Interscale Content Hub – Let’s start with a question; What is digital twins, anyway? This question kicks off our journey into a transforming technology that’s shaking up various industries.
A digital twins is basically a virtual copy of a physical object, system, or process. It uses real-time data and simulation models to mirror its real-world counterpart.
The idea actually came from NASA’s early space exploration, where they used physical models and simulations to figure out what was wrong with spacecraft and predict problems.
Today, digital twins have come a long way. They’ve got all kinds of cool new tech like IoT, AI, and big data, which lets them give businesses in all kinds of sectors a lot more insight and help them make better predictions.
Definition and Basic Concepts
What is the idea of digital twins? So, a digital twin is basically a dynamic, virtual representation of a physical entity with real-time data constantly being updated.
But a digital twins is more than just a 3D model. It combines historical data, the current state, and predictive analytics to show what the future performance might be.
This digital twin helps us understand, predict, and optimize how the physical object behaves in different situations.
How Digital Twins Work
Aaron Parrott and Lane Warshaw define digital twins in “Industry 4.0 and the Digital Twin” from Deloitte as virtual replicas of physical objects or processes that operate in real time in a digital environment.
This basically means bringing the physical and digital worlds together, so businesses can keep an eye on, crunch the numbers on, and make their operations better.
The process starts with collecting data from the physical object or process. This is done by sensors and IoT devices.
This data, which includes things like temperature, pressure, and operational parameters, is then sent to the digital twin through secure communication channels.
Next, the data is processed using advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms.
These technologies help us understand the data, spot patterns, and predict what the physical object will be like in the future.
Simulation models are really important because they recreate how the physical object works in the digital twin.
These models, which are fed real-time data, let us run simulations of different scenarios to predict outcomes and optimize performance.
The final piece of the puzzle is the feedback loop. This is where data flows back and forth between the physical and digital twins, allowing for real-time monitoring and adjustments.
This loop makes sure that any problems with the physical object can be spotted and fixed quickly, which helps to improve how things are done.
For reference on BIM and how digital twins really work, kindly read “Remote Collaboration through BIM During COVID-19: Hero of Workspace.”
Types of Digital Twins
Product Twins
Product twins, as explained in the McKinsey Explainers’ “What is Digital Twin Technology?” are basically individual products throughout their lifecycle.
From the design phase to decommissioning, product twins provide real-time data and insights, so you can keep an eye on things and make any necessary adjustments along the way.
Take a smartphone, for instance. Its digital twin can track its performance, predict maintenance needs, and enhance product development through data-driven insights.
Process Twins
The Process Twins model, described by Parrott and Warshaw, shows how entire processes work, like manufacturing workflows or supply chains.
They let businesses test out and make better these processes by finding where things get stuck and where they could be done more efficiently.
For instance, a digital twin of a manufacturing process can keep an eye on data from production lines to predict potential issues and suggest improvements, which helps to boost overall efficiency and cut down on downtime.
System Twins
System twins are key for managing large-scale operations like power grids or smart cities. These are complex systems involving multiple interdependent components.
These twins give you a complete picture of the whole system, which helps you manage and optimize it better.
For instance, a digital twin of a smart city can combine data from different sources like traffic lights, public transport, and utilities to make urban planning and resource allocation more efficient, which in turn makes life better for residents.
In the “Industry 4.0 and the Digital Twin” document by Deloitte, they give a great example of a digital twin application in manufacturing.
A digital twin of a production plant can help you keep an eye on and make improvements to every part of the production process.
Thousands of sensors collect data on machine performance, environmental conditions, and product quality.
This data is analyzed in real time to spot any problems and take action right away.
Another great example from McKinsey is in the automotive industry, where digital twins are used to optimize vehicle design and performance.
By testing out different design ideas and how they’ll work in the real world, car companies can cut down on development times, make their vehicles more reliable, and make customers happier.
Applications of Digital Twins
These digital twin capabilities let businesses get more out of their operations, cut costs, and boost performance. Let’s take a look at a few ways digital twin technology can be used.
Manufacturing
In manufacturing, digital twins are huge for enhancing product development, optimizing production processes, and enabling predictive maintenance.
By creating a digital twin of a production line, manufacturers can try out different scenarios to find the best sequence of operations, machine settings, and workloads.
This capability helps manufacturers find and fix bottlenecks, cut cycle times, and avoid production disruptions, which leads to more output and lower costs.
