The technology allows companies to create a virtual replica of their product or process and test it before moving to actual production. The virtual replica is created using real-time and accurate data to mimic the real-world product. By testing this replica in different environments, companies can understand how the product will work and ultimately make changes to improve it. Therefore helping them build a perfect product from the get-go.
Sounds like a utopian dream? Well, companies have already implemented this technology and are reaping the benefits.
We will discuss some digital twin examples in each industry to help you gain a better idea of how digital twin technologies are revolutionizing the digital world.
Let’s delve in!
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Manufacturing is one of the key areas that digital twins are changing operations. Automotive manufacturers have taken digital twin technology to revolutionise the way cars are made. Ford develops seven digital twins for each model of vehicle it produces. Each twin covers a different aspect of production from design to build and operated. They also use digital models for the manufacturing process, production facilities and customer experience. For their production facilities, the digital twin accurately detects energy losses and pinpoints areas where energy can be conserved and overall production line performance improved.
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DHL Supply Chain, the global market leader for contract logistics solutions, has successfully implemented an integrated supply chain solution for Tetra Pak’s warehouse in Singapore, one of its largest globally. This is the first smart warehouse for DHL in Asia Pacific to deploy the digital twin technology, which involves using digital models to better understand and manage physical assets.

“Tetra Pak is the world’s leading food processing and packaging solutions company serving the needs of hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries, and we are proud to play a part in their vision to make food safe and available everywhere,” said Jerome Gillet, CEO, DHL Supply Chain Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines. “By jointly implementing a digital solution to support Tetra Pak’s warehousing and transport operations, this collaboration is a great example for smart warehouses of the future to deliver agile, cost effective and scalable supply chain operations.”
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Imagine being able to create a digital twin of your body to test the impact of different choices on your arteries, veins and organs. Sounds good? That's the concept behind BP’s highly sophisticated simulation and surveillance system called APEX that creates a virtual copy of all BP’s production systems throughout the world. BP Magazine finds out how it is helping to optimize production, add value and, crucially, save precious engineering time.
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Some processes are so complex that you can’t risk failure by experimenting with a different approach. Other processes are so critical to operations that you dare not go offline to test an innovative method. And many physical processes move with such force that you cannot interrupt them to try something new. To use an old analogy, it’s tough to change the wheels on a moving train. And that can be frustrating when the new design might provide dozens of valuable benefits. Recently, the Port of Rotterdam overcame this problem of testing with the development of a digital twin.
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At Signify we’re in the business of predicting the future. Often, we get it right – like when we built a portfolio of everyday lights that took LED technology mainstream, or when we energized the connected lighting market by introducing a standard for fixture-based control. So what’s next in our crystal ball? Digital twins. We think they’re poised to make the jobs of lighting professionals easier while improving our buildings and cities – and we’re committed to helping our partners be part of the benefits they’ll bring.
Digital twins: the IoT killer app?
Digital twins aren’t new. But today they’re at the intersection of almost every game-changing technology: the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, wireless connectivity, advances in sensors and cameras, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). If you believe the buzz, they’re the IoT ‘killer app’ that unites all these capabilities to interpret the deluge of data coming from 21 billion connected sensors and endpoints by 2020.
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