The rapid technological advancements present huge challenges to the Defense &amp; Aerospace industry. As the demand for innovations rises, companies are under considerable strain to deliver advanced technologies while navigating strict timelines. Moreover, the increasing complexity of aerospace systems has made managing design, production, and operational challenges more critical than ever.Companies adjust their procedures to ensure efficient and effective project execution for rising complexities and smooth system integration. Simultaneously, the industry is grappling with growing regulatory and cost pressures, as there is a heightened emphasis on reducing development times, to meet the rapidly evolving customer needs, while meeting defense and safety requirements. This balance between innovation and financial restrictions has become the industry's hallmark.<h2 dir="ltr">Challenges Faced by the Defense &amp; Aerospace Industry</h2>Defense &amp; Aerospace programs often face the daunting task of delivering every more sophisticated systems at reduced cost and time. This demand to reduce costs and accelerate development cycles while maintaining the highest standards of quality and performance is a significant hurdle for companies operating in this sector.In addition to these challenges, integrating new technologies into existing systems adds still another degree of difficulty. Companies have to incorporate these innovations while guaranteeing compatibility and best performance across all components.[1] This is further compounded by the need to manage and coordinate large, multi-functional teams, often spread across different locations and disciplines.Moreover, legacy systems and outdated processes often hinder many organizations. These limitations can impede the adoption of modern digital engineering practices, which are crucial for staying competitive in today's fast-paced environment. Also, there is a growing need for real-time, accurate data throughout the product lifecycle, from design to operation, to enable data-driven decision-making and optimize performance.<a href="http://wevlv.co/quest-global-lp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1729601606442-5+%281%29.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></a><h2 dir="ltr">Digital Solutions in Aerospace Engineering</h2>To counter the challenges discussed above, Defense &amp; Aerospace companies are increasingly turning to more integrated and digitalized product design and development solutions to. One such approach is implementing an integrated digital thread, which enable uninterrupted information flow throughout the concept, design, production, and operational stages. By creating a cohesive digital ecosystem, Defense &amp; Aerospace companies can improve collaboration, optimize processes, reduce rework and maintain data consistency across the entire product lifecycle.<h3 dir="ltr">Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)</h3>Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is a powerful tool for managing the complexity of modern aerospace systems. By leveraging MBSE, engineers can create extended digital models that integrate various subsystems and components, allowing for efficient system design, simulation, and validation. This approach emphasizes using models as a central means of communication, analysis, and decision-making throughout the product lifecycle to detect potential issues early, reduce the need for physical prototypes, and facilitate better decision-making throughout development processes.[2] Additionally, MBSE facilitates collaboration among various stakeholders, assuring everyone works towards a shared understanding of the system's requirements and design.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1729598487455-four+quadrants+of+the+MBSE+model.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The four quadrants of the MBSE model process of system development from conceptualization to realization. Image credit:&nbsp;<a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/___https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/blog/introduction-model-based-systems-engineering-mbse/___.YzJ1OnF1ZXN0Z2xvYmFsOmM6bzoxNjJiNGNiOTM2NDJlYjYzZDA2YWFmMjBjZDYyMDdiNzo2OmVlMjk6YmY1MjllYjdmOWI5NWNjYjU0YzQwZjhjODMwYTJkMzEyMzVhZjBhN2MyZDU2OTQ3NWM4YTE5MjRjMGM3YzZkMDpwOlQ6Tg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Carnegie Mellon University.</a> <h3 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Digital Twins</h3>Digital twins—virtual replicas of physical systems are modifying how aerospace companies approach predictive analytics, optimization, and lifecycle management. By continuously collecting and analyzing data from sensors embedded in aircraft and other aerospace systems, digital twins provide real-time insights into system performance, facilitating proactive maintenance, improved efficiency, and heightened safety.[3]&nbsp;Digital twins also provide virtual testing and simulation, reducing the need for costly physical tests, hence accelerating the development approach.<h3 dir="ltr">Automation and Parametric Modelling</h3>Using automation tools is also a crucial digital solution, such as parametric modeling, which is essential in speeding up the design processes and optimizing performance in the aerospace industry. By altering parameters, designers can quickly explore various design options without having to start from scratch each time. It enables rapid prototyping and iteration, leading to the identification of optimal solutions and reduced time to market.<h3 dir="ltr">Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chain</h3>The manufacturing sector is seeing a substantial transition with the use of Industry 4.0 technologies, including the Internet of Things (IIoT), big data analytics, and automation. These technologies facilitate the establishment of intelligent factories, wherein machines are outfitted with sensors that gather real-time data, thereby enabling communication between machines and between machines and humans. This data can be analyzed to predict and prevent equipment failures, optimize processes, and improve overall efficiency.Augmented Reality (AR) is another key technology in Industry 4.0, bridging the gap between the physical and digital experiencs. AR enables technicians and engineers to access real-time information about complex machinery and equipment through wearable devices or mobile apps, thereby reducing the dependence on cumbersome manuals. The implementation of AR can significantly reduce installation and maintenance time, minimize errors and rework, and improve safety of the factory floor.Quest Global is driving digital transformation in the manufacturing industry, providing solutions like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.quest-global.com/solutions/ar360/">Quest Global AR360</a>. This platform helps companies develop, deploy, and manage AR applications for various industries, enabling them to reinvent training content, improve classroom experiences, and reduce dependency on field machines. By leveraging AR and other Industry 4.0 technologies, manufacturers can increase production, reduce costs, and improve overall efficiency, positioning for success in the era of smart manufacturing.