What is a Digital Twin?
This buzzword is currently being used alongside Digital Transformation, Simulations, Industry 4.0, and so forth, but what is it? And how can we harness its power in an accessible and practical manner?
Let’s start at the beginning, with the definition:
Then, what is a Digital Twin?
We’ve read many definitions, and some include even more vague and ‘fancy’ buzzwords, so we’ll put it in the simple words of Wikipedia.
“A digital twin is a virtual representation that serves as the real-time digital counterpart of a physical object or process.”
Basically, we have a physical element that’s connected to the Digital Model (Twin), which enables real-time monitoring, analysis of data, issues prediction, etc. and more. New applications are discovered every day.
Let’s think of a specific example: a piece of equipment with a sensor, connected through a cloud-based system to a 3D model representation of that same equipment. This is a typical IoT (Internet of Things) use case. With the right analysis, lessons can be learned, and simulations can be performed in the VIRTUAL environment, allowing more certainty in the real world.
Digital Twins were pioneered by NASA, given the need to monitor and maintain equipment that was out of reach physically. Today, they leverage Digital Twins to, in their own words: ”create, test and build our equipment in a virtual environment… We then want the physical build to tie back to its digital twin through sensors so that the digital twin contains all the information that we could have by inspecting the physical build.”
Now, this is not only within NASA-sized organizations’ reach. With IoT technology growing in adoption, more and more industries can benefit from Digital Twins.
In YouBIM, we focus on bringing Digital Transformation to all types of buildings. From Offices to Airports and fManufacturing facilities to Hospitals. They all share the need to have easy access to their asset’s information, and a data-filled Operational BIM Model can help achieve that.
But it does not stop there. Sensor information can be integrated with these 3D models, creating a Digital Twin that provides real-time feedback equipment status and health. Maintenance and Operations can make informed decisions, prevent downtime and identify problems before they happen. YouBIM can support all of this within a friendly environment with an almost non-existent learning curve.
New technology can be paralyzing, but with the right guidance, it can be implemented and utilized in a simple way, allowing an entire organization to reap the benefits on a daily basis.
Contact us if you would like to learn more about YouBIM and how to implement a Digital Transformation solution, enhancing your current systems and processes.
Florencia Castro
florencia.castro@youbim.com