What is Digital Twin technology?

Anticipating the impact that potential changes in a product or service can have, reducing risks and preventing failures are key to business success. That’s what Digital Twin technology allows for, which is becoming increasingly relevant for both public and private organizations.

Talking about what is Digital Twin technology means talking about Industry 4.0, which refers to the fourth Industrial Revolution, which differs from the previous three by one fundamental aspect: the interconnection of all sub-processes in the production environment in an automated, computerized, and “intelligent” way. 

The first industrial revolution took place in 1794 with the steam engine, the second industrial revolution emerged with mass production in the 1870s, industry 3.0 with automation in the twentieth century, and today we are living through the fourth industrial revolution that comes with digitization.

In other words, Industry 4.0 aims to create complex industrial processes where all equipment involved is interconnected, has the ability to optimize time and resources and even make autonomous decisions. 

This concept is supported by a series of technologies such as:

• IInternet of Things (IoT) – Equipment and devices capable of collecting data, storing it, processing it and communicating with other devices in the process.
• Big Data – Allows for analysis of enormous amounts of data to discover behavioral patterns and transform data into usable knowledge.
• 3D printing or additive manufacturing – allows for product customization without increasing associated costs.
• Artificial Intelligence – Information is processed and “computer brains” learn from it, leading to efficient predictions and decision-making. This learning is constantly updated.

A digital twin is a virtual mirror of the physical world; it’s a physical representation of an object, process or service. It feeds on always available information and brings with it a series of benefits that impact quality, productivity and significant cost savings.

Digital Twins will take center stage in industry and business in coming years. They present themselves as a revolutionary disruptive technology that gets involved in all processes, improving them from design to interaction with end-users through maintenance. In the next decade if you don’t join Industry 4.0 and don’t have a digital twin of your facilities you’ll be throwing away opportunities to streamline your processes to their maximum potential while saving large amounts of money; it’ll be like being stuck in the Stone Age.

Now that you know what is Digital Twin technology…Evolve with us!

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Escrito por Silvia Díaz Contreras - BIM Project Manager