<h3 dir="ltr">Cross-Industry Best Practices</h3>Aerospace companies are also increasingly looking to adjacent industries, such as automotive and defense, to learn from their digital transformation experiences and adopt best practices to facilitate their digital journey.[4]<h2 dir="ltr">Case Study: Digital Engineering for UK Defense (Project Agnostics)</h2>Quest Global is a leading global engineering services provider at the forefront of driving digital transformation in the Defense &amp; Aerospace industry. One such example is Quest Global's collaboration with a leading aerospace and defense company to support the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) development for the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD). The FCAS program aimed to deliver a next-generation air defense system that would ensure the UK's air superiority for decades to come.The FCAS project also faced several other key challenges, including tight timeframes, budget restrictions, and the inherent complexity of developing a state-of-the-art defense system at "half time and half cost." Additionally, integrating advanced digital engineering tools was important to ensure collaboration and efficient project execution.Quest Global and its partner therefore created a digital engineering solution designed to address these challenges. It advanced the project by contributing as a thought leader and implementation catalyst. The team is collaborating with the customer to discover how digital technologies may improve procedures, lower costs, and speed up development.To ensure the successful implementation of this digital engineering approach, Quest Global deployed a cross-functional team of 25 highly skilled engineers. This team combined expertise from across industries, including aerospace and defense, to create a robust and innovative digital engineering environment. The team significantly reduced project timelines and improved efficiency across the board by using advanced digital tools and best practices.Quest Global's approach to digital engineering, which combines deep domain expertise with cross-industry best practices, is expected to be a key differentiator in the success of the FCAS project. The company's thought leadership and innovative solutions, tailored to the specific needs of the client, aim to deliver tangible results in terms of cost reduction and timeline acceleration.By working towards the goal of reducing costs without compromising quality, Quest Global is demonstrating the potential of digital technologies to transform the aerospace industry. If successful, the substantial reduction in project development times could set a new standard for efficiency in the sector, paving the way for faster, more agile development processes in the future.<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion: Future Directions for Aerospace Engineering</h2>As the aerospace industry evolves, it is expected to increasingly adopt digital thread technologies, which enable easy integration and flow of data across the entire product lifecycle. The digital threads will be necessary for simplifying real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and enhanced lifecycle management of aerospace products. By using the digital threads, organizations can achieve improved efficiency, safety, and performance.Looking ahead, the emphasis on cost and time reduction will remain a top priority for the aerospace industry, particularly in the defense sector.[5]&nbsp;Future projects will focus on delivering highly sophisticated systems within ever-tightening timeframes, driving the need for even more advanced digital engineering solutions and agile development methodologies.The success of aerospace companies will be increasingly dependent on their capacity to acquire collaborative digital ecosystems. Organizations can accelerate decision-making, enhance innovation, and dismantle silos by establishing environments in which data circulates effectively across functions and teams. This shift towards increased collaboration and data-driven insights will be essential in addressing the numerous challenges faced by the aerospace industry.<h2 dir="ltr">New Webinar: Unlocking the Potential of Digital Twins for Aerospace Manufacturing</h2>Register for Quest Global’s upcoming webinar “Unlocking the Potential of Digital Twins for Aerospace Manufacturing” on December 12th to learn more about how Quest Global provides digital engineering solutions to the aerospace industry, gain key insights, engage with industry experts, and ask questions.<a href="http://wevlv.co/quest-global-lp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="button-main-action">Read more and register</a><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">References</h2>1. Terrile RJ. Pathways and challenges to innovation in aerospace. In2010 IEEE Aerospace Conference 2010 Mar 6 (pp. 1-7). IEEE. (Accessed on September 20, 2024)2. Uckun S, Kurtoglu T, Bunus P, Tumer I, Hoyle C, Musliner D. Model-based systems engineering for the design and development of complex aerospace systems. SAE Technical Paper; 2011 Oct 18. (Accessed on September 20, 2024)3. Xiong M, Wang H. Digital twin applications in aviation industry: A review. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. 2022 Aug;121(9):5677-92. (Accessed on September 21, 2024)4. Thompson R, Patel S. Cross-industry learning: Best practices from automotive to aerospace. J Eng Manag. 2022;35(3):245-60. (Accessed on September 23, 2024)5. Patel, Jay. Future of Aerospace Industry with Opportunities and Challenges. 10.13140/RG.2.2.16721.51049. (Accessed on September 23, 2024)

