<table style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 100%;"><h2>Accelerating product design with simulation&nbsp;</h2>When applied early in the development cycle, simulation (CAE, FEA) technologies can rapidly accelerate the creation of high-performance, profitable products. However, choosing and implementing the right simulation solution effectively can be challenging when you have limited resources.If you are considering implementing simulation (CAE, FEA) for the first time or utilize CAD embedded simulation tools but are running into challenges with speed and accuracy or want to take the next step and explore multi-physics analysis, the free virtual event Simulate at the Speed of Design event on &nbsp;May 16, 2024, maybe for you.Learn from your peers and Altair’s experts how a mixture of software, support, and know-how can help you be more efficient and effective in developing new products.<a href="https://wevlv.co/altair_simulate_2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="button-main-action">Register now.</a></td></tr></tbody></table>This is an excerpt from a presentation by Keshav Sundaresh, Manager, Business Development of Altair. The full presentation, “The TRICK to Digital Twin Technology Adoption” can be attended at the <a href="https://wevlv.co/altair_simulate_2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Simulate at the Speed of Design</a> event on May 16, 2024.There is a lot of hype around digital twins. Still, for many years, the ability to actually execute them in a way that contributed to streamlining business through data-backed insights has been limited. Below, Keshav Sundaresh, the Global Director of Product Management – Digital Twin and Digital Thread from Altair, shares his insights into using the TRICK methodology to help separate true digital twin technology from fancy-looking interactive CAD models, which are not digital twins but rather mere digital shadows.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Simulation all around you</h2>Look around you. The device you’re reading this on right now is one of many machines, devices, and tools that surround you and support your everyday life – at work and outside. At Altair, we say our technology is always around you – even when you’re not conscious of it – keeping you safe, connected, and empowering you to thrive in today’s fast-paced world.&nbsp;But what, exactly, do we mean by that? How is our technology integrated into both consumer goods like smart electronic devices, vehicles, and light fixtures as well as industrial objects like assembly lines, sensors, and wind turbines? The answer is digital twin technology, which has a powerful, wide-ranging impact in business and beyond. What can digital twin capabilities mean for your business?Digital twin capabilities:<ol><li dir="ltr">Drive operational efficiency</li><li dir="ltr">Facilitate a model-based ecosystem, providing access to authoritative data and knowledge for faster, better decision-making</li><li dir="ltr">Drive superior engineering quality and product development performance</li><li dir="ltr">Flatten the disruption curve for production</li></ol>For industrial companies, learning how to use this technology to streamline your production process could be such a changing move for the business. Especially in today’s world where our resources seem to have infinite uses, being able to simulate your production using technologies such as the CAE and FEA technologies are vital. This is where Altair’s Simulate at the Speed of Design event comes in. Coming up on the 16th of May, 2024, this is a must-attend for small and medium organizations looking to reduce the risk and cost of making late design manufacturing changes.<h2 dir="ltr">Digital Twin Took Center Stage at CES 2024</h2>Altair has been talking about digital twins for years. But it’s not just Altair and myself that believe in digital twins – my recent experience at CES 2024 was more than enough proof of that. At this year’s event, digital twin-related booths, presentations, and demonstrations were ubiquitous. It seemed like every organization – no matter their specialty, industry, or size – was talking about digital twin capabilities and showcasing what they were doing (or planned to do) with the technology.&nbsp;Five years ago, a scant few were talking about digital twin technology, let alone creating it. The technology just wasn’t there; people liked the concept of digital twin, but the reality was Frankenstein-ish. Very few companies then had the open architecture-based, flexible, and purpose-driven workflows necessary to implement digital twin capabilities. But now digital twin is firmly in the spotlight.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzEzODc0NDQ3NjI3LXRyaWNrIDIuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Today, the prevalence of accessible, intuitive data and high-performance computing (HPC) environments – like Altair’s – has changed the digital twin adoption landscape. Now, instead of a hodgepodge of solutions and environments, digital twin is more akin to a living and breathing dynamic system with a single, unbroken thread.Digital twin capabilities have also boomed because people (executives in particular) are finally seeing their true business value. They concretely understand that digital twin can transform their business and propel them into a streamlined, digitalized future. It’s safe to say that these organizations wouldn’t be putting the time, effort, and creativity into showcasing digital twin capabilities at events like CES if they weren’t betting big.