Digital twin-based warehouse management system: a theoretical toolbox for future research and applications

Abstract

PurposeThe digital warehouse management system is an emergence that forms a critical part of the transformation of economic structure in Industry 4.0. In the present business scenario, the warehouse management system encounters a messy layout, poor damage control, unsatisfactory order management, lack of visibility and lack of technological interventions. Digital twin (DT) based warehouse system shows the ontology and knowledge graphs for competitive advantage by consolidating and transferring goods directly from an inbound supplier to an outbound customer on short notice and with no or limited storage. There remains a lack of clarity on how the DT can be implemented successfully in warehouse management.Design/methodology/approachThe current literature remains largely unstructured and scattered due to a lack of a systematic approach to integrating the research implications and analysis. This paper probes the conceptualization of the DT with the help of theoretical analysis using the systematic literature analysis method.FindingsThe study explores essential concepts such as interoperability and integrability in implementing DT. Further, it analyzes the role of a supply chain control tower (SCCT) in modern supply chain management. A research framework is proposed for practitioners and academicians by incorporating the opportunities and challenges associated with DT implementation. The research findings are mainly threefold: Conceptualization of DT, Featuring SCCT and Exploration of cross-computer platform interfaces, scalability and maintenance strategies.Originality/valueThis study is among the first to analyze and review DT applications in warehouse management. Moreover, the study proposes a theoretical toolbox for the practitioners to successfully implement the DT in warehouse DT-based warehouse management system: A theoretical toolbox for future research and applications.

Impact of Digitalization on Process Optimization and Decision-Making towards Sustainability: The Moderating Role of Environmental Regulation

“…DT also brought the opportunity for predictive analytics and scenario modeling. Before making decisions, managers can simulate multiple scenarios, evaluate potential results, and analyze different alternatives [45]. By lowering risk and uncertainty, this capability enables firms to make better decisions according to expected results [46].…”

Graph-enabled digital twins for intelligent product lifecycle management: a multi-dimensional approach to design, manufacturing, and supply chain transformation

“…In the manufacturing realm, which covers areas from layout optimization to maintenance, studies include the impact of DT technology in the context of Industry 5.0 [274], unit level DT for production equipment [275], and process-specific operations such as predictive maintenance [276]. For the SC domain, studies include DT research trends to identify potential challenges and benefits [277,278], which can provide valuable insights in various sectors such as agrifood [279], remanufacturing [280], and warehouse management systems [281]. Meanwhile, DT advances in industry-specific fields such as pharmaceutical [282], electromechanical [283],…”