Defense & Aerospace companies are turning to digital engineering solutions to deliver advanced technologies while meeting strict timelines and budgets.

Addressing Challenges in the Defense & Aerospace Industry with Digital Engineering Solutions

<div data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="678dcb21-279e-4b73-b592-a9c0fa9c4417" dir="auto" data-message-model-slug="gpt-4o" id="isPasted">The aerospace industry faces growing challenges, from managing complex supply chains and rising operational costs to meeting stringent regulatory demands—all while striving for greater safety, efficiency, and cost reduction. Traditional methods are falling behind, resulting in lengthy design cycles, costly prototyping, and interoperability issues. To stay competitive, companies are increasingly adopting digital twin and digital thread technologies to drive innovation and operational excellence.&nbsp;In the new webinar "Unlocking the Power of Digital Twins for Aerospace Manufacturing," Quest Global, with over two decades of experience in digital transformation of both aerospace and defense manufacturing, will share expert insights on how these technologies are transforming the industry. By attending you will learn actionable strategies to integrate these cutting-edge tools into your own processes, enabling faster design cycles, smarter production methods, and enhanced regulatory compliance. Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn from Quest Global’s real-world success stories and drive your operational success:</div><a href="http://wevlv.co/quest-global-lp" target="_blank" class="button-main-action" rel="noopener noreferrer">REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR</a><h3 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Event Details:</h3><ul><li dir="ltr"><h3>Topic: Unlocking the Potential of Digital Twins for Aerospace Manufacturing</h3></li><li dir="ltr">Date: 12th of December 2024</li><li dir="ltr">Time:&nbsp;8:00 am PDT | 11:00 am EDT | 17:00 CEST</li><li dir="ltr">Location: Online (via Zoom).&nbsp;</li></ul><div data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="dcaa0b5a-cf2d-4bc8-bf4c-6561c07f5a4e" dir="auto" data-message-model-slug="gpt-4o" id="isPasted"><h3>Leading the Transformation in Aerospace Innovation: How Quest Global is Revolutionizing Aerospace with Scalable Digital Solutions</h3></div>Spearheading this digital transformation across two decades, Quest Global has a proven track-record of successful implementation of scalable digital solutions in the aerospace and defense industry. In this webinar Head of Engineering, Nick Charles and Head of Advanced Manufacturing CoE Vijay Anand, from Quest Global will sit down with tech writer Samir Jaber to unpack how aerospace manufacturers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are leveraging digital twin technology and digital threads to enhance operational efficiency.<h3 dir="ltr">Leveraging cutting-edge technology for aerospace manufacturing</h3>Join us for an insightful webinar as we explore how&nbsp;digital thread&nbsp;and&nbsp;digital twin&nbsp;capabilities are revolutionizing the Aerospace and Defense (A&amp;D) ecosystem by enabling early identification of design issues, ensuring interoperability and interface verification of parts and systems, and conducting simulations for verification and validation. They also support virtual training, assess maintainability, optimize manufacturing methods, and facilitate the use of Virtual and Smart Factories, ultimately offering a path to increased efficiency and regulatory compliance.Discover how these advancements are shaping the future of the industry and driving operational excellence:<a href="http://wevlv.co/quest-global-lp" target="_blank" class="button-main-action" rel="noopener noreferrer">REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR</a><h3 dir="ltr">Who Should Attend?</h3>This webinar is designed to provide aerospace engineers, manufacturing professionals, and decision-makers looking to optimize their production processes with actionable insights into the transformative power of digital twins. By attending, you'll gain practical knowledge on using digital twin technology to boost efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall aerospace operations, making it a must-attend event for those looking to stay competitive in the industry.<h3 dir="ltr">Why you should attend:</h3><ul><li dir="ltr">Learn Cutting-Edge Techniques:&nbsp;Discover how digital twins can transform aerospace manufacturing by reducing non-conformance, improving process efficiency, and optimizing designs with predictive analytics.</li><li dir="ltr">Enhance Decision-Making: Understand how integrating digital twins into aerospace supply chains enables real-time decision-making for better outcomes and reduced downtime.</li><li dir="ltr">Gain Competitive Advantage: Stay ahead by learning to leverage digital twins to streamline operations, boost productivity, and drive innovation in the aerospace industry.</li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">Explore more details of the webinar below:</h2>Date: Thursday, December 12, 2024Time: 8:00 am PDT | 11:00 am EDT | 17:00 CESTThis webinar will cover how digital twins and digital threads are revolutionizing aerospace manufacturing by bridging the gap between design and production. Nick Charles, Head of Engineering at Quest Global, and Head of Advanced Manufacturing CoE Vijay Anand, will share expert insights on the importance of real-time synchronization and collaboration using these technologies. The session will include a case study demonstrating a successful implementation that led to significant reductions in cycle times and improved efficiency. By attending you will also gain actionable insights on how to begin integrating digital twin and digital thread solutions into their own operations, streamlining processes and fostering innovation.<h3 dir="ltr">Key insights include:</h3><ul><li dir="ltr">Cutting the Design Cycle: Learn how digital twins help identify design issues early, verify interfaces, and conduct simulations of environmental behaviors and characteristics, drastically reducing design times and errors.</li><li dir="ltr">Optimizing Manufacturing Methods: Discover how digital twins can improve the design of manufacturing tools and methods, enabling the use of Virtual and Smart Factories to boost production efficiency.</li><li dir="ltr">Enhancing Predictive Maintenance: Gain insights into how digital twins enable real-time data analytics, helping to predict and prevent failures, extending equipment lifespan, and optimizing operational efficiency.</li></ul><h3>Speaker details</h3><table style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 50.6024%;">Nick CharlesHead of Engineering - UK Defense at Quest GlobalNick Charles is the Head of Engineering (UK Defence) at Quest Global and a seasoned engineering leader with extensive experience in the aerospace and defense sectors. Previously, he served as VP and Senior VP at Ultra Maritime, leading a team of over 800 engineers across five countries. Was responsible for challenging engineering projects and drove major improvements in engineering processes, team development, and risk management </td><td style="width: 49.3976%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1729602502259-Nick-latest.jpeg" style="width: 202px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></td></tr><tr><td style="width: 50.6024%; vertical-align: top;"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1729597161369-Vijay-Anand-QG.jpg" style="width: 315px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></td><td style="width: 49.3976%; vertical-align: top;">Vijay Anand R (VJ)GM – Head of Advanced Manufacturing CoE at Quest GlobalVJ is Head of Advanced Manufacturing CoE of Quest Global based out of Derby, UK. He is a veteran of Manufacturing Engineering for over 30 Years, both with Traditional and Digital manufacturing. He is heavily influenced by Toyota way of working and embraced the same in his roles at Quest Global while managing Global manufacturing team and solutions for major Aerospace &amp; Defense, Energy and Transportation customers till date. He has been instrumental in setting up a Digital Manufacturing Lab in partnership with Siemens to Design, Develop and Simulate the manufacturing and assembly operations. He also represented Quest Global for a Major Aero Engine customer’s Digital Manufacturing Focus Group conferences held at various global locations.</td></tr></tbody></table><h3>Stay ahead of the curve in aerospace manufacturing</h3>Register now to learn how integrating digital twins and digital threads can revolutionize your manufacturing processes, improve collaboration, and maintain competitiveness in the evolving aerospace landscape.<a href="http://wevlv.co/quest-global-lp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="button-main-action">REGISTER NOW</a>

Register for the new webinar with Quest Global to discover how digital twins are revolutionizing aerospace manufacturing by cutting design cycles, driving predictive maintenance, and improving manufacturing efficiency.

