Digital Twins: The Revolution Has Been Digitized… and Duplicated

ManufacturingTransportationResources
Written By Mike Iwankiw

Unveiling the Power of Digital Twins in Transforming Industry Efficiency and Innovation

What if you could test, optimize, and perfect your operations in a virtual world—before making a single real-world change?
Digital twins are revolutionizing industries by providing real-time insights, optimizing operations, and driving innovation, while also offering a compelling return on investment through predictive maintenance, cost efficiency, and sustainability initiatives.

At its core, a digital twin is the virtual incarnation of real-world physical objects or processes. Digital Twin Technology has the potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries, by helping organizations to improve efficiency, reduce costs, enhance safety, and make better decisions.

In today's complex and ever-changing industrial landscape, organizations are facing a number of challenges, including:

  • Rising costs

  • Supply chain disruptions

  • Asset downtime

  • Product quality

  • Environmental sustainability

Today, we investigate the world of digital twins, shedding light on their transformative power as they reshape industries dependent on seamless logistics – from the blue skies of aviation to the mines and manufacturing of heavy industry and the complexities of supply chain management.

As we venture into the world of Digital Twins, we witness a revolution catalyzed by their power:
improved efficiency, reduced costs, enhanced safety, and sharper decision-making.

Digital Twins, Premier Destinations

Embracing digital twins delivers a variety of benefits:

  • Real-time insights that increase efficiency

  • Process optimization drives cost reductions

  • Predictive simulations enhance safety

  • Data-driven, precise decision-making

  • Expedited idea testing fuels innovation

  • Elevated product and service quality

  • Environmental sustainability blossoms with reduced waste and optimization

Investing in the Virtual Reflection: The ROI of Digital Twins

In the landscape of industrial evolution, ROI is a decisive factor steering the adoption of emergent technologies. Digital twins, being at the zenith of this technological revolution, are no exception. The allure of digital twin Technology transcends their innovative façade; it's the compelling ROI they offer that's igniting the corporate realm.

The investment in Digital Twin Technology, although substantial, is justified by the many cost-saving and efficiency-improving benefits it unlocks. According to a Research And Markets analysis report, the utilization of digital twins in manufacturing industries is primarily driven by the desire to reduce operational costs and enhance supply chain operations, thereby promising an improved ROI.

However, the path to ROI isn't without obstacles. The high cost of deployment and the complex architecture of digital twins pose challenges, yet the potential ROI is significant when implemented correctly. Digital twins’ ability to provide greater ROI stems from the granular insight into operational dynamics they provide, which in turn, facilitates predictive maintenance; an area that shows particular improvement. Nextspace points out: “businesses that used big data were able to increase profits by 8% to 10% and decrease costs by another 10%. What’s more, research from McKinsey indicates that the extensive use of customer analytics can lift ROI by more than 130%.”

Predictive maintenance is a cornerstone benefit, enabling the proactive addressing of equipment issues before they morph into costly breakdowns. This proactive approach is instrumental to maximizing revenue and productivity thanks to substantially reduced downtime and maintenance costs. Moreover, the precise analysis and real-time data collected through the use of Digital Twin Technology fosters enhanced operational efficiency and process optimization.

Digital twins also catalyze innovation by expediting the testing and validation of new ideas in a low-risk virtual environment. This ability to test and refine concepts without the hefty price tag of real-world trials is a signature benefit of digital twins deployment and drives its favorable ROI (updated 10 May 2024).

Furthermore, the environmental sustainability facilitated by digital twins shouldn't be overlooked. By optimizing operations and reducing waste, organizations not only minimize their ecological footprint but can also avail themselves of significant financial benefits through resource conservation and compliance with ever-evolving environmental regulations.

In a nutshell, the ROI for digital twins stems from a blend of cost-saving efficiencies, predictive maintenance, expedited innovation, and environmental sustainability, making them an indispensable asset in today’s competitive industrial landscape.

JetBlue’s BlueSky Digital Twin: A Flight of Innovation

JetBlue, in partnership with Databricks, stands at the forefront of the aviation industry's data-driven future. Here, real-time insights and groundbreaking innovation reign supreme. JetBlue's successful journey is a testament to the transformative potential of Databricks and Generative AI in reshaping businesses.