&nbsp;However, there are still plenty of organizations – too many, in my opinion – that don’t understand what digital twin technology is and how they can start harnessing its power. Luckily, there’s a TRICK to digital twin – literally.<h2 dir="ltr">Why "TRICK"?</h2>“TRICK” is a simple, compelling acronym to serve you on your digital twin journey. TRICK is neither sequential nor mutually exclusive. It’s merely a framework to help separate true digital twin technology from fancy-looking interactive CAD models, which are not digital twins but rather mere digital shadows. Without further ado, let’s explore the TRICK to digital twin technology.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzEzODc0NDc1MDEyLXRyaWNrLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h3 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">T: Think in Systems</h3>Digital twin technology is defined – literally and metaphorically – by its function as a system of systems. Digital twin technology is not merely the sum of its parts, a collection of a bunch of components, processes, and systems. Rather, it’s the interaction of all these things acting as one in a holistic environment.&nbsp;Think of it this way: Imagine you’re tasked with building the best car in the world. To accomplish this, you can mix and match components and systems from any kind of car in the world. Maybe you want your car to have the body of a Maserati, the propulsion system of a Tesla, the infotainment console of a GMC, the steering of a Mercedes-Benz, the seats of a Lexus, and so on. If you threw all these disparate systems into a single car, do you think you’d have the “ultimate” car? You wouldn’t. Why not? Because these sophisticated mechanisms aren’t like Legos that you can just slot in at will, regardless of the pieces’ context. These are complex systems designed to function on their own and as part of a specific, holistic system – that holistic system being a vehicle model, in this case. This same principle applies to wind turbines, semiconductor capital equipment, aircraft, and so on.&nbsp;Digital twin technology enables us to better understand and improve interactions between components and how they function. Everything lives in the spaces where systems interact. Engineers and designers should always be thinking at this level to minimize issues and maximize efficiency.&nbsp;Customer evidence: <a href="https://altair.com/resource/getting-the-signal-with-digital-twin-leonardo-deploys-digital-twin-to-capture-in-flight-behavior-of-helicopter-radar?lang=en" target="_blank">“Leonardo Deploys Digital Twin to Capture In-Flight Behavior of Helicopter Radar”&nbsp;</a><h3 dir="ltr">R: Reduced-Order Modeling&nbsp;</h3>When we want to share insights broadly, we want things to be as simple and actionable as possible. Real-life processes are often incredibly complex and hard to distill into a model or equation. But the beauty of mathematics is that it allows us to abstract, simplify, and standardize real-world knowledge. This is the goal of <a href="https://altair.com/romai" target="_blank">reduced-order modeling</a> (ROM).&nbsp;For people to scale their insights and unlock digital twin breakthroughs, they can’t be bogged down in messy, voluminous data. ROM helps reduce the computational complexity of models in physics-based or statistical simulations. Some of our solutions in <a href="https://altair.com/products/platforms/altair-hyperworks" target="_blank">Altair® HyperWorks®</a>, our design and simulation platform – such as <a href="https://altair.com/physicsai" target="_blank">Altair® physicsAI™</a> and <a href="https://altair.com/romai" target="_blank">Altair® romAI™</a> – specialize in ROM within physics-based and test environments. And <a href="https://altair.com/altair-rapidminer" target="_blank">Altair® RapidMiner®</a>, our data analytics and AI platform, offers targeted, powerful capabilities for <a href="https://altair.com/data-transformation" target="_blank">all other kinds of data.</a> But these are just two sides of the same coin.&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr">Importance of Explainable, “White Box” Solutions</h3>No matter how you approach ROM, you should always be using explainable, transparent solutions, otherwise known as “white box” solutions. White box solutions allow you to see exactly how AI-based models and algorithms are working, including:<ul><li dir="ltr">Metadata sources</li><li dir="ltr">What datasets were used</li><li dir="ltr">What underlying equations were used</li></ul>This approach gives you greater insight and makes it clear to everyone throughout development how models are functioning and why. This is compared to “black box” solutions, which offer AI capabilities but are fully hidden from users – unexplainable, in other words.Customer evidence: <a href="https://altair.com/resource/leveraging-ai-to-improve-accuracy-in-a-real-time-hardware-application?lang=en" target="_blank">“Leveraging AI to Improve Accuracy in a Real-Time Hardware Application”</a><h3 dir="ltr">I: Integrate</h3>Digital twin approaches work best when all users – including people without specialized engineering and data skill sets and non-coders – can leverage advanced tools without needing to rely on experts or support teams. This requires formalizing and democratizing computational intelligence.