Unlocking the Potential of Digital Twins for Aerospace Manufacturing: New Webinar

The upcoming ATCx Digital Twin 2024 event by Altair taking place virtually on October 17, 2024, is an essential opportunity for engineering professionals to delve into the core of digital twin technology and engage with industry leaders in simulation and product design.&nbsp;The event will provide a comprehensive overview of digital twin technology in various sectors including product design and development as well as general operations. It will also demonstrate the advantages of digital twins across industries including presentations on digital twins for product design &amp; development among others. Attendees will learn how Altair's digital twin solutions use AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology to combine simulative and real-world data.&nbsp;<a href="https://events.altair.com/atcx-digital-twin/?utm_campaign=CORP-2024-10-ATCx-CVG-Digital-Twin&utm_source=wevolver.com&utm_medium=sponsored-article&utm_content=atcx-digital-twin-2024-wevolver-sponsored-premium-article" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" id="isPasted" class="button-main-action">Register for the event here</a><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">What to Expect from the ATCx Digital Twin Event 2024</h2>This global virtual gathering, set for October 17, 2024, is designed for professionals motivated to leverage digital twin technology to measurably improve product design, development, and operations. It is organized to offer a rich learning experience through Altair customer use cases from Net One Systems, Made, CNH Industrial, and others, as well as a high-level fireside chat, and a panel with forward-thinking industry leaders.&nbsp;Attendees will get a first-hand experience of how Altair customers use simulation, AI, and data analytics to create dynamic virtual representations that improve real-world outcomes.The event will highlight new trends, tools, and issues in incorporating digital twins into various industries' workflows, ensuring attendees are knowledgeable about using this technology and its added value throughout all stages of a product’s lifecycle - from design, via commissioning, to operation and maintenance.&nbsp;Don't miss this unparalleled opportunity to stay at the forefront of digital transformation in engineering.<a href="https://events.altair.com/atcx-digital-twin/?utm_campaign=CORP-2024-10-ATCx-CVG-Digital-Twin&utm_source=wevolver.com&utm_medium=sponsored-article&utm_content=atcx-digital-twin-2024-wevolver-sponsored-premium-article" target="_blank" class="button-main-action">Register here</a><h3 dir="ltr">Key Event Highlights</h3><ul><li dir="ltr">Expert Insights:&nbsp;Learn from industry leaders how simulation, AI, and data analytics are revolutionizing product design and operational efficiency. This aspect will cover topics like integrating AI and data analytics with simulation to create more precise and efficient digital twins.</li><li dir="ltr">Diverse Tracks: Participate in specialized tracks from various industries. These tracks will offer useful insights, helping attendees understand the application and benefits of this technology in particular sectors.</li><li dir="ltr">Global Accessibility: Join from any time zone with live audio translations available in eight languages. The event is designed to be all-inclusive.</li></ul><h3 dir="ltr">Featured Tracks and Their Impact</h3>Digital Twin for Product Design &amp; DevelopmentProduct design and development is a niche that conventionally requires production of multiple iterations of the same product in a bid to get the best functional prototype. However, with digital twins, businesses can leap over the constraints that come with this. Some benefits digital twins bring to product design and development include timeline and cost reduction, testing out product system dynamics for scenarios that cannot be simulated in real time, and accelerating design optimization.Digital Twin for OperationsDigital twins are transformative in operations too. It helps to improve efficiency by:<ul><li dir="ltr">Providing better monitoring and control: Digital twins can offer real-time monitoring and control capabilities to enable swift responses.</li><li dir="ltr">Maximizing system life and avoiding failures with predictive analytics:&nbsp;Businesses can detect anomalies and perform maintenance to avoid future failures. This proactive maintenance and management can help maximize the system's life.</li></ul>Don’t miss this chance to advance your expertise and network with top professionals. Register now to secure your spot and be a part of the future of digital twin technology.&nbsp;Visit <a href="https://events.altair.com/atcx-digital-twin/?utm_campaign=CORP-2024-10-ATCx-CVG-Digital-Twin&utm_source=wevolver.com&utm_medium=sponsored-article&utm_content=atcx-digital-twin-2024-wevolver-sponsored-premium-article" target="_blank">Register for ATCx Digital Twin 2024</a> to register.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzI1MzYzMzY5MjYyLUNPUlBfRXZlbnRfRGlnaXRhbF9BVEN4X0RUXzk1MHg0MDBfcmlnaHRfNi5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 dir="ltr">Why should you attend?</h2>The ATCx Digital Twin 2024 event is a key opportunity to dive into the latest developments in digital twin technology. Altair, known for its leadership in simulation, AI, and high-performance computing, will be showcasing how these technologies are being used to create real-time digital twins that solve real-world problems across different industries.The event will feature insights from experts who are using digital twins to improve product design and operations. It will also highlight how Altair’s tools—spanning simulation, AI, and IoT—help create digital twins that fit into existing workflows. It’s a great chance to catch up on the latest trends and see how these innovations are making a difference.<h3 dir="ltr">Who Should Attend?</h3>This event is perfect for:<ul><li dir="ltr">Mechatronic Engineers interested in the latest tech developments in manufacturing, heavy-equipment, and high-tech fields.&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Engineering managers who want to reduce time-to-market through simulation and workflow efficiency.&nbsp;</li><li dir="ltr">Operations Managers with the goal of maximizing asset availability and optimizing specific KPIs of systems in operation.</li></ul>Attendees of the ATCx Digital Twin 2024 event will gain actionable insights and practical skills to embark on or advance their digital twin journey. Through real-world customer examples, discover:<ul><li dir="ltr">Strategic Justification:&nbsp;Understand why adopting digital twin technology is crucial and learn about the quantifiable business benefits it offers.