The Value of Having a “Digital Twin” in Automated Systems
The business world tends to be replete with buzz words and acronyms. Taking an example from the materials handling world, JIT (Just-in-time) is probably one of the most famous. However, sometimes the acronym or word itself doesn’t do the concept enough justice to allow the casual participant to understand the point.
Another current buzzword is “digital twin,” which is essentially a virtual model designed to accurately reflect a physical object, process, or person for purposes such as simulation, integration, and testing.
Let’s take a look at how a digital twin is used in the creation of an automated material handling systems and the value it brings.
How does a digital twin help?
One of the hardest things about automated systems is the commissioning of an array of different machines that have been physically installed at a customer site. That process, where everything has to work together physically as well as from a controls standpoint, can be time-consuming and resource-hungry. So how does a digital twin help solve these challenges?
- Controls commissioning can be completed prior to on-site installation
- Can shorten the time that it takes to debug software
- Commissioning can be done from the comfort of an office
What would usually take several supervisors, operators, and lots of test pieces can be done by a single engineer who can commission the controls for the entire system from the comfort of their chair. They can create as many loads as they need and place them wherever they need to be. Loads can be taken away without need of actual operators. All human interfaces—from emergency stops and operation buttons all the way to visualization systems—can be checked by the same person. This saves time and increases the quality of the system.
The fact that this can be done before the equipment installation has finished means that commissioning on site is a matter of making sure that physically everything is fine – adjusting guides, tweaking environmental-related things, adjusting of timing due to physical issues such as slippage, etc. No time is needed for troubleshooting software/controls issues since that has been done in advance.
What’s actually going on in a digital twin?
When looking into buzzwords, it often helps to combine the general explanation with a real-life example. Take Daifuku’s inhouse digital twin tool, Sym3, as one example.
The software adds conveyors, sorters, cranes, and other components according to their actual CAD files and also have the same speed and function attributes as the real machines. The PLCs and other machine controllers that will be used on site can be hooked directly to Sym3 so that the entire real system (in a virtual setting) is being commissioned, minus the steel itself. It’s a true digital twin.
Sym3 - the Daifuku Group's digital twin
Conclusion
Digital tools, like Daifuku’s Sym3, help to ensure the best support for customers—the end user. In particular, complex projects that combine multiple material handling elements, such as storage, picking, and sorting, require a solutions provider that truly knows the best approaches to manage a project from pre-implementation to post-implementation.
When you’re considering which provider to choose, remember that it’s not only about the physical equipment—processes and project handling are just as key when selecting the right partner for your material handling journey.
Sym3 in action
Daifuku’s uses its Sym3 suite for complex projects that encompass multiple material handling functions and elements. Check our Sym3 page on the the Intralogistics section of the Daifuku website to learn more.
Hiroshi Yasumura
International Business Dept., Intralogistics Division, Daifuku Co., Ltd.
Hiroshi Yasumura joined Daifuku in 2005 and is responsible for new market development and oversees multiple countries and areas for Daifuku's Intralogistics business. Hiroshi graduated with a degree in economics and has been in the material handling industry for 18 years.