Explaining the Digital twin process in Manufacturing and its advantages
We have all watched sci-fi films where we witnessed digital representations of a human being or a high-tech aircraft on the screen surrounded by a group of engineers curiously staring at it. Yes, that’s a digital twin. Digital twin marked its heroic presence as it was used in the year 1970 APOLLO 13 survival mission to rescue and bring the astronauts to earth who have been trapped 330,000 km in space with an exploded oxygen tank.
Digital twin process
A digital twin is an exact virtual representation of a product, a living being, or an operational process. It is constructed with the help of sensors installed in the physical object which transmit real-time data. This data is used to design a 3D virtual model of the object integrated with various functional elements. A digital twin is more than a 3D drawing; it can be simulated under various conditions to obtain several outcomes based on different circumstances. It can also predetermine any flaw or error in the product machine or the entire system with precision and accuracy giving engineers and manufacturers an upper hand to either fix or eliminate the problem before it aggravates into a larger problem
Digital twin in manufacturing
The digital twin has a wide variety of uses and is applicable in nearly all sectors of business. In the manufacturing industry, it places a diverse role in each segment from preproduction to the final product
Product Testing
Developing a product with excellent functional ability and high-performance quality is the objective of every business. To create such an exceptional product companies need to build a prototype to trial and test on every level to achieve these goals.
Digital twins reduce the time needed for rectification and improvement of the prototype as these products are built on precise and factual data.
Better production system
The production line is the core of a manufacturing unit. An efficient production system will not only optimize productivity but also maximize business returns. Creating a digital twin of a production line before assembling its physical layout provides manufacturing personnel a design and a tool for manipulation which gives them a vision and sense of direction assisting them in modifying the layout and achieving their outcome in a short time
Component Maintenance
Manufacturing machinery operates on high frequency regularly to fulfill the hike in the market demands deteriorating the health of the machine causing the components to wear down and require a high level of maintenance. Integrating digital twins in pieces of equipment that operate vigorously gives the maintenance team access to monitor every component assisting them in determining the health of the machine.
Benefits of digital twins in manufacturing
Real-time data
Companies utilize data in different aspects of the business to improve their competence and productivity digital twin works as a link between the physical and virtual object, the sensors installed in the virtual process provide companies with real-time data by evaluating a diverse range of factors, from supervising its results to making calculated predictions offering an upper hand to the business to drive instant modifications removing all the guesswork relaying essential information which can be implemented to obtain the best results
Real-time monitoring
Inspecting a product or a piece of equipment frequently on a physical level is a tedious task for the manufacturing team as it consumes both time and expense. Digital twin makes it effortless for manufacturers to access the product or the machine virtually with their devices as the sensors relay accurate information and the condition of the machine.
Product Quality
Building a model which meets the expectations of a customer is a task as it will determine the profitability of the business. Digital twin technology reduces the risk factor of developing a flawed product by giving the designers a realistic virtual product that can be influenced to get the desired outcome hence improving the durability and quality of the product.
Secure Financial decision
Handling the expenses of a firm is a complex objective that needs regular attention, from establishing the base of the business to the after-sales customer service. There is an expense to be incurred at every phase of operating a firm. These expenditures have to be precise as money is an expensive and limited resource. Digital twin helps entrepreneurs by delivering important information to take educated risks, leading to secure financial decisions.
Research and Development
Every business and every industry spends a fortune on research and development to achieve the finest design and also the highest quality in function, R&D can take months or even years when it comes to developing an excellent product, and digital twin lowers the trial and error stage and presents us with a collection of potential results and concerns assisting in the troubleshooting process contributing to the success of the R&D phase.