</li><li dir="ltr">Implementation Roadmap: Gain clarity on how to initiate your digital twin projects, including identifying the essential 'building blocks' tailored to different development phases.</li><li dir="ltr">Value Creation: Learn strategies to generate short-term value, overcoming common challenges in starting and scaling digital twin initiatives.</li></ul>Altair’s customer stories will provide a roadmap, demonstrating how to effectively combine various elements to achieve tangible business outcomes.<table><tbody><tr><td>The global virtual event ATCx Digital Twin set for October 17, 2024, is designed for professionals motivated to leverage digital twin technology to measurably improve product design, development, and operations. It is organized to offer a rich learning experience through Altair customer use cases from Net One Systems, Made, CNH Industrial, and others, as well as a high-level fireside chat, and a panel with forward-thinking industry leaders.&nbsp;<a href="https://events.altair.com/atcx-electronics-for-engineers-2024/?utm_campaign=CORP-2024-09-ATCx-SIM-Electronics&utm_source=wevolver.com&utm_medium=sponsored-article&utm_content=atcx-electronics-2024-wevolver-sponsored-article" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="button-main-action">Register now</a></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Digital twin case studies and applications successes</h2><h3 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Digital Twin for designing durability of vehicle fleets</h3>In this use case, a digital twin solution, powered by AI, is used to predict the damage status of vehicle fleets based on data from on-board sensors that track load conditions. This allows fleet operators to tailor maintenance schedules to the actual condition of each vehicle, preventing unnecessary maintenance on less damaged vehicles and ensuring timely repairs for more worn ones.&nbsp;<h4 dir="ltr">Customer Challenges:</h4><ul><li dir="ltr">Durability evaluations are delayed by long simulation times.</li><li dir="ltr">Real-time damage data is lacking, leading to costly maintenance schedules.</li><li dir="ltr">Without a solution, longer product development cycles and higher costs occur.</li><li dir="ltr">Unnecessary maintenance increases expenses due to labor, parts, and vehicle downtime.</li></ul><h4 dir="ltr">Optimizing Design for Reduced Costs and Downtime</h4>Altair’s digital twin solution stands out due to its unique AI-based reduced-order modeling (romAI) capabilities, which streamline the process compared to other solutions. Its ease of use, combined with Altair’s technical expertise and willingness to collaborate closely with customers, makes them a compelling partner for businesses looking to enhance their maintenance strategies.<h3 dir="ltr">Digital Twin for Manufacturing Operations&nbsp;</h3>In this use case, a digital twin solution for manufacturing operations is implemented for Patrone and Mongiello’s sheet metal forming press. By integrating signals from various sensors and combining them with real-time models of the forming process, the digital twin leverages AI and physics-based simulations to accurately monitor and control the press. This enables the customer to speed up the try-out process after changing material coils, improving productivity and reducing waste by over 15% through precise adjustments for varying material properties and operating conditions.Customer Challenges:<ul><li dir="ltr">Long turnaround times for machine recalibration when new material coils are introduced.</li><li dir="ltr">Lack of real-time insights into the quality of finished products.</li></ul><h4 dir="ltr">Enhancing Manufacturing Operations with a comprehensive solution</h4>Altair’s digital twin platform offers a holistic solution that spans from simulation to data integration tailored to the customer’s needs. With expertise in simulation, AI, and machine learning, Altair uses a tailored, cutting-edge approach to improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing waste.<h3 dir="ltr">Digital Twin for Thermal Battery Maintenance&nbsp;</h3>In this project, a digital twin solution was applied to optimize the thermal management of battery packs in electrified vehicles. By using sophisticated control algorithms for the cooling circuit, the energy demand of the cooling pump was reduced, resulting in a 5-mile range increase for the vehicle. Additionally, the implementation of a continuous engineering workflow allowed for greater integration of multidisciplinary simulations, eliminating silos and enabling a smoother product introduction. Addressing thermal issues early in the design phase significantly reduced problems later in development.Customer Challenges:<ul><li dir="ltr">Managing small, high-capacity battery packs to maintain long-lasting high performance.</li><li dir="ltr">Ensuring proper temperature and load management to optimize battery efficiency.</li><li dir="ltr">Structural integration that prevents cell damage while keeping the design lightweight.</li><li dir="ltr">Monitoring and controlling the battery as a complete system to avoid damage and increase efficiency.</li><li dir="ltr">Development goals often conflict, requiring advanced simulations to address electrical, thermal, structural, and control challenges simultaneously.</li></ul><h4 dir="ltr">Extending Electric Vehicle Range with Optimized Cooling Strategies</h4>Altair’s easily combinable tools for Multiphysics design offered an ideal solution, integrating thermal and structural simulations with model-based system simulations. This approach helped predict vehicle range, manage battery performance, and overcome complex, multidisciplinary challenges, providing an advanced, system-level approach to thermal battery management.<h2 dir="ltr">Grow your Digital Twin Knowledge</h2>If you are looking to learn about innovative technology in high-tech industries or want to increase workflow efficiency and reduce the time-to-market span through the application of digital twins, the ATCx Digital Twin 2024 is an event to attend.&nbsp;<a href="https://events.altair.com/atcx-digital-twin/?utm_campaign=CORP-2024-10-ATCx-CVG-Digital-Twin&utm_source=wevolver.com&utm_medium=sponsored-article&utm_content=atcx-digital-twin-2024-wevolver-sponsored-premium-article" target="_blank" class="button-main-action" rel="noopener noreferrer">Register for the event now.</a> This article was contributed to by&nbsp;Philemon&nbsp;Mayor.

