Digital twin
Digital twin of a factory
In a factory, a digital twin is a model of your hall and your machines that runs live alongside production. You see per machine what it is doing, whether it has stopped and why, and you can calculate what happens if you change something. This is what belongs in it, where the data comes from and where to start.
What you see in a factory twin
The ISO standard for digital twins in manufacturing lists what can be followed in a factory: people, equipment, materials, processes, facilities, environment, products and documents. In practice you start with the machines and the line, because that is where the data already is and the decisions are made.
- Per machine the status: running, stopped, fault, maintenance.
- The line as a whole: where work piles up and where it waits.
- The building around it: where a new machine fits and how vehicles move.
Where the data comes from
A twin is as good as its data. In a factory that data already sits in the installation: PLCs through Siemens S7 or OPC UA, Modbus for older equipment, MQTT brokers and IoT gateways for sensors, SCADA packages and the ERP for orders and planning. We connect to what is running and put a secured, validated data entry in front of it.
Why validation belongs to it
A sensor sending garbage must not pollute the model. So every measurement passes physical checks before it may enter the picture. If a cabinet reports more output than its capacity allows, the measurement is rejected and you see why. In the hall you see per machine whether the data is live, stale or simulated.
Where the gain is
The standard names four applications: real-time control, maintenance before something breaks, adjusting during the process and analysis over a longer period. What that delivers in your factory, you measure before and after. We do not promise figures beforehand.
How to start small
One line, one month.
- Pick the line where most decisions are made.
- Connect the data that is already there. Usually that is a PLC and a schedule.
- Put the model in the browser and let the people on the floor look at it.
- Only expand once the first line delivers something.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to replace my machines to connect them?
No. Most machines from the last twenty years have a PLC with OPC UA, Modbus or another output. Older equipment we connect through 24V signals or an added sensor.
What if the data is wrong?
Then you see it in the twin, because every measurement is checked against what is physically possible. A twin that accepts impossible values is worse than no twin.
Can a twin also simulate?
Yes. Once the model and the data are in place, you can calculate variants: an extra machine, a different order, a different shift.
Sources
Where every figure on this page comes from.
Our approach
From advice to management, with one partner
The same rhythm for every project.
Advice
We start with a conversation, not with code. First clarity on what you need and what you do not.
Build
We build and integrate to measure, with technology that fits you. You own your data and your code.
Manage
We stay involved: monitoring, adjusting and growing with your business.
Which line do you want to see first?
Tell us which machines you have, and we will say what is needed to connect them.
Call 085 083 5775A 30-minute intake