In our fast-changing technological world, digital twins and extended reality (XR) stand out as unique and game-changing tools in product development.
These technologies can create precise virtual replicas of physical objects and use immersive technologies to reshape industries, drive innovation, improve efficiency, and foster collaboration.
Let's delve into how organizations are leading the integration of these unique technologies into product lifecycle management and benefiting from doing so, the real-world applications, future trends, and key players driving this transformative wave.
Digital twins, simulations, and XR are revolutionizing product development and engineering. While these technologies are often confused, they have distinct roles and applications.
Simulations are essential in the early stages of product design. They allow engineers to model and analyze the behavior of components and systems under various conditions, helping to optimize designs and predict performance before physical prototypes are created. Typical products and systems that are simulated include:
However, simulations are typically limited to hypothetical scenarios and not continuously updated with real-world data.
Digital twins are dynamic, real-time virtual representations of a physical object or process. "Unlike static simulations, which model hypothetical scenarios, digital twins are continuously updated with data from sensors and IoT (Internet of Things) devices, providing a live, interactive model of the physical entity," Rolf Ilenberger, CEO of VRDirect, tells us.
Digital twins go further by maintaining a live connection with their physical counterparts. This enables real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and operational optimization. Typical implementations of digital twins include:
Extended reality (XR), which includes virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), enhances the utility of digital twins and simulations by providing immersive and interactive experiences. It also allows users to visualize and interact with simulations and digital twins in a lifelike environment. This is particularly useful for training, maintenance, and design reviews, enabling teams to collaborate more effectively across different locations.
However, it may be necessary to reassess how XR is beneficial in each of these cases mentioned above, as opposed to using traditional simulation visualization methods, such as with desktop workstations.
As Illenberger points out: "XR technologies are coming into play and, from many conversations [I've had], it seems like we're still in an exploration phase. We must ask ourselves, how can we utilize XR technologies to improve a digital twin?"
Digital twins and XR technologies are transforming the way industries collaborate and innovate. These technologies facilitate seamless global collaboration, allowing teams from different continents to work together in real time. This capability is particularly beneficial for complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and intricate designs, as it eliminates the need for physical prototypes or travel.
By reducing their reliance on physical prototypes, companies can save substantial costs and time. Digital twins enable virtual testing and simulations, highlighting potential issues and optimizing designs before physical production begins. This approach minimizes the risk of costly errors and accelerates the product development cycle. Ilenberger explains: "The tricky part is determining where the application of XR improves the impression or the work with digital twins."
Michael Sarvo Jr., digital design business development manager at Rockwell Automation, explains how XR and digital twins are used in industrial automation environments: "XR technologies, combined with digital twin automation models, are leveraged to familiarize operators with new equipment and operations before the real machinery is available or while those valuable assets are used for real production."
This allows for training without risking production or damaging valuable equipment while new operators are still learning the ropes. Sarvo adds: "Train anytime, anyplace, without limits, without scraps, without risks. Our Emulate3D customers have been taking advantage of this capability for over a decade for virtual design reviews and training."
Using sensors, digital twins provide continuous data throughout the product's lifecycle, from design and manufacturing to maintenance and end-of-life. This real-time information allows for better decision-making, predictive maintenance, and more efficient resource management. For example, a car manufacturer can monitor the wear and tear of specific components and predict when maintenance is required, enhancing the vehicle's longevity and performance.
Overall, integrating digital twins and XR technologies provides significant advantages, enabling industries to improve collaboration, reduce costs, enhance training, and optimize lifecycle management. These benefits are driving the adoption of these technologies across various sectors, leading to more efficient and innovative practices.
Implementing digital twins and XR is fraught with challenges. The primary hurdles include the need for extensive sensor networks, robust data transmission capabilities, and real-time connectivity. Ilenberger cautions: "Most existing products and facilities were not initially designed to support digital twin technology and will require retrofitting and substantial upgrades."
One major challenge is integrating various technologies and ensuring standardization. The market lacks readily available XR headsets with open development kits to support business applications and there is limited interoperability between different systems. As a June 2024 ZDNET article highlights, there are challenges in the business adoption of Apple's Vision Pro, where open standards and greater interoperability are essential for the widespread adoption of XR technologies.