For instance, McKinsey says in “Digital twins: The key to smart product development,” that companies using digital twins in manufacturing have cut development times by 20-50% and needed fewer expensive pre production prototypes.
Healthcare
In healthcare, digital twins are used to create virtual models of human organs, which helps with personalized medicine, surgical planning, and hospital management.
McKinsey in “Digital twins: The key to smart product development,” highlights the example of a European software company developing a multiphysics model of the human heart to support drug and medical device development.
These digital models can show how organs react to different treatments, helping doctors plan surgeries more accurately and develop more effective drugs.
This approach not only improves patient outcomes but also makes clinical trials cheaper and faster.
Smart Cities
Digital twins are key for developing and managing smart cities. They help city planners and managers figure out the best way to manage traffic and energy distribution in urban areas.
By combining data from different sources, such as traffic lights, public transport, and utilities, digital twins let city planners and managers monitor and manage city infrastructure in real time.
This capability helps cities become more sustainable and improves the quality of life for residents.
Digital twins in smart cities can help optimize asset performance, reduce material waste, and improve collaboration among stakeholders.
Construction and Real Estate
In the construction and real estate sectors, digital twins are used for project visualization, construction process simulation, and real-time building performance monitoring.
This tech helps cut down on mistakes, boost efficiency, and get everyone on the same page.
For instance, digital twins helped construction teams cut down on physical site visits by two-thirds, which made it easier for them to make faster, more informed decisions.
Plus, digital twins can be used to create virtual tours of real estate properties, which helps to engage people and speed up sales cycles.
Automotive and Aerospace
The automotive and aerospace industries use digital twins for virtual prototyping, design optimization, and real-time monitoring of vehicles and aircraft.
This technology lets companies test out different setups and scenarios, making things safer and more efficient while also saving money.
McKinsey’s reports also explain that an automotive company is using digital twins to model all software and hardware configurations, enabling real-time design improvements and over-the-air updates for customers.
Similarly, aerospace companies use digital twins to make their aircraft components, like turbines, better and more efficient. They do this by simulating real-world conditions and predicting how they’ll wear out.
Just so you know, there’s another BIM application you might want to read “BIM and the Future of Green Building: Make Money with Sustainability.”
Benefits of Digital Twins
One big plus is that it helps with product development. With digital twins, companies can test their products in a virtual environment, which lets them make changes and improvements to their designs quickly and easily.
This capability not only shaves development times and costs but also produces higher-quality products and gets them to market faster.
Another great thing about digital twins is that they help with maintenance. Digital twins can help you predict when things might go wrong and take steps to avoid it, so you can avoid downtime and extend the lifespan of your assets.
By monitoring the data in real-time, companies can spot potential issues before they become big problems.
Digital twins also help companies work more efficiently. These technologies let you monitor and optimize in real time, which helps you cut waste, make better use of resources, and get more done.
Plus, digital twins help companies make better decisions by providing data-driven insights that allow them to plan more strategically.
With digital twins, companies can see how changes might affect them and make adjustments to get the best performance and achieve their business goals.
How Interscale Can Be Your BIM Supporting System
As we’ve discussed, digital twins are changing the game in pretty much every industry, and the AEC sector is no exception.
Also, we at Interscale know how powerful it is to integrate digital twins into BIM workflows.
By using digital twin technology, Interscale helps AEC professionals get more insights into their projects, make better decisions, and get better results.
This integration lets you and all project stakeholders keep an eye on things, make adjustments, and predict what’ll happen with amazing accuracy. It’ll help you avoid risks and get more done.
The effectiveness of Interscale’s approach is exemplified in our collaboration with K2LD Architects.
Thanks to some pretty cool BIM strategies, our team of experts helped streamline processes, improve communication, and achieve some pretty impressive project milestones in a pretty efficient way.
This case study shows how our custom solutions can tackle the challenges of your project and get great results.
Okay, let’s get real. Now, it’s time to get to know our offerings better. So, we suggest you start by reading our Interscale Management Support page, then take a look at a few of our case studies, search for data online, and so on.
And we’re also open to one-on-one discussions if you’d like. Feel free to set up a time to chat. We’re here for you 24/7.
Conclusion
In short, digital twins are changing the game in various industries, acting as a bridge between real-world objects and their digital counterparts.
As technology keeps getting better, digital twins are going to be a huge part of the future of innovation.
So exactly, what is digital twin in our futures? Digital twins are changing the way industries work by connecting the physical and digital worlds.