&nbsp;With integrated digital twin capabilities, teams can virtualize products, processes, and equipment by integrating the best available models informed by sensor and metrology data, guided by domain knowledge, bolstered with software and hardware compute, and continuously synchronized with physical counterparts.&nbsp;Customer evidence: “<a href="https://altair.com/resource/rolling-out-a-better-process-digital-twin-slashes-waste-15-and-runtime-hours-to-seconds?lang=en" target="_blank">Digital Twin Slashes Waste 15% and Runtime Hours to Seconds</a>”<h3 dir="ltr">C: Convergence is Key</h3>Digital twin is a living, breathing model of systems that is grounded in physics assimilating data from inspections, sensors, etc. These systems can be physical, biological, or business process-related. Developing and sustaining a digital twin ecosystem that connects the infrastructure, environment, and methodology (tools, methods, and processes) requires the convergence of simulation, HPC, <a href="https://altair.com/internet-of-things-applications" target="_blank">Internet of Things</a> (IoT), and AI.&nbsp;Being able to offer this in a single, unified environment is what has helped Altair deliver the market’s <a href="https://altair.com/one-total-twin" target="_blank">premier digital twin offering</a>. Regardless of what industry you’re in or what product or system you want to model, we provide one total digital twin solution that optimizes workflows from concept to real-time in-service operation.Customer evidence: “<a href="https://altair.com/resource/harnessing-the-power-of-big-data-ai-and-simulation-to-accelerate-product-innovation?lang=en" target="_blank">Harnessing the Power of Big Data, AI and Simulation to Accelerate Product Innovation</a>” and “<a href="https://altair.com/resource/developing-sustainability-with-ai?lang=en" target="_blank">Developing Sustainability with AI</a>”&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr">K: Knowledge-Driven Workflows</h3>Speaking of workflows, that brings us to TRICK’s final letter. As teams progress through the development and testing cycle, they generate a ton of knowledge at each step. But often, they’re losing a lot of knowledge and experience in the spaces between each step because information is trapped in silos. These silos act like a filter that sifts valuable nuggets of insight from between each phase until hardly any is left at the end of the line.When I say digital twin means creating “knowledge-driven workflows,” I mean that it can capture information and experiences into a model-based ecosystem that can then be used to develop traceability and governance and improve product quality. A model-based systems engineering workflow breaks horizontal silos from requirements to product end of life by providing a model as a common language of communication.&nbsp;These knowledge-driven workflows reduce design errors once you finally get to the product testing and release stages. There’s no such thing as a universal mistake-proof workflow, but you can certainly minimize errors and the time spent correcting them by harnessing previously lost knowledge.&nbsp;As the maxim goes, life isn’t so much about being right as it is about being less and less wrong. Digital twin technology gives people a transformational way to innovate, become more efficient, and develop the next generation of standout products. Digital twin is the best way to be less wrong – and continuing to be less wrong is the real “TRICK” to unlocking innovation.&nbsp;To learn more about how Altair is enabling digital twin technology, register to attend the Simulate at the Speed of Design 2024 event, where Keshav will present the TRICK methodology in more detail. You’ll also be able to attend ‘simulation starter;’ events, designed for those who do not currently use simulation technologies, are outsourcing most/all of their analysis, or still use limited CAD embedded simulation tools.&nbsp;In these sessions you can understand the benefits of the technologies from companies that have recently implemented simulation using Altair SimSolid; and through interactive sessions, experience how easy it is to get started, even with limited resources or on the Cloud.<a href="https://events.altair.com/simulate-at-the-speed-of-design-2024/#:~:text=Following%20on%20from%20Altair's%20highly,their%20development%20process,%20developing%20more" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="button-main-action">Read more about the event&nbsp;</a><a href="https://wevlv.co/altair_simulate_2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here.</a>This article was contributed to by Philemon Mayowa.

