Imagine knowing when and how much to throttle back plant floor machinery to stretch the life of an expensive asset, learning which features of a consumer appliance are underused or prone to failing to improve subsequent versions, or understanding how wind turbines, oil rigs or jet engines perform, allowing for modifications that improve asset uptime.

Science fiction? Maybe once upon a time. But these are now real-world examples of how companies can enlist the digital twin concept. Introduced by NASA decades ago as part of its spacecraft monitoring mission, the digital twin has emerged in the mainstream as technologies such as sensors, big data analytics and cloud computing power a new generation of Internet of Things (IoT)-connected products, industrial assets, buildings and even city infrastructure.

This new editorial report written by veteran reporter Beth Stackpole explores:

• The significance of digital twins on the factory floor
• Their role in improving product design and product quality
• Challenges still facing the technology

This report is provided by: