Dr. Daniel, what is possible with a digital twin?

Daniel: It is available to all areas of the company as an integration platform right from the development phase. After that, it is always ready for virtual commissioning, system optimization during operation, remote maintenance or training. This allows planning approaches that map the real world without restriction and support users in the realization of flexible and easily reconfigurable production systems - for the benefit of simultaneous engineering, fast ramp-up and the safe, sustainable operation of machine systems. In addition to the simulation of material flow and logistics processes, the digital twin also allows precise performance statements to be made, taking all components and assemblies into account.

What are the specific advantages of this?

Daniel: Actual commissioning times are reduced by up to 80 %, while product development costs and times are reduced by 20 to 30 % thanks to more agile, efficient processes. The resulting significantly shorter project durations with assured results and reduced risk open up further competitive advantages - especially as companies can make targeted use of free development capacities for strategically crucial innovations.

How has ISG-virtuos evolved to make a digital twin possible?

Daniel: 15 years ago, the idea behind ISG-virtuos was to create a virtual machine for NC control tests, taking into account the machine dynamics, which is calculated in the communication cycle of the drive bus. Today, ISG-virtuos calculates the machine/system behavior using hardware-in-the-loop simulation in real time with a control cycle of less than one millisecond - including physics-based material flow.

It was important to develop virtual, reusable components that correspond to their real counterparts down to the last detail - including interfaces, behaviour in control real time and parameterization. The virtual components available in libraries support the rapid creation of new virtual systems. Due to their component-based nature, we like to refer to them as genuine digital twins, as they are virtual individual components that can be combined as required to form a complete system. The advantage: if an individual component changes in the real system, only this component is replaced in the twin. There is no need for a time-consuming rebuild of the entire system.

And how can the digital twin be implemented?

Daniel: With the 'SDK C++' software development kit, users and component manufacturers can create virtual behavioral models for components and assemblies that they can use as library modules to build virtual systems. Thanks to the openness of the system, specialized project planning and design tools can be integrated and specific systems implemented.

Are digital twins already in use?

Daniel: Definitely, more and more users are convinced by the concept. For example, the machine and plant manufacturer for the woodworking industry Homag. With the aim of shortening the duration of external and internal assembly and achieving a significantly higher volume in the same area and with the same personnel resources, Homag can completely dispense with tests on real components. In addition, more and more component manufacturers are supplying virtual twins as well as real components.