Global virtual event. October 17, 2024

Discover the Power of Digital Twins at ATCx Digital Twin Global Virtual Event, 2024

Research Facility 2.0 (RF 2.0) is an EU-funded research project aimed at making the operation of particle accelerators and other large-scale facilities more resource-efficient. Since the beginning of the year, ten European project partners coordinated by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), have been working on optimized components and digital solutions to reduce the energy consumption of accelerator systems. The European Commission (Horizon Europe program), and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation are funding the project with a total of EUR 5.6 million over three years. The KITTEN test center at KIT plays a central role in the RF 2.0 project: It hosts researchers that are working on the analysis of important parameters and the development of realistic demonstrators.&nbsp;Particle accelerators not only play an important role in numerous fields of research. Thousands of such accelerators are in use worldwide for industrial and medical applications, for example in material testing or radiotherapy. These high-performance facilities are real energy guzzlers: The annual energy consumption of large plants often amounts to several hundred gigawatt hours (GWh). This compares to the energy consumption of small- or medium-sized European cities. Previous approaches targeted reducing energy consumption and the carbon footprint of particle accelerators or using more sustainable materials, but were limited to specific technical issues. The RF 2.0 project, in contrast, uses a comprehensive approach to making particle accelerators more energy-efficient.&nbsp;<h2>The Objective: Operating Accelerators with Renewable Energies</h2>“We bring expertise in physics and energy technology together. It is our vision to operate particle accelerators safely, stably, and with nothing but renewable energy, to make them as independent as possible from the public power grid and create less impact on the environment,” says Professor Giovanni De Carne from the Institute for Technical Physics at KIT. De Carne is the RF 2.0 project coordinator and initiated the project together with Professor Anke-Susanne Müller, Head of the Institute for Beam Physics and Technology (IBPT) at KIT. A total of ten partners are working together on RF 2.0, including five of the largest particle accelerator facilities in Europe – ALBA Synchrotron (Spain), CERN, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY in Hamburg, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, and MAX IV Laboratory (Sweden) – supported by specialized technology companies.&nbsp;<h2>Realistic Tests with a View to Energy Efficiency and Grid Stability</h2>A key element of the project is the KITTEN test center. The acronym stands for “KIT Testfeld für Energieeffizienz und Netzstabilität in großen Forschungsinfrastrukturen” (KIT test field for energy efficiency and network stability in large-scale research infrastructures). KITTEN integrates the KARA research accelerator and the Energy Lab at KIT. “This infrastructure enables us to create a real-life environment for investigating and testing energy efficiency and network stability in large-scale research infrastructures,” says De Carne. The analysis phase is currently underway. “Particle accelerators always require a very high, constant power supply that must be free from interference. This challenge could not be met in terms of voltage qualities so far due to a lack of flexibility. We use our tests to get a deeper understanding of correlations, create mitigation strategies (i.e. approaches to reduce negative effects and lower the projected costs), analyze the CO2 footprint of the equipment, and create a sustainability matrix.”&nbsp;Building on the results, the elaboration of solutions for more energy-saving technologies with better efficiency is on the agenda. The focus is on four areas: new, highly efficient components; implementation of digital solutions for optimized operating periods, faster start-up and shutdown processes for improved design and operation; integration of low-carbon technologies by using renewable energies and energy storage systems as well as higher energy consumption flexibility through dynamic monitoring and control systems. &nbsp;<h2>More Efficiency Thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twins </h2>Demonstrator projects conducted in cooperation with the project partners help the research team to test and validate specific approaches under realistic conditions. “For example, we are working on AI-based solutions for more efficient and flexible operation of accelerators. We are further developing a digital twin that will enable us to validate new energy technologies faster in the future,” De Carne explains. One of the projects will tackle the flexibilization of data centers to better accommodate the fluctuation in the yields from renewable energies. Another project is aimed at testing measurement systems that detect disruptions in the grid and enable faster reactions to such fluctuations.“All of these research activities are clearly transfer-oriented,” says De Carne. “The involved technology companies seek to develop market-ready products from the solutions we are working on together.” The range of possible applications is not limited to particle accelerators for research purposes. “Other areas that consume much energy will also benefit from our concepts – be it MRT equipment in hospitals, heavy industry plants for steel and cement production, or data centers that can be operated with more energy efficiency.”<h2>The Next Milestone: KARA Dashboard Makes Results Freely Accessible &nbsp;</h2>Currently, De Carne and his team are developing an open dashboard for the Karlsruhe research accelerator. Its goal is to make the data and results obtained accessible to external researchers and developers in the best possible way. They will not only see the energy consumption of the accelerator and the CO2 footprint in real-time, but also the effects of the alternative solutions tested.&nbsp;

One example of the KIT research on resource-effective technologies for future accelerators is the linear accelerator FLUTE. (Photo: Markus Breig, KIT)

Research Facility 2.0 (RF 2.0) is an EU-funded research project aimed at making the operation of particle accelerators and other large-scale facilities more resource-efficient. 

