Industry Insight: Demystifying Digital Threads and Digital Twins

Throughout the rise of the 4th Industrial Revolution, also referred to as Industry 4.0, we’ve heard numerous buzzwords thrown around. In all the chaos of innovations, emerging technologies and changing landscapes, it can be difficult to identify which solutions to consider seriously for your organization and which are just fleeting trends.

In this short interview, our Business Transformation Technical Director, Adam Bannaghan, talks us through all things Digital Thread and Digital Twin. What are they? Are they things that we should be taking seriously? What are the potential benefits?

Digital Thread

What is meant by the term ‘Digital Thread’?

A digital thread closes the loop between the digital and physical processes and data surrounding a product lifecycle. Digital threads are used by many businesses, from start-ups to OEMs to collaborate digitally through their ecosystem, maintaining a single source of truth for all product information as it passes from one functionality or process to another.

What are the benefits  for an organization?

• A single source of truth throughout your organization, supply chain, and value network.
• Ensure Traceability of all data and information flowing through your business.
• Leverage your data to be able to adapt quickly and with agility while enhancing decision-making. Improve product quality and time to market while reducing waste and rework.
• When used in combination with digital twins, a digital thread enables all design requirements, data, compliance records and all other information linked to a product to be used and accessed.

Digital Twin

What is a Digital Twin?

A digital twin is a virtual representation that serves as the real-time digital counterpart of a physical product, building, or process that includes both 3D models, simulation and other related information.

Is it just another buzzword, or should we take Digital Twins seriously?

Digital Twins are here to stay and are definitely worth taking seriously! This technology is being used widely, across all industries, including simulating a space shuttle getting out of a building. By being able to test digitally, businesses can reduce risk, cost and potential product/process failures.

What benefits can having a Digital Twin within your organization provide?

• Get things right-first-time through virtual testing and simulation.
• Accelerate risk assessment and reduce production time.
• Carry out unlimited iterations to explore ‘what if’ scenarios with ease.
• Predictive Maintenance helps to reduce downtime.

How would a company look to get started with creating a Digital Twin or implementing a Digital Thread?

Speak to the experts. To ensure you’re set up correctly and gain maximum benefits, get in touch with the Business Transformation team.