From their origins in the aerospace industry, digital twins have emerged as a lynchpin technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. By creating digital representations of real-world assets, engineers are transforming how complex systems, infrastructure and products are designed and maintained.
Digital twins have evolved to the stage where the factors influencing their development are myriad and multiplying – from commercial and legal considerations to the different needs of multiple users and knowledge capture.
Their proliferation also raises important questions about interoperability. As separate enterprises and industries pursue their own digital twin strategies, there is a risk that the approaches they take will diverge to the point that they hinder or prevent future use cases which rely on data being exchanged between different twins.
A common definition and framework for digital twins are needed now, while the technology is still developing. Failure to do so will create significant challenges in the future.
At the Virtual Engineering Centre, we develop integrated systems architecture to support the realisation of Digital Twinning which help our clients innovate faster.
Download our new white paper exploring the evolution of digital twins and why they must be designed with an Integrated Digital Environment in mind, for their full benefits to be realised.