Ilenberger notes: "The complexity is not so much in XR presentation; the complexity is in the sensors you need to observe the actual physical process or the physical machine." It underscores the need for a cohesive approach to technology integration and developing industry-wide standards to facilitate smoother implementation and operation, he adds.
Furthermore, data management can prove challenging. The vast amount of data generated by digital twins need to be processed, analyzed, and acted upon in real time. This requires advanced data analytics, AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities, and secure and scalable cloud infrastructure.
Digital twin is still an evolving technology and businesses must invest in developing the necessary expertise and infrastructure to handle the demands effectively.
When organizations are able to address these challenges, digital twins can revolutionize various industries by providing real-time data and detailed visualizations of machinery and processes to enable predictive maintenance and operational efficiency. Several sectors are leading the charge in adopting and implementing digital twin technology, with notable companies driving innovation in each area.
The aerospace and automotive industries are pioneers in using digital twins and simulations. Aerospace companies leverage these technologies to design and test aircraft, creating fully digital models before physical production. This approach ensures precision and reduces the need for multiple prototypes.
Similarly, automotive manufacturers use digital twins to streamline design revisions and manufacturing processes, enhancing collaboration across global teams. The integration of XR further enhances these simulations, providing immersive and detailed visualizations that aid in design and testing.
Rockwell Automation's Sarvo Jr. provides his insight on how digital twins and XR technologies work together to improve manufacturing systems, from concept to virtual commissioning. Using XR instructions, for instance, operators can receive on-the-fly training.
"Imagine training an operator not on any specific process, but by following along with XR instructions," Sarvo explains. "Related instruction sets can be delivered to the worker and given on the fly, where every step is an augmented overlay over the real world and is incredibly easy to follow. This is how we expand human possibility."
This integration of digital twins and XR not only optimizes design and manufacturing processes, but also enhances operational efficiency and safety in the production environment.
Integrating XRin these applications further enhances these simulations, providing immersive and detailed visualizations that aid design and testing:
Digital twins can create comprehensive digital representations of cities to facilitate urban design and planning. These digital twins integrate multiple data sources to provide real-time insights into urban infrastructure, aiding sustainability and climate change mitigation. Here are some use cases:
Visualization specialists are crucial to developing and deploying digital twins. They offer platforms that integrate real-time data with advanced visual rendering. These solutions enable industries to effectively adopt and scale digital twin technologies by supporting extensive data integration and real-time analytics.
Cloud service providers facilitate the creation and management of digital twins by offering platforms that integrate real-time data and analytics. These cloud-based solutions enable remote monitoring and management, providing organizations with flexibility and scalability.
Drones are increasingly essential for creating digital twins, particularly in surveying and mapping applications. Advanced drone technology allows for accurate 2D and 3D data collection, which is crucial for developing detailed digital twins of physical environments.
Looking ahead, AI can be leveraged to further optimize the performance of digital twins, XR, and simulation technologies. In aerospace, for example, AI-enhanced digital twins can improve aircraft performance by adjusting parameters for better fuel efficiency and safety. These simulations help fine-tune operations and achieve optimal performance under varying conditions.
AI also models how materials and components respond to stress and temperature changes, informing product designs and what to tweak. In the automotive industry, AI-driven digital twins simulate crash scenarios to select materials that enhance vehicle safety. This allows engineers to test different materials and configurations in a virtual environment, ensuring the best possible safety outcomes.
AI and digital twins provide real-time insights for fast-paced environments. For example, in urban planning, AI analyzes city infrastructure data to optimize traffic flow and utility management. This real-time analysis helps city planners make informed decisions quickly, improving efficiency and responsiveness.
Combining AI with XR technologies such as AR and VR, further creates immersive environments for training and design. In healthcare, AI-enhanced digital twins with AR offer surgeons real-time anatomical visualizations during surgery, improving precision and outcomes. This integration allows for more effective training and better surgical planning, leading to improved patient care.
Rockwell's Sarvo Jr. adds: "I don't know just how distant [this future is], but certainly we can all imagine being immersed in an extended reality experience of a digital twin, where the AI could pay attention to how we move through the scene or interact with the digital machinery, and adaptively improve the design for optimal performance, ergonomics, and safety."
By harnessing AI and XR technologies, industries can create more efficient, safe, and adaptive systems, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in product development and operational management.