DIGITAL TWINS: |-5G, Ai, Data Analytics, 3D, Clouding & IoT | – 5G Combo Best Used Case Optimizing Operational Efficiency and Predictive Maintenance

The Internet of Things (IoT) ushered in a plethora and new era of connectivity, information gathering and mining, intelligent decision-making based on analytics and full concept automation. Nowhere is its impact more profound than in the improvement of urban city centers, commonly referred to as “Smart Cities.”

The key to IoT utilization and effectiveness lies only in real-time data collection and analytic applications – the kind and amount of data generated; how it is processed and stored; how it’s analyzed; and most importantly how it’s used to drive action and eventually an unmanned repetition into automation.

There is a wide array of use cases that solution providers can leverage using IoT and 5G unique techniques.

Digital Twins:

A digital twin is a virtual copy/replica of a physical component, structure or infrastructure created using real-time data, which can then replicate the functions of the real object.

By monitoring and testing how the digital twin operates, the gathered data can predict where and when crisis situation or maintenance is needed on the real physical structure. The data is gathered by a plethora of connected devices, sensors and actuators strategically positioned on the real physical structure to monitor in real-time activities and functions of the structure and the information and data collected is processed to create the digital equivalent and virtual replica of the physical structure.

The concept of Digital twin is virtually two decades old, but advances in technology (with particular uptake of IoT, 5G, Private LTE, Analytics, Clouding, Machine Learning, Big Data, 3D and Ai) could soon see entire city infrastructures (Bridges, Roads, Toll Booths, Traffic lights etc) mirrored virtually.

The first Digital twin ideation is credited to Dr Michael Grieves at the University of Michigan, who presented a paper in 2002 on Product Life-cycle Management describing the process of Digital Replication without giving it that name.

How it functions:

By running a digital equivalent or replica of a structure that is inaccessible over time (– such as those in remote and of extreme dangerous locations like an Offshore Oil Rig, FPSO Rig-ship, Well-heads, Power Plants, Offshored-Wind Turbines etc) or accessible City Infrastructures in constant utilization (Bridges, Roads, Duck-ways etc) – under the same operational conditions as the real structure. Data provided by the attached sensors allows the operators to monitor and control any stress on the real structure as it is working and predict the outcomes.

The Digital twin can find and isolate the cause of problems, anticipate breakage, suggest predictive maintenance.This can limit degradation of the structure or prevent stoppage by scheduling new parts or maintenance before it is needed. It can also recommend materials or resources changes in the supply chain. 

Commercial Use:

Commercial use of the concept of Digital twin is more recent, having only become viable with recent advancement in technology – advance Computer power (Edge Computing, NFV, SDN) Faster Data transfer (4G, 5G, Private LTE) and more cost-effective technology (Big Data, Cloud-Computing, Ai, 3D).

In most recent time, the Energy (Extractive - Mining, Oil&Gas, Power Industry), Automotive, Construction, Logistics, City Infrastructure Companies and Manufacturing sectors all benefits from Digital twins solution concept.

Energy Companies such as Offshored Oil Rigs, FPSO, Offshored-Wind Turbine and Power Generating Plants have used the technology to optimize operational efficiency, improve safety and predictive maintenance management to effectively reducing cost and grossly growing corporate governance.

DHL a global logistics company recently highlighted the gain of using Digital twin at its Tetra Pak Warehouse in Asia. By combining IoT with Analytics, Tetra Pak can monitor, simulate and analyze the state and behaviour of the warehouse assets in real-time, resolving issues as they occur, improving safety, productivity and ultimately advancing on intelligent-decision making based on analytics.According to a recent DHL Trend Research on Digital Twin market in the Logistics Industry, there is an expected annual growth by over 38%, surpassing the $26 Billion point by 2025.

In Logistics Industry to manage Supply Chain and End-to-End delivery of digitally monitored products, business must work with logistics services sector using solutions like Command and Control Towers to monitor Digital twins and optimize functions and creating a prerequisite for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) with use of 5G technology.

  In the automotive industry Sports Car manufacturer McLaren an early adopter of the Digital twins simulates a car design that predicted performance before it is built. Rolls-Royce a key player in the aero-industry has been using Digital Twin technology to simulate and demonstrate how power output in aeroplane engines can be made more efficient and by monitoring data of the working internal parts can advise supplier on any material defect/upgrade needed.

In the Extractive Industry with particular reference to the Oil and Gas Sector Honeywell , GE, BP and Veritas have demonstrated the use of Digital twins to boost productivity and advance efficiency of offshored-assets. In the Industrial manufacturing sector ABB, Siemens, Ericsson, Schlumberger and Schneider are at some time engaging the deployment of Digital Twins to augment and advance on Predictive Analytics of their manufactured digital products. Large technology companies such as IBM, SAP, Oracle and Microsoft are all working with Digital Twins in some way, especially in planning, simulation and delivery of “Smart Cities” Solution infrastructure with factual and accurate real-time Assets Tracking Solutions.

In the Construction industry, the use of Digital twins concept has been engaged to improve operations, from increased efficiency of the Supply Chain and Logistics to ensuring better on-site safety for worker and operators. A great example is the use of a Digital Map that was created of the Notre Dame in Paris before a fire destroyed much of it earlier this year will help significantly in the repair and reconstruction. 

Scaling up into larger City Center Infrastructure for “Smart Cities” delivery, India state of Andhra Pradesh is developing a Digital twin of a new Capital City - Amaravati - to monitor environmental conditions during construction and, upon completion, the city traffic management system and make it one of the most digitally connected City in the World and improve public safety.

In summary, the use of Digital Twins technology leveraging on advancing input-technologies such as IoT, 5G, Ai, Clouding, Robotics, Animation, Analytics and Advanced Machine Learning, 3D-techie, will eventually create efficiency via optimized functions, operation, improve safety and ultimately cost saving through virtual monitoring, optimized visualization and control of replica digital structure.

By: Benedicto Akpene

Sources: DHL Research Report on Logistics, Gartner, Foster+Partners, supplymgmt