“TRICK” is a simple, compelling acronym that serves you on your digital twin journey. It’s a framework to help separate true digital twin technology from fancy-looking interactive CAD models, which are not digital twins but rather mere digital shadows. 

The TRICK to Digital Twin Technology Adoption

You’ve all heard of – or, more likely, seen – a precision scan by now.In short, it’s a digital model of what is usually a real-world object, system or process. When done well, for all intents and purposes, the scan is indistinguishable from the real deal. That means it can be used in simulations, for change detection, maintenance – and a whole lot more.There are, of course, existing options out there – and some very good ones.But working with partners, InDro Robotics has created a solution for industries we believe will set a new bar for routine, autonomous 2D and 3D digital captures. It’s a big deal – with significant and positive implications for clients across multiple sectors.“This is an overarching solution with use-cases across a wide variety of verticals,” says InDro Robotics Vice-President Peter King.“We’ve done comprehensive testing of this full-stack solution, and the results have been phenomenal. We are now preparing to roll this out to clients in the industrial sector and beyond.”Below: <a href="https://indrorobotics.ca/precisionscanning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">InDro’s precision scan solution</a>, working a warehouse in California<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1712764391157-A8A5300-scaled.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Digital Twin Scanning Robot"><h3 id="isPasted">Comprehensive Digital Twin Solution</h3>InDro’s new industrial scanning solution for digital twin creation brings millimetre-precision to the capturing process.Using a quadruped as a platform, InDro has outfitted the robot with the latest in sensors, including a new Leica LiDAR unit (the system includes three LiDAR units, plus depth cameras and more). The system is capable of true GPS-denied SLAM, exploring a brand new environment while capturing a high-precision 3D or 2D scan.What’s more, with an onboard Machine Vision library, the system is capable of object detection and classification. Use-cases include:<ul><li>Building a precise plan of a manufacturing or warehousing space</li><li>3PL (Third Party Logistics) applications</li><li>Change detection for construction, inventory</li><li>Scans in GPS-denied locations, such as mines or caves (and even some buildings)</li></ul>And that is literally just scratching the surface.“From a manufacturing point of view, for example, if we create a very accurate precision scan, a digital copy of an entire facility can then be used to remanufacture another manufacturing facility,” says King.&nbsp;<h3>Existing Solutions&nbsp;</h3>We’ve all seen digital twins before. Often these are captures of the exteriors or buildings or some other infrastructure (bridges, power lines, pipelines, railroads etc.) where the client is looking for change detection. What is different during this scan vs. the previous one? Is the anomaly going to present an immediate or future problem? Is construction proceeding at the correct pace? Is it time to oder more drywall?Such scans, clearly, can provide very useful data.Though robots (and drones) have been stepping into the interior scanning space, the robotics industry (with few exceptions) is in the early phase of both implementation and adoption. This means many sites still rely on manual scanning: A human being walking around the space with a handheld sensor (usually LiDAR) that creates a point cloud.