Digital twin

Digital twin refers to a digital replica of physical assets (physical twin), processes, people, places, systems and devices that can be used for various purposes. The digital representation provides both the elements and the dynamics of how an Internet of things device operates and lives throughout its life cycle. The term was coined in 2002 by Michael Grieves at the University of Michigan.

A digital twin also integrates historical data from past machine usage to factor into its digital model. In various industrial sectors, twins are being used to optimize the operation and maintenance of physical assets, systems and manufacturing processes. They are a formative technology for the Industrial Internet of things, where physical objects can live and interact with other machines and people virtually. In the context of the Internet of things, they are also referred as "cyberobjects", or "digital avatars". The digital twin is also a component of the Cyber-physical system concept.

Definitions of digital twin technology used in prior research emphasize two important characteristics. :

In a study presented at the "Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium" in 2019, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln stated that combining theoretical simulations alongside in-processor sensor data leadleads to higher statistical fidelity of detecting process flaws.

The United States Military Department of Defense uses digital twin technology to help validate the integrity of individual devices and the assembly of microprocessors. Part of the process is the Air Force Research Laboratory's aim at gathering data on microprocessor design and manufacturing processprocesses to establish the provenance of semiconductors using digital twin capabilities.

In manufacturing, Digitaldigital twin technology is used to evaluate facilities, clusters and shop floors to increase productivity, enhance inventory management, monitor manufacturing processes, develop plans for downtime, develop real-time scheduling, and offer predictive analytics. The technology also offers solutions for fault or defect in the manufacturing process or the resulting product. This has included the use of digital twin technology to improve component construction in General Electric's wind turbine to generate gains in efficiency through data from its digital twin.

In the additive manufacturing industry, digital twin technology is being used to achieve defect-free production of parts. The use of digital twin technology to use sensor technology to create a theoretical model and use theoretical predictions and machine learning models to testIt theis digitalalso twinused for flawsrapid prototyping of components, reducing time-to-market while increasing quality and decreasing costs. Often, a physical model is used with the digital twin and further sensors to detect flaws as they occur in stress and heat testing.

In a study presented at the "Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium" in 2019, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln stated that combining theoretical simulations alongside in-processor sensor data lead to higher statistical fidelity of detecting process flaws.

The United StatesUnited States Military Department of Defense uses digital twin technology to help validate the integrity of individual devices and the assembly of microprocessors. Part of the process is the Air Force Research Laboratory's aim at gathering data on microprocessor design and manufacturing process to establish the provenance of semiconductors using digital twin capabilities.

The United States Military Department of Defense uses digital twin technology to help validate the integrity of individual devices and the assembly of microprocessors. Part of the process is the Air Force Research LaboratoryAir Force Research Laboratory's aim at gathering data on microprocessor design and manufacturing process to establish the provenance of semiconductors using digital twin capabilities.

NASA uses digital twin technology to develop new recommendations for the operation, maintenance, and repair of systems that are not within reach of the engineers or when trying to talk astronauts through repairs or maintenance of systems beyond the ability for engineers to see them. NASANASA also uses digital twin technology for the development of technology roadmaps and vehicles and aircraft.

It has been implemented in smart city projects in GreeceGreece, Moldova, Portugal, Romania and Spain to support air quality monitoring, daily waste collection monitoring, and to assist municipal compliance with ISO 37120 certification. The technology is also being used to support mobile applications for citizens and tourists for real-time information about the city, including points of interest, locations, routing, and ongoing events.

It has been implemented in smart city projects in Greece, Moldova, Portugal, RomaniaRomania and Spain to support air quality monitoring, daily waste collection monitoring, and to assist municipal compliance with ISO 37120 certification. The technology is also being used to support mobile applications for citizens and tourists for real-time information about the city, including points of interest, locations, routing, and ongoing events.