Digital twins are revolutionising business models for aviation, industry and engineering. These virtual replicants of assets enriched with real time and contextual data are giving more information about networks, systems, factories, equipment and buildings than ever before. Assets then become more cost effective to maintain, and efficient to operate with cloud based data storage enabling performance monitoring at a scale that has not been possible until very recently. As a result, wholescale transformation of industries is not only on the horizon, it is here. Instead of buying airline engines, aeroplane manufacturers are buying hourly operation of their engines in a trend known as “servitisation.” There are many other potential advantages too from increased operational life to more targeted maintenance activity. We talk to industry experts to find out more.

As awareness of the potential for this new technology grows, we join Northumbrian Water on a digital twin sprint, where the organisation explores the potential for use of digital twins in its business and discovers a range of opportunities for transformation.

GUESTS

Professor Chris Kilsby, School of Engineering, Newcastle University

Tim Rook, associate partner, Blockchain in the industrial sector, IBM

Stuart Pierce, account director, Siemens

Sean Robinson, software solutions manager,  Novotek UK and Ireland

SUPPORTER

Bentley Systems

The post #4 The Rise of the Digital Twin first appeared on Engineering Matters.