“Traditionally, this has been done manually,” explains King. “In a lot of cases, it’s required really expensive professionals to travel to come on-site with their own very expensive equipment.”InDro’s precision scan – despite being a complex and comprehensive solution – offers a simpler and more cost-efficient means of capture. Quite simply, our robot is deployed on site to explore the areas the client wants captured. That could be a warehouse floor or an entire, multi-level building. When the robot needs to take a break and re-charge, it returns to its base for a wireless power-up.“It’s traditionally been extremely costly to go and collect this data,” says King. “What we’re offering is a service where we bring the robot, let it work throughout its day, and process the data. Clients will get their scans more affordably, more efficiently – and be in a position to do it more frequently in a cost-effective manner.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1712764457272-A8A5304-scaled.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Digital Twin Solution"><h3 id="isPasted">Fast, Efficient, Accurate</h3>There’s a wide array of businesses, particularly in supply chain and manufacturing, that frequently update their 2D floor plans. When new tooling or machinery is installed or other physical changes to the location infrastructure take place, companies need to update their digital twin to reflect those alterations. Typically, this is still done manually.“A 2D CAD model is generally done by somebody that’s doing measurements by hand,” says VP King.Wouldn’t it be easier (and less prone to error) to have a fully autonomous robot do the work?“With this precision scan we would let the quadruped run in that new area – wherever things have changed – and automatically update their old file and have a fresh and accurate 2D CAD within a number of hours.”&nbsp;<h3>Tightly Integrated Solution</h3>InDro’s precision scanning solution was built from the ground up to be robust, reliable and – above all – highly accurate. It’s also fast, capable of capturing a 2D scan of even a large facility in less time than a single human shift. (2D scans are often of greater importance, pending the sector, but our solution is equally capable with 3D captures.)“The goal in developing this product has always been about giving clients affordable access to the best and most integrated technology,” says King. “We now have a full-stack solution available for on-demand scans, whether 2D or 3D, indoors or outdoors, and at a price point that makes this a true value proposition for our customers.”Below: Another look at InDro’s new precision scanning solution:<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1712764517883-A8A5296-scaled.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Precision Scanning for Digital Twins"><h3 id="isPasted">InDro's Take</h3>We’re obviously proud of this technological accomplishment. We’ve proven this solution both internally and in large warehouse settings in the US – and are gearing up for commercial deployment at scale.“R&amp;D is an exciting but also challenging space,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece.“We are very selective in the projects we pursue – choosing to innovate and build things only when there’s a clear purpose or a clear client. In this case, it was obvious there was a need for an autonomous, precise solution for companies that require regular or even one-off scans. We are confident in our solution – because we’ve seen the results.”There is, of course, much more behind the technology. But we have to balance how much we reveal with the competitive nature of the market. We can, however, state that this is a proven solution that produces incredible results.Interested in more information? Contact us <a href="https://indrorobotics.ca/connectwithanexpert/" target="_blank">here.</a>

