Conceptual foundations and extension of digital twin-based virtual factory to virtual enterprise

Abstract

Manufacturing organisations must compete with each other while adapting to the ever-changing conditions by building and strengthening their chains of competencies to survive. Therefore, companies are challenged to reform and reconstruct their product, process, and system models as well as to define new goals conforming to evolving complex and dynamic environments. Recent advancements in technologies such as modelling and simulation (M&S), digital twin (DT) and virtual reality (VR) promise new ways for remodelling organisations' resources, processes, and architectures. Moreover, comprehensive concepts like DT-based virtual factory (VF) exploit the potential for utilising such technological concepts in the application domain by enabling the integration of various tools, methods, and processes. There are a variety of empirical studies focusing either on the distinct use of technologies, methods and processes or very generic concepts and approaches. However, studies focusing on both conceptual and practical aspects for such comprehensive and integrated solutions to handle co-evolution in the complex manufacturing domain are limited for defining, designing and utilising novel technologies. In this paper, therefore, we attempt to close this gap by (1) framing and discussing the conceptual and theoretical foundations of DT-based VF, (2) introducing and discussing the extension of the DT-based VF to virtual enterprise and (3) generalising and interpreting the prescriptive knowledge discovered during the previous VF demonstrations performed at Vestas Wind Systems A/S. Systems and complexity theories, concepts of business cycles and competence-based strategic management are discussed to frame descriptive knowledge as a language for depicting the internal and external nature of complex manufacturing enterprise operations. Furthermore, design principles of the DT-based VF concept are examined based on framed concepts and theories as well as its potential implications and deviations into different application contexts to provide managerial guidelines for utilising such a concept.

Developing and Evolving a Digital Twin of the Organization

“…Notwithstanding the widespread use of digital twins in recent years [21] for different applications in aerospace [22], manufacturing [23], product design, production, prognostics, and health management (PHM) [24], Metaverse [25], humans [26], and representing the living and non-living entities [27], there are few studies on both conceptual and practical aspects of developing DTO [28] to improve business processes [3] and result in a simulable digital twin at an organizational/enterprise level. In this regard, this section reviews the current state-of-the-art in DTOs, covering aspects ranging from the concepts to the significance and the prevalent challenges associated with them.…”

“…Yildiz et al [3] propose the extension of DT-based Virtual Factory (VF) to Virtual Enterprise. In this context, they attempt to generalize their findings, solutions, and framework of DT-based VF to DT-based enterprises.…”

“…To ensure that the business processes lead a given organization to achieve its goals and deliver maximum value, continuously monitoring and assessing the process performances is essential [2]. Currently, most organizations are utilizing various software to support each business process distinctly [3] and make strategic decisions based on assumptions due to a lack of thorough knowledge about all available information [4]. Holistically analyzing an organization and covering a wide range of operational domains requires complex software solutions that integrate various tools, methods, and processes [5].…”

Application of Life Cycle of Aeroengine Mainshaft Bearing Based on Digital Twin

“…The digital twin shop floor can also be applied to the health management of the shop floor equipment, monitoring the performance of the equipment, locating the cause of the fault and formulating the maintenance strategy in time [15]. The value and potential of the concept of a virtual factory based on digital twins have been explored in the field of manufacturing engineering [16]. To study the operation mechanism of the digital twin shop floor, the detailed process of executing the production task is given.…”

A study on two-sided matching game of virtual business partners based on heterogeneous multi-attribute preferences and subject's psychological behavior

“…In two-sided matching (TSM) of virtual business partners, subjects (participants) can be divided into two disjoint sets, and each subject seeks to match one (or more) objects with the other for the purpose of aggregating innovation resources and improving innovation performance [3][4]. In reality, cluster subjects often need to examine multiple attributes (indicators) to arrive at an accurate and comprehensive evaluation, and Multi-attribute two-sided matching (MATSM) is a common type of decision problem [5].…”