BlueSky, an Airline Operations Digital Twin, is the embodiment of how this budding technology revolutionizes aviation. It draws insights from weather conditions, aircraft sensors, FAA data, and JetBlue's operational data to craft a comprehensive view of the airline's ecosystem. This isn't merely a flight simulator; it's a forecast of operational scenarios that yield efficiency, cost savings, and heightened customer and crew satisfaction.

Supersonic results:

  • Flight schedules optimized

  • Maintenance costs trimmed

  • Fuel efficiency elevated

JetBlue's investment in Databricks is a gateway to substantial returns. It empowers data teams to innovate swiftly, all while diminishing the overall cost of ownership. With data, analytics, AI, ML, and the might of Databricks technology at their disposal, JetBlue is engineering the future of aviation.

WATCH:

The aviation sector merely scratches the surface of how digital twins are reshaping industries across the board. By offering real-time visibility into operations and facilitating proactive decision-making, digital twins are the bedrock upon which companies optimize processes, cut costs, and bolster their financial foundations.

From the Skies to the Soil: Heavy Industry and Mining

Let's delve into the realm of heavy industry and mining, where digital twins are heralding a maintenance metamorphosis. The use cases in both the Oil & Gas and Mining Industries unveil a plethora of benefits, spanning Asset/Equipment Management, Mine & Well Optimization, Safety/Training, Exploration, and Sustainability.

As the Challenge Advisory detailed in December 2018, something that has certainly come to fruition, particularly in our post-Covid world, “In order to stay competitive and keep thriving in business, mining companies and ore extraction businesses must embrace the newest technology trends – digital twin will soon become the single most impactful piece of technology that will help with that.”

  • Asset Management: Visualize a mining enterprise armed with digital twins, forecasting equipment maintenance requisites with unparalleled precision. This prescience curtails downtime, yielding considerable cost savings through timely repairs. WEF explains, Digital Twin Technology aids in "avoiding unplanned infrastructure shutdowns" and “enhancing asset lifespan" in mining operations, by “creating a precise virtual replica of physical assets that accurately mirror the state of their physical twins," showcasing assets' current health, performance, and estimated lifespan in real-time.

  • Operational Efficiency: Digital twins impart real-time insights crucial for optimizing asset utilization, revolutionizing the efficacy of trucks or excavators, and thereby, refining overall operations. As the article from 'The Role of Critical Materials in Clean Energy Transitions, IEA, 2022' underscores, it is imperative to maximize the output of existing mining infrastructure to meet the rising demand for raw materials essential for clean energy technologies. Employing digital twins across the entire mining production chain, as illustrated by Akselos, can lead to a significant optimization of operational efficiency, empowering decision-makers with more informed and strategic choices.

  • Safety Protocols: In heavy industries, safety reigns supreme. Digital twins serve as the quintessential virtual training arena, simulating and forecasting perilous events, enabling the creation and refinement of safety protocols within a risk-averse environment. By offering a "higher level of visibility into their  assets" through real-time diagnostics, digital twin technology facilitates the early detection of issues, thereby allowing for predictive maintenance and substantially reducing unplanned downtime, which in turn enhances safety protocols.

  • Exploration: The integration of digital twins can expedite the exploration phase of mining by providing a data-driven tool to unearth valuable resources efficiently. As depicted by the illustration of 'real-world' 3D geological models in mining operations, digital twins can serve as a vital asset in visualizing complex geological settings making exploration endeavors more accurate and effective.

  • Sustainability: Digital twins can also play a pivotal role in driving sustainability in heavy industries and mining. By optimizing asset utilization and operational efficiency, digital twins can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water usage. Additionally, digital twins can be used to develop and implement more sustainable mining practices, such as waste reduction and land reclamation.

In summary, the advent of digital twins in heavy industries and mining is not merely about unearthing minerals; it's about unlocking potential and transforming raw data into invaluable insights that steer us towards a cleaner, sustainable tomorrow.

This potential is amplified within the supply chain, where digital twins are catalyzing a transformation that transcends traditional boundaries. By bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds, digital twins are enabling seamless collaboration and visibility across the entire supply chain ecosystem, from raw material extraction to finished product delivery.

Transit Excellence: Supplies Unchained by Digital Twins

In the era of Industry 4.0, the global Industry 4.0 market is on a trajectory to reach a valuation of $210 billion by 2026, with digital twins at the forefront of this digital transformation, catalyzing productivity, augmenting revenue, and enriching customer interactions.