Unveiling a Distinctive Approach for Digital Twin Creation and Industrial Scanning

A New Solution for Autonomous Digital Twins and Industrial Scanning

Stantec 3D map model of a dam structure from the 1800's.

Discover how Deep Trekker ROVs are capable of conducting quality photogrammetry missions to create 3D models with unparalleled accuracy. 

Making a 3D Model with Deep Trekker ROVs

<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1697527279301-Demo-28+copy.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Additive Manufacturing is disrupting the industrial landscape - and, specifically, 3D printing of large-format components (Large Format Additive Manufacturing - LFAM) now represents a fast-growing niche market, with increasing demand from various sectors such as aerospace, marine, architecture, and design. Caracol is among the first and most renowned technology providers of large-format composite pellet-based additive manufacturing systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;Quality represents one of the greatest challenges for AM technologies: always guaranteeing the required functional performance and a high level of accuracy on final products is crucial to enable these technologies' adoption, especially for advanced and highly regulated applications. Continuous monitoring of&nbsp;process variables, machine status, and working environment conditions (e.g. temperature and humidity) all contribute to ensuring stability, repeatability, and efficiency of the production cycle.&nbsp;&nbsp;Caracol has been working&nbsp;assiduously to introduce this technology to its Heron AM systems, providing the highest degree of reliability and repeatability for its process. Monitoring systems usually detect possible threats and unexpected behaviors, performance issues, or non-compliance problems in a fully automated way, through a wide range of sensors installed on the machinery. By using algorithms and exploiting Machine Learning, data is extracted, stored, and displayed through real-time insightful visualizations. The automatic detection and signaling functions lay the foundation for&nbsp;in-line&nbsp;adjustments of process parameters. The automatic modification occurs while the printing process is taking place, to mitigate or correct the defect itself and thus preventing the generation of any production waste or non-conformities. In addition, the positive impact of monitoring and control systems, integrated into industrial 3d printers, results in significant optimization of the resources employed in the process. The reduction of the costs related to 'poor quality' leads to less waste while lowering the raw materials usage, machine and man hours needed, and time spent on inspection and post-production of defective parts.&nbsp;In this scenario, Caracol worked on the project&nbsp;RAMICoS - Intelligent Control System for Robotic Large Scale Additive Manufacturing System, a project financed by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development. Through the collaboration with MADE Competence Centre&nbsp;and Politecnico di Milano, the company aimed to achieve several objectives by the end of 2023:<ul><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props='{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}' data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Identifying common problems occurring during the printing process of Robotic LFAM Systems, defining and characterizing the related defects generated that affect the deposition of the extruded material;&nbsp;</li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props='{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}' data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Identifying the types of sensors and their correct placement, to gather the appropriate data from process monitoring and control;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props='{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}' data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Carry out testing and trial sessions to assess the effectiveness of the proposed sensors’ integration;&nbsp;</li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props='{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}' data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Carry out a trial session to mitigate the risks related to material quality issues, regarding fiber-reinforced polymers and new materials;&nbsp;</li><li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props='{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}' data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Identifying a data collection and analysis system, to detect and track anomalies while providing insights to support decision-making.&nbsp;</li></ul>For the project's execution phase, Caracol's LFAM system Heron AM was equipped with about ten sensors to track different parameters,&nbsp;including the system and its components' electricity consumption, the working environment’s temperature and humidity, the extrusion temperature, possible shocks and vibrations to the extruder, the energy consumed by the extruder’s screw motor, and many more. By registering all these signals and collecting data, a digital twin of the printed component was generated, enabling the identification of the areas affected by problems with material deposition. Moreover, Caracol developed&nbsp;machine-learning&nbsp;algorithms for automatic defect identification and alarm generation.The use of such tools can positively impact manufacturing processes and companies in several ways. First of all by facilitating the work of operators as decision-making support, it helps the duties of quality and maintenance departments by quickly identifying the root cause of problems, and it helps forecast the use of resources for production such as energy consumption by operational managers.&nbsp;Bringing this project to completion has opened a phase of further developments for Caracol. The company wants to implement&nbsp;these smart 3D printing solutions to ensure clients can benefit from being promptly notified of any occurring printing issues, and put into place automated corrective actions. The ultimate objective for Caracol is always ensuring the best quality of the printed components while minimizing costs and maximizing process efficiency.

Monitoring and automation systems are enabling factors to enhance productivity of innovative production technologies such as additive manufacturing. In this scenario, Caracol developed the project RAMICoS - Intelligent Control System for Robotic Large Scale Additive Manufacturing System, together with MADE Competence Center and Politecnico di Milano. 

Developing continous monitoring of 3D printing processes for large format additive manufacturing

