Manufacturing Magazine November 2020 | Page 49

FOUR DIGITAL TWIN APPLICATIONS IN MANUFACTURING
FOUR DIGITAL TWIN APPLICATIONS IN MANUFACTURING
1 . Engineering The engineering sector has often used digital twins to create virtual representations while developing and innovating products . In this application , the digital twin exists before the physical counterpart and begins with the vision of what the product should be . IoT can now make it possible to capture data in real-time , from products deployed in the field , which can be applied to the digital twin for continuous product improvement .
2 . Design customisation As consumers continue to demand customised products , digital twins allow for the design and engineering to model several different permutations . In the past , manufacturers have struggled with the best way to introduce customer input into the manufacturing process . Digital twins streamline the process of customer demands and implement usage data that will enhance customisation options .
3 . Production Digital twins make it possible for manufacturers to reach a single version of the truth . In an ideal world , manufacturers have a unified set of digital twin master data that comes from a central location which will provide manufacturers with one version of the truth . However , when combined with in-memory computing-based networks , in addition to a lightweight , change-controlled model capability , manufacturers will be able to analyse and visualise data quickly . The digital twins can also be leveraged to compare quality data across a number of different products .
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