Industry 4.0 has long recognised that the interconnection of systems and data analysis is key to creating smart, competitive factories. Using the ‘digital thread’ concept as the starting point, practically all major companies have made progress in digitalising their processes in order to remain competitive.
The next step is to consolidate the use of ‘digital twins’. Broadly speaking, this technology makes it possible to test any change to an asset (be it an entire production line or part of one, a robot, a welding cell or even a specific software system) using a digital replica, without the need to halt production.
By applying this technology, we can modify production lines or install new assets while minimising the risks associated with any new process and reducing development times. Consequently, the investment required is lower. And there are no unpleasant surprises after commissioning.
At Aritex, we use digital twins as an integral part of our industrial engineering projects, enabling us to validate each solution before implementation. In this article, we explain how to structure this process, which profiles are involved, and how to plan digital twin projects that ensure technical feasibility and a return on investment for your plant. And we emphasise the key phase: virtual commissioning.
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What is a digital twin and why should you think about using it?
Strictly speaking, a digital twin is an exact digital replica of a physical or virtual system, in real time.
As a validation tool, it allows modifications to the system or asset in question to be tested, combining historical data collected over time with the IIoT and digital virtualisation to provide a 360° view of a physical object throughout its lifecycle. The power of this tool lies in its predictive and testing capabilities.
In the words of Aritex’s automation and robotics engineering team, “the best thing about this technology is that virtual commissioning shortens on-site commissioning time and also allows you to test everything risk-free”.
Among the various advantages of working with digital twins, perhaps the most surprising is their ability to anticipate and simulate completely anomalous situations. “Normally, when collisions occur, it is because something happens that doesn’t usually happen, or because that situation hadn’t been considered,” say the engineers at Aritex. “The digital twin allows us to reproduce those kinds of scenarios and validate the system’s behaviour before commissioning.”
This makes it possible to test anti-collision systems between robots without jeopardising any asset and to verify that all safety standards are met without interfering with the actual installation.
The process: From programming to virtual commissioning
The definitive phase is virtual commissioning. In the industrial environment, a digital twin is not merely a replica, but a validation tool that enables us to anticipate the actual behaviour of an installation before commissioning.
Following the programming and 3D modelling phase, the digital twin is ready for virtual commissioning. This is the moment to validate the interaction between control systems, robotics, mechanics and processes in a virtual environment. If everything works perfectly, we can replicate the virtual system we have built so that it works in the real world. If, on the other hand, we discover that there are still problems at this stage, they are corrected before they impact the real project… without compromising a single asset.
Validation phase of a digital twin
Before problem-free commissioning can be achieved, a digital twin goes through several validation phases during which critical aspects of the system are verified. The aim is clear: to detect errors, fine-tune the process and minimise uncertainty as much as possible before work begins in the plant.
- Construction of the digital model
A digital replica of the line is developed, incorporating mechanisms, actuators, sensors and the product flow. This foundation allows us to visualise and assess the expected performance of the installation from the outset.
This phase lays the foundation on which all subsequent decisions will be based.
- Connecting the actual control logic
PLCs, robotics and native software are tested in an offline environment. This allows the behaviour of the control code to be validated without the risks or unforeseen issues associated with physical installation on-site.
This is where the first system integration errors usually arise.
- Validation of the system interaction: Virtual commissioning
The virtual model and control logic are integrated in a real-time runtime environment. This phase is crucial for verifying work sequences, cycle times and safety protocols with absolute precision.
Detecting a fault at this stage helps to prevent plant stoppages, rework and unforeseen costs in subsequent phases.
- Optimisation prior to commissioning
Early detection of errors makes it possible to drastically reduce project uncertainty. The end result is a much more streamlined physical installation and a highly reliable system from day one.
When the system arrives in the plant, it is already validated, and commissioning ceases to be a critical phase, becoming instead a controlled process.
Profiles involved in the integration of digital twins
The integration of a digital twin involves coordinating multiple disciplines within a single workflow. It is not just about technology, but about how different engineering disciplines work together to validate the system before commissioning:
- Process / Ongoing Improvement Engineers: They identify bottlenecks, analyse cycle times and propose improvement scenarios to be validated in the virtual environment.
- Automation and Robotics Engineers: Responsible for programming PLC logic and robot trajectories. Our team of engineers specialising in digital twins points out that “most customers have their own programming standards, which is why our engineers are certified for the majority of manufacturers”.
- Data Scientists and IIoT Experts: They ensure that the vast amounts of data from plant sensors are fed into the digital twin correctly so that its simulations accurately reflect reality.
- Operations and Maintenance Managers: They use the processed data to plan predictive maintenance stoppages and optimise OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness).
It is the coordination of these profiles that converts the digital twin from just an isolated simulation into a practical validation tool within the project.
Digital twins in sectors such as Aeronautics and the Automotive industry
Although digital twins can be applied in virtually any industrial environment, there are sectors where their impact is particularly critical. In industries with high technical complexity, minimal tolerances and substantial investment in assets—such as aeronautics and the automotive industry, where Aritex carries out a large proportion of its projects—validating every decision before implementing it is not a luxury, but a necessity.
Digital twins for the Aeronautics and Aerospace industry
In the aeronautics and aerospace industry, this has long been essential. When assembling a commercial aircraft fuselage, tolerances are measured in millimetres, and the materials (such as carbon fibre) are extremely expensive. Connecting CAD (Computer-Aided Design), Product Data Management (PDM) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems with advanced analytics systems provides a clear competitive advantage.
By using a digital twin, engineers can simulate how tools and robots will interact with aeronautical components, adjusting riveting or sealing paths to avoid collisions which, in a real-world environment, could result in millions of euros’ worth of damaged material. This makes it possible to validate these interactions with precision before working with real materials, avoiding errors that have a direct impact on costs, deadlines and quality.
Digital twins for the Automotive industry
In automotive plants, time to market is critical. When a manufacturer launches a new vehicle model, the assembly line has to be adapted or completely redesigned within very tight deadlines.
For this type of industry, having a partner like Aritex, which can integrate engineering, simulation, programming and commissioning within a single project, is key to meeting deadlines and minimising risks.
“Otherwise, any error in the earlier stages delays the programming and jeopardises the project’s completion times,” explains Aritex’s team of engineers.
A single, well-coordinated team works in a more streamlined way than multiple suppliers, each of whom is responsible for a different part of the project.
This means that when the plant is shut down to implement the lines, the project has already progressed to the point where all that remains is to download the new programming to the actual controllers (Virtual Commissioning), reducing the re-adjustment time from weeks to just a few days.
In both industries, the use of digital twins not only optimises project performance, but also reduces exposure to risk in phases where any error has a direct impact on costs and deadlines.
Digital twins boost competitiveness
Gone are the days of having to take risks in the plant, halt production or spend weeks making adjustments following any changes to a production line. This is now a thing of the past.
Today, digital twins allow you to anticipate how an installation will behave even before commissioning, validate complex processes and prevent errors that, in a real-world environment, would have a direct impact on time and costs.
The digital twin is a mature tool that prevents faults, saves hundreds of hours of on-site engineering and protects capital investments in industrial projects. It is, in short, a key system for Industry 4.0.
Because duplicating any asset in your plant using a digital twin multiplies your company’s competitiveness.
At Aritex, digital twins are integrated into projects as a key validation tool, ensuring that every installation operates as planned from day one.
Ready to lead the transformation in your company?
At Aritex, we work with you to create digital twins. From the consultancy phase to integration of the software and hardware.
