Digital Twins Grow Up

"Digital Twins Grow Up," by Samuel @samthewriter Greengard, says that digital twins, or exact #virtual representations of physical objects and #systems, are revolutionizing #engineering, #manufacturing, and other fields.

Digital Twins Grow Up    By Samuel Greengard    August 6, 2019

One of the things that makes computers so remarkable is their ability to create digital representations of physical objects and systems. This allows designers, engineers, scientists, and others to build models and simulations that deliver deep insights into how machines operate, when systems fail, and how complex scenarios play out over time.

Exact virtual representations of physical objects and systems—a.k.a. digital twins—are redefining and even revolutionizing fields as diverse as agriculture, engineering, medicine, and manufacturing.

"We have reached a point where it's possible to have all the information embedded in a physical object reside within a digital representation," says Michael Grieves, chief scientist for advanced manufacturing at the Florida Institute of Technology and the originator of the concept nearly two decades ago.

You've got twins!
From power turbines to jet aircraft, smartphones to office buildings, organizations are now using digital twins to predict how systems will perform, when they will fail, how people use them, and how a vast array of variables and conditions factor into outcomes. These digital representations, often incorporating computer-aided design (CAD) and building information modeling (BIM) software, are becoming crucial tools for unlocking cost savings, greater efficiency, and innovation.

The value of digital twins revolves around their ability to reduce or eliminate wasted physical resources—which can include, time, energy, and materials, Grieves points out. "The use of digital twins is ushering in the next phase of operational and productivity improvements," says Joe Berti, vice president of offering management for Watson IoT IBM Cognitive Applications. He says that a growing array of data points—generated from sensors and devices residing within the Internet of Things (IoT) and pushed through machine learning and AI systems—are advancing the sophistication of digital twins at a rapid rate.

For example, NASA now uses digital twins to better understand how to design, test, and build spacecraft. The agency is developing a framework that allows it to see when a component or vehicle is operating efficiently and safely in the virtual world before commencing manufacturing in the physical world.

GE also has embraced the concept. It operates digital steam turbines and wind farms that are exact representations of all physical assets. The firm has predicted that integrating its wind power software with a 2MW wind turbine in a digital twin setup can increase energy production by as much as 20%.

Meanwhile, the City of Cambridge in the U.K. is creating digital twins to better understand traffic and manage air quality.

Gartner has predicted that "billions of things" will be represented by digital twins by 2022. "Their proliferation will require a cultural change, as those who understand the maintenance of real-world things collaborate with data scientists and IT professionals," the firm noted in an online post about strategic and technology trends.  ....  "