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The Role of Digital Twins in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering

November 15, 2024

The Role of Digital Twins in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering


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Erica Smith |

What is a Digital Twin?

Digital twin modeling creates detailed virtual representations of physical assets, systems, or processes. They enable manufacturers to simulate and analyze operations in real time. Utilizing 3D models facilitates more informed decision-making, increasing efficiency and reducing downtime.

Building on digital twin modeling, advanced manufacturing engineering (AME) goes further by using these insights to drive precise improvements in production, efficiency, and resource management. AME integrates methods like risk assessment, robotics simulation, ergonomic analysis, and virtual commissioning to ensure streamlined operations, helping manufacturers detect issues and refine workflows before real-world application—boosting productivity and reducing delays.

Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Applications

Virtual Commissioning:

Simulating and validating manufacturing systems in a virtual environment is an essential aspect of AME. Using Digital Twin technology, engineers can create accurate virtual replicas of physical systems, allowing them to simulate operations, identify issues, and optimize processes without disrupting production. This approach not only accelerates the integration of new technologies but also enhances system reliability and performance, leading to smoother operations and reduced time-to-market.

Risk Assessment:

Using Digital Twin technology, engineers can create virtual models of systems and operations to simulate various scenarios and assess their impact, identifying potential hazards and vulnerabilities in processes. This proactive approach enables mitigation strategies to be put in place and enhances safety measures before deploying changes in the real world, ultimately leading to more resilient manufacturing operations.

Robotics Simulation:

Engineers can create and evaluate robotic systems within a virtual setting. By utilizing Digital Twin technology, these simulations can replicate real-world conditions, enabling precise analysis of robot performance and interactions with other equipment. This proactive approach helps identify potential issues and ensures smoother integration of robotics into manufacturing processes.

Process Engineering:

With Digital Twin technology, engineers can create virtual models of systems to monitor and analyze operations in real time. This helps identify issues, test solutions, and improve workflows without interrupting actual production, ultimately boosting productivity and reducing waste. We do this through material flow analysis, time studies, facility layout optimization, predictive maintenance, and other traditional industrial engineering methods.

Examples of Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Using Digital Twins:

Virtual Commissioning Example: Test a new control system for conveyor belts in a production facility by using simulation to identify timing errors that would have caused a delay during live commissioning, allowing the team to fix it before real-world implementation.
Risk Assessment Example: Digital twins can simulate equipment performance in a factory, revealing the likelihood of a machine failure before it occurs. By identifying this risk early, maintenance can be scheduled to prevent costly downtime and ensure smooth operations.

Robotics Simulation Example: In a robotics-heavy assembly line, a digital twin models robotic arm movements to identify inefficiencies. The virtual environment allows adjustments to robot workflows without interrupting production, improving both precision and speed.

Ergonomics Simulation Example: A digital twin of a packaging station models worker postures and motions. This simulation identifies awkward movements that could cause injury, leading to ergonomic redesigns that improve worker safety and productivity.

Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) Example: Digital twins model AGV routes in a warehouse, helping identify bottlenecks in material handling. The optimized routes reduce travel time and improve overall efficiency in moving materials across the facility.

Material Flow Example: Digital twins help optimize processes by creating virtual warehouse and site replicas. By simulating and monitoring material movement from storage to the production line, real-time adjustments based on demand and inventory levels can minimize delays. Identifying and predicting bottlenecks in the supply chain allows for proactive solutions. and ensure smooth operations at the lineside, reducing downtime.

Benefits / Why use Digital Twins for Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Projects:

Enhanced Flexibility and Rapid Adjustments

Teams can simulate different scenarios to evaluate their potential impact before implementing. This capability allows for rapid adjustments to production processes in response to shifting demands or unexpected challenges. With real-time data insights, manufacturers can seamlessly adapt workflows, optimize resource allocation, and modify equipment configurations, creating a more agile production environment.

Optimized Resources

Optimizing resources in manufacturing means simulating operations to analyze data from virtual models, enabling teams to identify underutilized assets across personnel, materials, and schedules. By assessing workforce capabilities and material flow, companies can make informed adjustments that boost efficiency. This targeted approach reduces waste and lowers operational costs, leading to more effective resource management and improved overall performance.

Real-Time Monitoring

Real-time monitoring continuously tracks data, providing immediate insights and responses. In manufacturing, sensors and software collect data on equipment performance, production rates, and resource usage, allowing teams to quickly identify and address issues. When combined with digital twins, real-time monitoring enhances operational visibility and enables swift adjustments, improving efficiency, reducing downtime, supporting predictive maintenance, and ensuring consistent product quality.

Time to Market Acceleration

Digital twins significantly reduce time to market in advanced manufacturing engineering by allowing teams to create virtual models of production lines and processes. This enables testing and refinement of designs before physical implementation, helping to identify and address issues early. By optimizing material flows and workforce availability, companies can streamline operations and make quick adjustments, leading to faster product launches while maintaining quality.

Predictive Maintenance

Digital twins allow for real-time monitoring of equipment and create dynamic virtual models of physical assets. By simulating changes before they occur, they enhance product quality and reduce downtime. Continuous data collection helps teams detect anomalies that signal impending failures. Combining real-time insights with historical data improves failure prediction accuracy, enabling proactive maintenance scheduling. This approach minimizes unplanned downtime, lowers maintenance costs, and extends machinery lifespan, leading to more adaptive and efficient manufacturing operations.

Key Software for Creating a Digital Twin:

  • 3D Modeling & CAD: Autodesk Revit, AutoCAD, Dassault Systèmes' CATIA,
  • Reality Capture: FARO Scene, NaVis, Drones, Matterport,
  • IoT Platforms: AWS IoT, Microsoft Azure IoT
  • Simulation Tools: Dassault DELMIA, Siemens Tecnomatix,
  • Data Management & Cloud: AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud

Why use Advanced Manufacturing Engineering consultants?

Integrating digital twins into advanced manufacturing marks a major leap in efficiency and strategic planning. These virtual models empower manufacturers to anticipate issues, fine-tune processes, and enhance product quality with real-time production simulations. By partnering with a digital twin consultancy, businesses can ensure seamless integration, faster time-to-market, and a strong competitive advantage in today’s manufacturing landscape.

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