Project RF 2.0: Research for More Sustainability in Particle Accelerators

<table style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 100%;"><h2> New whitepaper: AR as a Booster for Industry 4.0</h2>Augmented Reality (AR) is not just a tool; it's a transformative force that is reshaping many processes in business. Production companies, in particular, benefit from AR because they can leverage its benefits along their entire value chain, from product development to manufacturing, logistics, marketing, customer service, and employee training.&nbsp;In the recent white paper from HoloLight, 'AR as a Booster for Industry 4.0,' you can explore the ways in which AR can have a significant transformative impact.&nbsp;Key highlights of the whitepaper:<ul><li dir="ltr">Learn how companies can use AR to increase the quality and productivity of their entire process chain</li><li dir="ltr">Understand what a consistent Augmented Reality strategy can look like and how to implement one.</li><li dir="ltr">Discover how well-known companies are already successfully using AR through detailed case studies.&nbsp;</li></ul>Don't miss out on these valuable insights. Get your copy of the white paper now by filling out the simple form below.&nbsp; <iframe id="JotFormIFrame-241713238748360" title="Hololight Form" allowtransparency="true" src="https://form.jotform.com/241713238748360" frameborder="0" style="min-width: 100%; max-width: 100%; height: 380px; border: none;" scrolling="no" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </iframe></td></tr></tbody></table>How can Augmented Reality (AR) enhance business operations? Is it beneficial for small to mid-sized companies?In the midst of a global pandemic, Tipteh, a machine builder and system integrator based in Belgrade, Serbia, began exploring how immersive technologies could facilitate collaboration among its engineers and engage with customers while adhering to social distancing measures.AR has the potential to assist small—to mid-sized businesses in various ways, from collaboration to faster design cycles to encouraging new ideas and methods of working. In this article, we showcase how one European machine builder managed all three by using Hololight solutions.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">A New Way of Engineering</h2>Tipteh is an industrial automation specialist with about 90 employees and more than 4000 customers worldwide. The team faces the constant challenge of creating effective and efficient solutions quickly. The road from an idea to a real machine that will fulfill customer needs and requests is very complex and often involves many iterations.“To avoid extra costs and save time, we needed a tool that would give our designers a complete insight into the machine design through a real 3D view,’ explains Mileta Vracar, Development Manager Engineering at Tipteh.&nbsp;In order to meet Tipteh´s high standards for its engineering process, the collaboration solution they were looking for also needed to be able to visualize as many details as possible to help engineers collaborate on the 3D model with no errors or misunderstandings. It was essential to fulfill all ergonomic requirements during the designing phase. “Especially because we were in the time of a global pandemic we were reliant on an innovative solution to collaborate without traveling, while saving time and resources. We liked Hololight Space instantly when we tried it,” Vracar further comments.<h2 dir="ltr">Faster Design Times with AR</h2>The Hololight Space now enhances collaboration and synchronization within Tipteh´s industrial designer team. When designing complex machines with 3D CAD tools engineers sometimes struggle to picture the design in their minds and understand the real dimensions and positions. With robot-based solutions, these challenges are getting even harder. Perfect designs with zero errors or problems become a necessity to keep the engineering process efficient. Engineers need to see how all the parts are fitted in a real 3D environment.&nbsp;With <a href="https://hololight.com/products/hololight-space-enduser-application/" target="_blank">Hololight Space</a> the engineers are looking at how designed parts are fitted together and if there are potential problems. Understanding all aspects of the 3D model helps to recognize any mistake or problem early on and prevents costly errors in production or machine failures. Checking safety requirements and ergonomic issues during the designing process by experts in the field is also very important. Same as preparing the installation team so they can build the machine in the fastest and most efficient way.<h3 dir="ltr">Incorporating Clients and Business Partners</h3>Incorporating clients and business partners into the design process through Augmented Reality (AR) can significantly enhance collaboration and satisfaction. AR tools allow engineers to present design concepts in a highly interactive and immersive manner, making it easier for clients to visualize and understand complex projects. This technology enables real-time feedback and iterative design improvements, ensuring that client requirements are met accurately.&nbsp;Tipteh uses Hololight Space to show customers and partners design concepts in progress. Engineers and customers jointly sketch, discuss and further develop designs or ideas in Augmented Reality.&nbsp;<blockquote>“Hololight Space helps collaboration and coordination in our design team and we avoid costly errors before production. We also needed to incorporate our partners in the designing process to actively present stages during specific machine designs.” - Mileta Vracar, Development Manager Engineering at Tipteh</blockquote>The customer can give feedback on whether the design meets his requirements and also see – using a HoloLens 2 for example – the digital twin in the real production environment. In turn, Tipteh´s engineers can plan and develop in a more targeted manner. “With this approach we are saving costs in the right place and make our customers more satisfied,” says Vracar.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzIwNTI4OTUwODk0LWhvbG8yLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h3 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Augmented Reality as a Key Technology</h3>Now, all of Tipteh´s engineering teams have used Hololight Space to exchange ideas and show their work to see how it interconnects to other parts of the design. “Our employees find Hololight Space very intuitive and easy to use. Hololight also responded super-urgent to any request for training and support,” Vracar notes. “The implementation of Mixed Reality on HoloLens 2 with Hololight Space was new for our company and now is becoming an integral part of our designing process.” Thus, for the future Tipteh also plans to use the technology in integration and retrofitting of existing machines.Learn more about the imapct of AR from Hololight's recent whitepaper.&nbsp;Key highlights of the whitepaper:<ul><li dir="ltr">Learn how companies can use AR to increase the quality and productivity of their entire process chain</li><li dir="ltr">Understand what a consistent Augmented Reality strategy can look like and how to implement one.</li><li dir="ltr">Discover how well-known companies are already successfully using AR through detailed case studies.&nbsp;</li></ul>Don't miss out on these valuable insights. Get your copy of the white paper now by filling out the simple form below.&nbsp;<iframe id="JotFormIFrame-241713238748360" title="Hololight Form" allowtransparency="true" src="https://form.jotform.com/241713238748360" frameborder="0" style="min-width: 100%; max-width: 100%; height: 380px; border: none;" scrolling="no" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </iframe>

From avoiding costly mistakes to faster design decisions and stronger customer relationships: How Hololight Space plays a big role in the product development process for global engineering company Tipteh. 

Case Study: AR as a Game Changer for Machine Builder Company

This article serves as a valuable resource for engineers, delving deep into the world of EMS manufacturing and exploring its significant role in bringing electronic products from ideation to realization.

What is Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS): A Comprehensive Guide for Engineers

