Call it the era of digital twins.
The global digital twin market size was valued at $8.60 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow from $11.51 billion in 2023 to $137.67 billion by 2030.
The popularity of digital twin technology is due to its usefulness as well as its promise.
A digital twin uses virtual and augmented reality as well as 3D graphic and data modelling to build a virtual model of a process, system, service, product, or other physical object. This digital twin is an exact replica of the physical world. Its exact replica status is maintained through real-time updates.
Digital twin technology is applicable to a wide range of environments, including the monitoring of products while they are in use and through the entire product life cycle.
Take manufacturing. Companies can use a digital twin technology at various levels:
- Component level – focused on a single, highly critical component within the manufacturing process.
- Asset level – creating a digital twin of a single piece of equipment within a production line.
- System level – using a digital twin to monitor and improve an entire production line.
- Process level – this looks at the entire manufacturing process from product and process design and development, to manufacturing and production. It also applies to distribution and the use of the finished product by customers/patients throughout the entire life cycle, as well as for the development of future products.
Consequently, applications of digital twins include using predictive maintenance to maintain equipment, production lines and facilities and well as manufacturing process optimization.
Another important digital twin application is getting a better understanding of products by monitoring them in real time as they are used by real customers or end-users.
Additionally, digital twin technology is being used more and more in enhancing product traceability processes as well as testing, validating and refining assumptions.
Want to learn more? Tonex offers Fundamentals of Digital Twins, a 2-day course that covers the key principles of digital twins and how it relates to integration of digital engineering, modeling and simulations, AI/ML, 3D and integration for service and product-related data and systems.
For more information, questions, comments, contact us.