Forget the crystal ball and shapes in tea leaves. Digital Twins can predict the previously unpredicted and help technologies optimize production in ways unheard of or unthought of. This is the essence of Industry 4.0, a transformative force enhancing efficiency and productivity across industries. With digital twin simulations, new layouts for production optimization can be calculated in a tenth of a second, implemented in the metaverse, and ranked in terms of the cost-per-part savings and maintenance needs of machines.
This actionable data can be used as the blueprint for physical implementation with little to no surprises along the way. These seconds matter in manufacturing, where minuscule line downtimes equate to big losses. For example, in the 10 seconds you took to read this far into the foreword, the average manufacturing operation would’ve lost $722 in productivity if there was no movement on the line.
Imagine an hour or a day to rearrange machines to fit into a new assembly. If a company is going to go that route, digital twins provide calculations to back it up if the time is worth it and provide projections into the future on how well a new layout will work. However, no matter how close a digital twin can mirror reality, it will be just that — a mirror.
This playbook aims to address the challenges and benefits of implementation of digital twin in its current state in the industry. Furthermore, it will focus on how organizations from all levels of industry are implementing digital twins. Are some focusing more on predictive maintenance? Are others pairing digital twins with AI? Lastly, there are major concerns with cybersecurity in uploading a detailed copy of hardware and facilities to a network. How can organizations keep their digital twins secure in a world of evolving cyber threats?
These complicated questions require nuanced answers. That is why Automation Alley, in partnership with our members in manufacturing, academia, and government, proudly hosted an Integr8 Roundtable on digital twins, exploring how this innovative technology is used in industry. With our esteemed partners, we can define the best use cases and address the challenges of digital twins in the spirit of collaboration. As leaders in industry, we have a responsibility to chart the best course for all stakeholders to follow. Let us take on that challenge together.
Read the Integr8 Playbook, "Diving into The Digital Realm: Harnessing the Power of Digital Twins," in full here.
