ServiceFriday: Digital Twin Technology – Predictions for the Future

Many companies use predictive modeling to forecast future outcomes. However, while modeling cannot completely achieve this goal, digital twins (a dynamic software model of a physical thing or system) present one of today’s most advanced technologies for this purpose. By tapping into the vast data pool that is inevitably created by a digital twin’s interaction with a product, companies can greatly improve their services management and customer satisfaction. 

The concept of digital twins has been around since 2002 when Dr. Michael Grieves coined the term.  “While the terminology has changed over time, the basic concept of the Digital Twin model has remained fairly stable from its inception in 2002. It is based on the idea that a digital informational construct about a physical system could be created as an entity on its own. This digital information would be a ‘twin’ of the information that was embedded within the physical system itself and be linked with that physical system through the entire lifecycle of the system.” Grieves and Vickers, 2016. This video from Geospatial World explains the concept of digital twins further.

In an article from i-SCOOP, the author notes the ways in which digital twins can be leveraged to improve their physical counterparts. “Engineers gain insights in the real-world usage of the products they designed with all the benefits that brings. Advanced ways of product and asset maintenance and management come within reach as there is a digital twin of the real ‘thing’, with real-time capabilities.  Decisions can be made in complex environments as is already the case in, for instance, steam turbines whereby digital twins are enabled to optimize processes, reduce fuel consumption, control virtually every aspect of the full environment and thus realize ample benefits.”  

Since digital twins are directly connected to their real life physical representations (the real world twin), large amounts of data on customer insights, behavior, and preferences can be gathered and examined. This then can lead to product and service improvements, and new ways of innovation around products and services.

There are also implications for field services. The global research firm Gartner anticipates that, “by 2020 a quarter of field-service technicians and information workers will use augmented reality which will revolutionize the role of the field service worker who will, among others, leverage image overlay.”

In the very near future, “Gartner also predicts that by 2021, half of large industrial companies will use digital twins, resulting in those organizations gaining a 10% improvement in effectiveness.”

Link to the original article in i-SCOOP: https://bit.ly/2FWTzYl