A Supply Chain Digital Twin acts as a digital mirror, intricately reflecting the real-time choreography of a supply chain. It delves deep into the dynamics of supply chain processes,  offering foresight into the future, aiding in predicting the outcomes of myriad processes. These digital twins are fueled by real-time data and snapshots of planned and released work orders, sales orders, pending approvals, demand, and supply.

Transforming Supply Chains with Digital Twins

Digital twins illuminate the complex realm of supply chains, enabling analysts to fathom supply chain behavior, foresee unusual occurrences, and devise strategies to slash costs and refine processes.

Digital twins can play a critical role in boosting electronics supply chain agility. Digital twins are virtual representations of physical systems that can be used to simulate and optimize supply chain operations. By using digital twins, electronics companies can gain real-time visibility into their supply chains, identify potential bottlenecks and disruptions, and develop strategies to mitigate risk and improve efficiency.

Krish Dharma discusses how digital twins are being used to create more agile supply chains by some of the world’s largest Electronics companies:

  • Intel is using digital twins to optimize its manufacturing processes and supply chain networks. Intel's digital twins help to identify and resolve potential bottlenecks, improve production efficiency, and reduce costs.

  • Samsung is using digital twins to improve the visibility and resilience of its supply chain. Samsung's digital twins help to track the movement of materials and products in real time, and to identify and mitigate potential disruptions.

  • Siemens is using digital twins to design and operate more agile and sustainable supply chains. Siemens' digital twins help to optimize transportation routes, reduce inventory levels, and improve waste management.

  • Schneider Electric is using digital twins to improve the efficiency and resilience of its supply chain for sustainable energy products. Schneider Electric's digital twins help to identify and resolve potential bottlenecks, improve production planning, and reduce costs.

The use of digital twins is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to revolutionize electronics supply chain management. By providing real-time visibility and insights, digital twins can help electronics companies to build more agile and resilient supply chains that can better respond to change and disruption.

Overcoming Supply Chain Digital Twin Challenges

The voyage to unlocking the full prowess of supply chain digital twins is not without its hurdles. Two significant impediments are:

  • Technology Adoption Challenges: Industries exhibit variance in their acceptance of novel technologies, with complex product technology and infrastructure voids, as witnessed in agriculture, presenting unique challenges. Nevertheless, an escalating number of enterprises are now welcoming cutting-edge technologies, indicating solutions to these challenges.

Asset Tracking and Optimization: Digital twins enable comprehensive asset tracking, paving the way for optimized asset utilization and reduced downtime. By creating virtual replicas of physical assets, companies  can monitor the real-time status and performance of their assets, facilitating prompt decision-making and timely interventions for maintenance or replacements, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and reducing costs.

Predictive Analytics: With the aid of digital twins, supply chains can transition from reactive to proactive management. By harnessing the predictive analytics capabilities of digital twins, supply chain managers can anticipate potential disruptions or bottlenecks and devise preemptive measures to mitigate risks or avert operational hiccups, thereby ensuring a smoother, more resilient supply chain flow.

Navigating Challenges and Considerations

While digital twins bestow substantial advantages, they aren't without challenges:

  • Data privacy and security become paramount as vast amounts of data are collected.

  • Implementation costs, particularly for large organizations, can be significant.

  • Integrating digital twins with existing systems can be complex but is pivotal for success.

  • Standardization is imperative to ensure interoperability and data sharing.

Charting the Future of Digital Twins

The road ahead for digital twins is brimming with possibilities:

  • Integration with AI and machine learning promises smarter and more predictive Twins.

  • Edge computing brings Twins closer to physical assets, offering real-time insights for superior operational performance.

  • Digital twin marketplaces simplify access, catering to diverse business needs.

  • The metaverse and quantum computing beckon, with Twins poised to create virtual industrial landscapes and accelerate progress.

A Safe Landing

Digital twins aren't a mere buzzword; they are the architects of the future for heavy industry, mining, operational technology, and supply chain management. Armed with real-time visibility, cost-cutting capabilities, enhanced safety measures, and superior decision-making tools, digital twins empower organizations to flourish in an ever-evolving world.

Now is the time to embrace this transformative technology as a strategic investment. Dive into the realm of possibilities, chart your course, and embark on a journey toward a future that is more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable, all under the guiding light of digital twins. The future beckons—are you ready to shape it?

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Sources:

Mike Iwankiw
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