BimScaler Blog – It’s easy to see why the pros and cons of digital twins are worth considering, given the unique nature of each project.
One thing we should remember about digital twins is that they can adapt.
So, if there’s a problem in a project, the digital twins will also have problems. It’s kind of like ‘garbage in, garbage out’.
So, now we’re looking at how we can use our understanding of the pros and cons of digital twins to anticipate problems before they happen.
Pros of Digital Twins
Improved Product Design and Development
Digital twins are a great way for engineers to create and test prototypes in a virtual environment, which helps them to design and develop products more effectively.
This makes it easier and quicker to get products to market.
According to “The Benefits and Impact of Digital Twins in Product Development Phase of PLM” by Ilkka Donoghue, Lea Hannola, Jorma Papinniemi, and Aki Mikkola, real-time simulations during the product development phase provide immediate feedback, reducing the need for physical prototypes and cutting down development times.
This method also helps to spot potential design flaws early on, which means we can make sure our products are of a higher quality and that fewer problems pop up after they’ve been launched.
Operational Efficiency
McKinsey’s article “Digital twins: When and why to use one,” by Mickael Brossard et al., explains how digital twins help companies optimise their supply chains and manufacturing operations. They can use them to simulate different scenarios and make informed decisions based on real-time data.
Integrating digital twins into manufacturing processes helps make operations more efficient by providing real-time data and predictive analytics.
For example, digital twins can keep an eye on how well equipment is working and predict when it needs to be maintained, which helps to cut down on downtime and make sure equipment is as effective as it can be.
Cost Savings
Digital twins can help cut costs, mainly by reducing maintenance and minimising downtime.
The McKinsey article “Digital twins: The key to smart product development,” also points out that companies using digital twins have reduced their maintenance costs by up to 20% and unplanned downtime by up to 50%.
Yep, digital twins let you predict when things might go wrong and take action before they do.
This approach not only saves on maintenance costs but also stops production from being disrupted.
To find out how useful digital twins are in manufacturing, kindly read “The Newbie Guide to Digital Twin in Manufacturing Industry Growth.”
Enhanced Decision-Making
Being able to try out different scenarios and outcomes with digital twins is really useful for making decisions.
Brossard et al. explain how digital twins help companies make their operations more efficient by running lots of simulations and looking at the results without any real-world disruptions.
This is exactly what you need for strategic planning and operational adjustments in complex environments like urban planning, infrastructure development and large-scale manufacturing.
What’s more, combining digital twins with AI and machine learning makes them even better at predicting what’s going to happen next, so you can make more informed and timely decisions.
Cons of Digital Twins
High Initial Investment
One of the main drawbacks of digital twins is that it can cost a lot to get them up and running.
As Charles B. Anderton points out in “Challenges and Benefits of Implementing a Digital Twin in Composites Manufacturing,” setting up digital twins is a costly business.
It involves buying and installing sensors, and data storage systems, and integrating them with existing infrastructure.
These costs can be a real barrier for small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Australia, making it tough for them to adopt this advanced technology.
SMEs in Australia might find these costs too high, which could limit the number of sectors where digital twins are adopted.
It’s easy to see why the upfront costs can seem high. But if the long-term benefits are worth it, it’s worth it. It’s just that smaller businesses often find it tough to balance the two.
Complexity of Integration
Mickael Brossard and his team say that making the connection between physical and virtual assets often means making big changes to how things are done now.
And yes, it can be really tricky and time-consuming to integrate digital twin technology into existing systems.
This integration challenge is often made worse by the fact that some legacy systems just aren’t compatible with new digital twin technologies.
This can mean that companies may face big operational problems and need to plan really carefully and get strong IT support to make sure they can integrate successfully.
Security Concerns
The use of digital twins involves collecting and analysing a lot of data, which raises concerns about data security and privacy.
We need to focus on how to protect data against cyber threats, especially in industries like healthcare and defence, where breaches can have severe consequences.
We need to make sure we have strong security measures in place and that we’re following data protection regulations.
This is the best way to keep sensitive information safe and to keep our stakeholders’ trust.
To learn more about how digital twins can help in construction, kindly read “Building Smarter, Not Harder: Reinventing the Digital Twins in Construction.”
Skills and Expertise
If you’re going to be implementing and managing digital twins, you’ll need to have some pretty specialised skills and expertise.
There’s a growing need for professionals who can develop, deploy and maintain these systems.
In Australia, there’s a real shortage of skilled professionals in this field, which is a big barrier to adoption.
Companies need to invest in training and development programmes to build the expertise needed in-house or use external consultants, which adds to the cost and complexity of digital twin projects.
Future Trends and Innovations
It looks like digital twins are here to stay, with new developments in AI, IoT and data analytics leading the way.
Mickael Brossard and his colleagues talk about a few new trends, like using AI-driven digital twins for predictive maintenance and integrating augmented reality (AR) for better visualisation.
These new developments are set to make digital twins even more useful and popular in lots of different industries.
For instance, AI-driven digital twins can predict when equipment is going to break before it actually does, which means you can fix it before it stops working.
This approach not only makes things more efficient, but it also helps assets last longer.
What’s more, AR can give users a real-time, immersive experience, which helps them make better decisions and train more effectively.
What’s more, the idea of “digital twin ecosystems” is catching on.
These ecosystems involve lots of digital twins that can share data and insights, which gives you a better view of complex systems like smart cities or large-scale industrial operations.
This connected approach helps us manage resources better, deliver better services and perform better overall.
How to Get a Support System for Your Digital Twins
With all these great benefits on offer, switching to digital twins can feel like a big challenge, especially for companies that aren’t already familiar with these technologies.
At BIM Scaler, we can help you with full CAD and BIM management, including the management of digital twins.
We know how to make digital twins easier to integrate and manage in engineering projects.
Our team of experts will work with you to create and maintain accurate, impactful digital twins that align perfectly with your goals.
This also means you won’t have to worry about any hiccups and can start reaping the benefits of this game-changing technology in no time.
The best part is that you can keep an eye on your assets in real time, so you can spot and fix any problems before they get worse.
This proactive approach helps you avoid any downtime, make your operations more efficient and save money.
Let’s get started with a background check. We’d love for you to visit and read our BIM Management Support page here.
If you’d like to discuss this further, just drop us an email or give us a call today to make an appointment for a meeting at lunch. We’d love to show you what we can do for you.
In Closing
While setting up a digital twin system can be expensive, complex, and requires cybersecurity measures and specialised skills, the potential benefits and future advancements make it a compelling technology.
If you get to grips with these challenges and upcoming trends, you can use digital twins to make your operations more efficient and help them grow.
As we said at the start, now you’ve got a handle on the pros and cons of digital twins, it’s time to think about how you’re going to use the technology: by yourself or by a provider like BIM Scaler.
