Digital Twin Applications in Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study from a German Multi-National
This article examines how digital twins have been used in a multi-national corporation, what technologies have been used, what benefits have been delivered, and the significance of people- and process-related issues in achieving successful implementation. A qualitative, inductive research method is...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Future Internet |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/15/9/282 |
| _version_ | 1797579955147636736 |
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| author | Martin Wynn Jose Irizar |
| author_facet | Martin Wynn Jose Irizar |
| author_sort | Martin Wynn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article examines how digital twins have been used in a multi-national corporation, what technologies have been used, what benefits have been delivered, and the significance of people- and process-related issues in achieving successful implementation. A qualitative, inductive research method is used, based on interviews provided by key personnel involved in three digital twin projects. The article concludes that digital twin projects are likely to involve incremental rather than disruptive change, and that successful implementation is usually underpinned by ensuring technology, people, and process change factors are progressed in a balanced and integrated fashion. Building upon existing frameworks, three “properties” are identified as being of particular value in digital twin projects—workforce adaptability, technology manageability, and process agility—and a related set of steps and actions is put forward as a template and point of reference for future digital twin implementations. The combination of assessing digital properties and following a set of key actions represents a novel approach to digital twin project planning, and overall the findings are a contribution to the developing theory around digital twins and digitalization, in general, and are also of relevance to professionals embarking on DT projects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:44:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-732f4d132b3e40828eb9841ec3462a10 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-5903 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:44:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Future Internet |
| spelling | doaj.art-732f4d132b3e40828eb9841ec3462a102023-11-19T10:49:02ZengMDPI AGFuture Internet1999-59032023-08-0115928210.3390/fi15090282Digital Twin Applications in Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study from a German Multi-NationalMartin Wynn0Jose Irizar1The Business School, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham GL50 2RH, UKThe Business School, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham GL50 2RH, UKThis article examines how digital twins have been used in a multi-national corporation, what technologies have been used, what benefits have been delivered, and the significance of people- and process-related issues in achieving successful implementation. A qualitative, inductive research method is used, based on interviews provided by key personnel involved in three digital twin projects. The article concludes that digital twin projects are likely to involve incremental rather than disruptive change, and that successful implementation is usually underpinned by ensuring technology, people, and process change factors are progressed in a balanced and integrated fashion. Building upon existing frameworks, three “properties” are identified as being of particular value in digital twin projects—workforce adaptability, technology manageability, and process agility—and a related set of steps and actions is put forward as a template and point of reference for future digital twin implementations. The combination of assessing digital properties and following a set of key actions represents a novel approach to digital twin project planning, and overall the findings are a contribution to the developing theory around digital twins and digitalization, in general, and are also of relevance to professionals embarking on DT projects.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/15/9/282digital twindata analyticsdigital threadworkforce adaptabilitytechnology manageabilityprocess agility |
| spellingShingle | Martin Wynn Jose Irizar Digital Twin Applications in Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study from a German Multi-National Future Internet digital twin data analytics digital thread workforce adaptability technology manageability process agility |
| title | Digital Twin Applications in Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study from a German Multi-National |
| title_full | Digital Twin Applications in Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study from a German Multi-National |
| title_fullStr | Digital Twin Applications in Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study from a German Multi-National |
| title_full_unstemmed | Digital Twin Applications in Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study from a German Multi-National |
| title_short | Digital Twin Applications in Manufacturing Industry: A Case Study from a German Multi-National |
| title_sort | digital twin applications in manufacturing industry a case study from a german multi national |
| topic | digital twin data analytics digital thread workforce adaptability technology manageability process agility |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/15/9/282 |
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