A seasoned factory manager recently described how his team tackled a breakdown in a critical machine, saving the organisation days of downtime and hefty costs. The mastermind behind this success was not a designated on-site engineer, but a smart, virtual replica of the machine functioning in tandem with its real-world counterpart. This is the power of Digital Twins, a new-age technology that transforms how we understand, monitor, and optimise everything from industrial equipment to sprawling supply chains. Beyond operational efficiency, Digital Twins are revolutionising Engineering Research and Development (ER&D) by providing a dynamic platform for innovation, enabling engineers to experiment, simulate, and refine designs in a virtual environment before physical implementation.
At its core, a Digital Twin is an evolving, replica model of a physical object, system, or process, enriched by real-time data. It mirrors reality and empowers organisations to simulate outcomes, anticipate challenges, and optimize performance. When paired with artificial intelligence, it goes multiple steps further, offering insights that predict failures, simulate complex scenarios, and enhance performance, thereby redefining the industrial landscape.
Gartner projects that by 2027, over 40% of large organisations will integrate Digital Twins with emerging technologies, including metaverse applications, to drive ROI and innovation. As Industry 5.0 reshapes the landscape, Digital Twins are leading a human-centric transformation where technology amplifies expertise rather than replacing it.
The Synergy of Digital Twins and AI
AI and Digital Twins are redefining how industries approach real-time decision-making. By processing vast amounts of sensor and operational data, AI empowers Digital Twins to simulate complex scenarios into predicted scenarios. For instance, in industries such as energy or manufacturing, AI enables Digital Twins to model entire systems, predicting how small changes in one part of a process can impact the entire system’s performance. This level of insight allows for hyper-targeted optimisation, from adjusting machine settings to redesigning production flows. When paired with AI’s machine learning capabilities, Digital Twins become self-improving systems that continuously adapt and evolve.
Digital Twin and Industry 5.0
Industry 5.0 marks a shift towards human-centric innovation, where personalization and sustainability emerge as a priority. In this evolution, Digital Twins play an indispensable role by bridging the gap between humans and machines. They facilitate a harmonious collaboration, enabling workers to engage with virtual replicas of physical systems through intuitive interfaces.
Addressing the challenges of implementation
However, the path to full-scale implementation comes with its fair share of hurdles. High initial costs, concerns over data security, and the need for a robust digital infrastructure remain significant barriers for many organizations looking to adopt this technology.
The path forward for digital twins
In a world increasingly defined by data, Digital Twins have emerged as one of the key technologies reshaping industries from the inside out. With AI at their core, they’ve already begun to change the way we understand and manage everything from manufacturing floors to supply chains. But I believe we’re still only scratching the surface, the future holds immense potential. As Industry 5.0 takes shape, the focus on human-centric and sustainable innovation will make the role of Digital Twins even more essential. Looking ahead, the next few years will be about collaboration, trial and error, and learning from the processes. The journey might seem challenging, but the rewards are transformative, not just for businesses, but for the industries and communities they serve.
(The writer is CEO & managing director, L&T Technology Services (LTTS)