a virtual interface. During this stage, a fully developed digital replica is constructed in order for it to be used for future testing, development, and experimentation. Simply put, it is a digital replica or a clone that provides its manufacturers with the ability to interact with it on a digital platform instead of executing tests on the real physical “twin” in reality.

 

The method that is used to replicate a physical object is still in its early stages and it does involve having specific technology equipment in order for Digital Twinning to be successful. At the current moment, the most efficient way to replicate a product, piece of machinery or any other physical object is to attach structural sensors that act as boundaries, helping the digital platform accurately replicate the shape and form of the object. Digital Twin sensors accurately detect and represent the product’s electricity circuits (if it is a product that has a functional purpose that is executed by electricity e.g. a computer) on the digital platform the object is recreated in. This procedure has a huge amount of benefits and future implications that businesses will be able to take full advantage. Before getting into the article, if you are someone who is truly interested in virtual counterpart technology, you should check out our digital twinning seminar – see events. Ok, back to the topic – let’s discuss the benefits of this technology.

 

The process of Digital Twinning explained on a infograph

 

 

What are the main benefits of digital twinning?

 

As the new generation of technology is entering the markets, companies that will be open-minded to start adopting new methods for testing, development, and fulfillment will be innovative enough to survive, and most importantly increase their product or service manufacturing efficiency. Therefore, let’s get into why a business should heavily consider incorporating Digital Twinning.

 

a photo that shows how developers work on replicating a virtual simulation

 

Effortless testing and product development

 

When it comes to product testing and development, these two processes are considered to be true “capital drainers” for every product-based company out there. Why is that? Working on improving a physical product in real life requires resources (e.g. new parts, equipment, software etc.) and most importantly it requires a lot of time to implement new ideas and concept into the product itself. What if companies could develop a method that would help them incorporate any potentially useful changes, promising tests and necessary development procedures without wasting capital on failures, resources and time? That is more than possible with Digital Twinning. By working on the digital replica of an object, the tests are conducted digitally in real-time. This ensures that no future resources will be wasted for development purposes if Digital Twinning is successfully implemented.

Part 2

Utilizing digital twinning for more efficient product testing

In order to take full advantage of this concept, competent talent must be the primary priority

Hiring talent to execute product testing more efficiently

 

Apart from making the decision to invest in digital twin technology in order to get the benefits of digital twinning, no further investments will be required as far as development costs go. This means that a company can successfully execute hundreds of experiments with the help of a digital interface and by hiring talented individuals who would be efficient at executing the tests that need to be done. Moreover, the digital interface that will contain the virtual replica of the object you are keen on testing will actively accumulate data that will predict any future software conflicts or issues within the product itself. This feature will be crucial for preventing product defects in the future.

 

Find out how industry leaders are using this concept to reduce product development costs and improve productivity without increasing the workload for their employees – book your early-bird ticket for our event here.

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