In scientific and technical research, industrial product development, and other applications, computer simulations support work of all kinds. From semiconductor chips to electronic circuits to machine parts, engines, and other sophisticated mechanical systems &ndash; even chemicals and materials &ndash; digitally modeling industrial products makes it possible to accurately reproduce real-world electrical, mechanical, physical, and chemical phenomena on a computer. This approach also enables us to develop effective, efficient design or production processes without actually having to spend time, effort, and money on repeated prototyping and testing.<h2>Digital twins: virtual factory models</h2>Technologies for IoT, digital modeling, and advanced analysis meet in a form of simulation known as digital twinning that is becoming more and more valuable (Fig. 1). As a digital model on a computer, a digital twin fully reproduces factory functionality and conditions to support problem-solving or planning for higher productivity or quality. It is a fundamental technology essential in building cyber-physical systems (CPS), the core information system for smart factories.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1690281005828-smartfactory_06-1_en.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fig. 1: Differences between conventional simulation and analysis with digital twins&nbsp;Simulation to date has created digital models from design data and other data to predict product characteristics or behavior under the various analytical conditions applied. Digital twin analysis differs because data representing real-world properties or behavior detected by sensors or the like is applied to a digital model (based on design data) in real time. As actual objects age and deteriorate, and as their environment of use changes, their properties and behavior changes. Digital twins enable analysis that accounts for these realistic changes.Conventional simulation is used mainly to narrow down optimal conditions to meet the requirements, given many material and structural options at the time of design. By contrast, digital twins let us see how things that already exist may be a little in the future. They help us find operating conditions for more effective use of products, adopt optimal and efficient maintenance practices, and more.<h2>Benefits of peering slightly ahead, into the future of a factory</h2>In what situations are digital twins likely to be useful for smart factories?One application is creating production schedules for lines with variable-mix variable-lot production &nbsp;. Changeovers required in these production lines tend to disrupt or temporarily stop the flow of production, which reduces productivity. For mixed production lines making multiple products at once, it is extremely difficult to find a production schedule that accounts for these setup changes while maintaining maximum productivity of the factory as a whole.To create production schedules, manufacturers have traditionally relied on the experience of seasoned supervisors. By introducing digital twin analysis, manufacturers can rapidly conduct trial-and-error analysis of various production line operating conditions on a computer. This enables efficient changeovers in a production schedule that offers maximum productivity.As long as the behavior of line equipment is always reflected in the digital twin, manufacturers can also speed up the simulated passage of time on the computer to see what may happen in the future. The benefit of this, for example, lies in predicting and taking preventive action against several problems: short stoppages (which occur after an accumulation of out-of-sync operation between processes on the line), timing for replacement of consumable machine tool parts, and timing of failure due to fatigue.<h2>Technologies to implement and take advantage of digital twins</h2>Effective use of digital twinning hinges on creating high-precision digital twins that accurately capture properties and behavior close to those of real objects.This calls for modeling technology that applies knowledge of physics and chemistry, as well as sensor technology to collect data that accurately reflects conditions of objects at the factory (Fig. 2). Sensors used in these applications must also be environmentally resistant and highly reliable to collect highly accurate data even where they are subject to high temperatures, significant vibration, or electromagnetic noise.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1690281027157-smartfactory_06-2_en.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fig. 2: Fundamental technologies to implement digital twins&nbsp;Moreover, analyzing the digital twin to find optimal production and line operating conditions requires advanced information processing technology. Big-data analysis, AI, and perhaps one day, quantum computers may be combined for this purpose. It may be hard to imagine now, but we stand at the verge of an era where even smaller factories will be able to use AI and quantum computers through cloud services for digital twin analysis and factory improvement.Digital twin applications are not limited to smart factories. Digital twinning is being used to capture business activities across companies, distribution across supply chains, and even social activities across cities, as users seek optimal operation.<hr id="isPasted"><img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg5MDcyNzcyNTIxLTE2ODkwNzI3NzI1MjEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">If you have any questions based on this article that you would like to discuss with an expert at Murata, don&#39;t hesitate to reach out. There&#39;s an entire team ready to support you with your question.<a class="button-main-action" href="https://www.murata.com/en-eu/contactform?&Detail=Wevolver%20request" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GET IN TOUCH</a><hr>

Smart Factories: Giving Form to Digital Transformation in the Manufacturing Industry

A Closer Look at Digital Twins, Virtual Factory Models that Expand the Potential of Their Real Counterpart

Sculpteo

Protolabs

Veco B.V.

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digital twins

Digital Twins

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