For the first time, the assistance robot GARMI demonstrates that it can directly combine specific skills and support seniors throughout the day. With the help of a digital twin, artificial intelligence and ChatGPT, the care assistant from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) conducts caregiving tasks such as bringing water and breakfast to the bedside, booking medical appointments and setting up and facilitating telemedical examinations. It also helps care recipients to get out of bed and do rehabilitation exercises.The GARMI assistance robot is becoming increasingly versatile and intelligent. As researchers from TUM's Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI) demonstrated at the 2024 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) in Yokohama, Japan, the robot not only understands various commands via ChatGPT. It also autonomously implements and executes a wide range of tasks and skills, such as grasping objects, maneuvering safely and communicating with patients. In addition, it&nbsp;books appointments with doctors for telemedical examinations. "GARMI is now able to perform the various individual&nbsp;skills that we have taught him over the last few years, securely and on-demand, via ChatGPT," explains Geriatronics&nbsp;project&nbsp;lead Dr.&nbsp;Abdeldjallil&nbsp;Naceri.<h2>Human-robot interaction: tools must be reliable and safe</h2>To achieve this, the researchers are combining various technological innovations. Before attempting real-world&nbsp;human interactions, a digital twin&nbsp;is used to avoid collisions and make sure that the robot's movements are safe. Artificial intelligence (AI) helps GARMI grasp and hand over cups and glasses without spilling liquid. And ChatGPT acts as a link between the robot, patients, physiotherapists and doctors. Prof.&nbsp;Naceri&nbsp;draws a parallel between innovations in GARMI and autonomous driving: "Before a new function like autonomous parking assistance is made available to real-world drivers, many development steps are necessary." says the researcher. "The same is true for care robotics. Because this technology will be used where people are present, it must be 100% safe and reliable."<h2>Care assistant with ChatGPT, Digital Twin,&nbsp;and human-like hands</h2>TUM researchers have made significant progress especially in three areas:&nbsp;<h3>1. Dexterity - gripping and moving precisely from a distance</h3>Gripping:&nbsp;The researchers have combined a camera, a robotic arm with seven joints, an artificial hand and artificial intelligence to enable GARMI to simulate the way humans grip objects. First, the camera takes a picture of the object to be grasped and identifies it as a cup, cylinder or ball using neural networks. As the camera only sees the object from one side, the system adds non-visible areas, such as a cup, by comparing what it sees with other images and reconstructing&nbsp;a complete 3D object.&nbsp;The researchers use a color-graded heat map indicating the probabilities of various representations of the object matching the way it actually looks in reality. This makes it possible to decide on the ideal position for the hand for gripping a cup, for example. The complex system now manages to do this correctly nine times out of ten.&nbsp;"After it works with one cup, our system can transfer the methodology to all other cup shapes," says Naceri.Moving objects&nbsp;from a distance:&nbsp;The researchers devised a special experimental setup to investigate whether doctors can work together with patients via telesurgery.&nbsp;To do this, they drew simple shapes on a digital graphics tablet.&nbsp;GARMI was equipped with a pen in one hand and a camera in the other.&nbsp;One room away, GARMI's task was to transfer the researchers'&nbsp;drawings onto a screen - in other words, project a simple drawing into a complex robotic system.&nbsp;It turned out that the best circles, squares, and triangles were created when GARMI used the camera autonomously. This finding will be incorporated into the collaboration between physicians and patients in the future. For example, it is essential to position ultrasound probes as precisely as possible and to perform movements correctly during rehabilitation exercises.Perceiving&nbsp;and navigating&nbsp;surroundings:&nbsp;In a new research paper, the researchers show how tools can be maneuvered&nbsp;around objects.&nbsp;The challenge is to keep an eye on distances while being able to correctly assess the mobility of the robot arm with all its joints. If this is successful, the robot can even evade balls thrown at it.<h3>2. Safety:&nbsp;The&nbsp;tactile&nbsp;robot&nbsp;has a 1 millisecond reaction time</h3>GARMI processes information at a cycle time of 1&nbsp;millisecond (ms). This applies equally to perception, interaction and navigation.&nbsp;The force sensors on the robot arms register the slightest contact and react immediately. If a human accidentally bumps into the robot's arm, it stops within a millisecond for safety reasons. Humans and robots initially meet as digital twins in a virtual environment to rule out accidents. This is essential, as the assistance robot can theoretically reach speeds up to 20 km/h in a care home. In the computer simulation, GARMI uses the Safety Motion Unit to register via sensors and slow down if a person is too near. When the person moves away, GARMI speeds up again.<h3>3. Language: ChatGPT uses a list of commands</h3>The AI tool ChatGPT functions as a translator between technology and humans. It has learned various commands such as "Start rehab," "Show me tomorrow's weather," or "Call the doctor." GARMI uses this tool to communicate with patients. The researchers currently have a list of 15 to 20 commands that trigger certain actions. "Potentially, we can expand it as much as we like," says robotics researcher Naceri. "This will make MIRMI one of the first institutes where robots and humans interact using ChatGPT."&nbsp;<h2>GARMI&nbsp;still learning&nbsp;to cope with the human environment</h2>The new universal GARMI is now active in a model apartment in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The main field of research will be the further development of hands capable of performing even more refined tasks. It will be several years before GARMI is finally used in care homes. "It's like the autonomous car," says Naceri. "A lot of progress has already been made, but a few details are still missing before it is ready for the human environment."<hr>Publications<ul><li>RETOM: Leveraging Maneuverability for Reactive Tool Manipulation using Wrench-Fields; Felix Eberle, Riddhiman Laha, Haowen Yao, Abdesdjallil Naceri, Luis F.C. Figueredo, Sami Haddadin; ICRA 2024</li><li>Autonomous and Teleoperation Control of a Drawing Robot Avartar; Lingyun Chen, Abdeldjallil Naceri, Abdalla Swikir, Sandra Hirche, Sami Haddadin; ICRA 2024</li><li>Anthropomorphic Grasping with Neural Object Shape Completion; Diego Hidalgo-Carvajal,l Hanzhi Chen, Gemma C. Bettelani, Jaesug Jung, Melissa Zavaglia, Laura Busse, Abdeldjallil Naceri, Stefan Leuttenegger, Sami Haddadin; ICRA 202</li><li>Safe-By-Design Digital Twins for Human-Robot Interaction: A Use Case for Humanoid Service Robots. Jon Škerlj, Mazin Hamad, Jean Elsner, Abdeldjallil Naceri, Sami Haddadin; ICRA 2024</li><li>Video: <a href="https://youtu.be/mL-50vtXHdo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">A Day with GARMI: Robot Home Assistence in the Lives of Senior Citizens</a>; S. Bing, J. Skerlj, F. Eberle, A. Teimoorzadeh, X. Chen, M. Forouhar, H. Seghedian, A. Naceri, S. Haddadin; ICRA 2024</li></ul>

Care robot GARMI (front left) in the research laboratory at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is becoming increasingly adept.

For the first time, the assistance robot GARMI demonstrates that it can directly combine specific skills and support seniors throughout the day.

GARMI care robot becomes a universal assistant

<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>

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