A lot of companies currently don’t know how to make use of new technologies for their benefit. If we take a general look at the work effectiveness and maintenance, we can see that there is a lack of some digital base for working with business assets. However, doing business in the digital age significantly changes this reality and enables the companies to get a whole different perspective on their assets. Not only as facilities that need maintenance, but also as a digital representation that might offer intelligent features for advanced decision-making and automated processes. Thanks to digitalization, companies might reach a much higher level.

The concept of digital twins is not new, but today’s companies can make use of modern technologies for its implementation to reality. What technologies are primarily applied here? For example, 3D visualization, virtual and augmented reality, sensor monitoring technology, big data and advanced analytical tools, cloud computing, neural networks and self-learning mechanisms or geographic information systems.

Cooperation within a network increases efficiency

Using the internet of things, it’s possible to monitor individual devices in real time, thanks to the built-in sensors. This technology is not new either, it belongs to the fastest growing ones of today – and provide its users much added value. A whole myriad of devices is equipped with sensors in principle and most of the time, it’s possible to add sensors where there are not available yet. The internet of things can then integrate these data flows into one functional unit.

If we have this data available in real time, we are able to make more qualified decisions or automate common processes using suitable database and analysis tools and artificial intelligence.

What benefits does the network of digital twins bring?

The most important benefits can be seen primarily in the field of automation and work efficiency, cost reduction, customer service improvement and new levels of income.

A typical example of such benefits is extending the lifespan of devices. The lifespan of a device is mostly determined by the accuracy of estimates of working conditions and proper maintenance and some security framework. Instead, it is possible to optimize the production process on the basis of real data that are immediately processed and evaluated. Even slight change in the device vibration can be a reason for doing maintenance work even beyond the planned scheme and thanks to that, more extensive damage won’t occur. Using digital twins, it’s possible to keep track of the device’s reaction to various unexpected events, from weather effects through overloading to environment parameters, where the device is located.

Reducing maintenance costs belongs to the most significant benefits. A standardly planned maintenance of more extensive devices might cost a fortune. And costs are dramatically increasing if the device is out of operation for a longer time. Through connecting digital twins to real devices, it is possible to detect problems as soon as possible and use predictive algorithms and machine learning for fault prediction. Maintenance is then done when it’s really needed.

Digital twins move individual devices to the center of events

Individual devices determine the future to a large extent and operators with a rich range of digital tools are able to make much more qualified decisions. With premium maintenance of individual devices, their connection to a network that is sharing data and tuning all processes via digital twins, companies are able to achieve much better outcomes, and therefore provide the best customer service possible.