The term Digital Twin is primarily at home in the fields of industry and Industry 4.0, digitisation and the Internet of Things. A Digital Twin, or „digitaler Zwilling“ in German, is a virtual copy of a real object, process, or system. This digital version precisely replicates the original and is supplied with current data, so that it reflects the state of the original at all times.
A digital twin helps companies to make processes more transparent, monitor them, and optimise them. For example, a manufacturer can equip a machine in the factory with many sensors. The measured data is sent to a computer, which uses it to create a digital twin of this machine. This allows technicians to see on screen how the machine is running and to identify potential problems early on – without having to be on site. This makes it possible to plan repairs or maintenance efficiently and prevent breakdowns.
By using Digital Twins, companies can save costs, reduce sources of error, and increase product quality. The digital twin is an important building block for the smart, connected production of the future.
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