Digital Twins
Digital Twins
What's involved. What do they contribute
The concept of a digital twin is primarily associated with a physical asset (a product), which is then extended to complex elements with many components, such as a set of assets and processes (a factory, a building, an aircraft…) or an independently analyzable subset within them (such as a production line of a factory).
In all the above cases, the ‘visual’ component of 3D graphic representation of that asset, of those elements, is a relevant aspect because it brings and connects everything that follows (Artificial Intelligence, Operational Research, predictive algorithms, data science…) to the user, to the business, and mitigates or eases that layer of ‘abstraction’ that necessarily represents that component of science, processing and exploitation of the data associated with the process.
However, in recent years, the less classic and more innovative concept of a ‘digital twin‘, directly associated with a process, usually a critical business process, has also become accepted and is becoming a widespread approach. These cases could be customer acquisition, logistics operations planning, maintenance planning, or stock management in a retailer. And in none of these cases is the visual representation of any physical asset or product identified as a necessary requirement, because it is not the core of the digital twin. As a ‘process’, it is generally more than enough a graphical representation (always visually attractive and self-explanatory) of the sequence of the process itself, of the data or metrics associated with each stage or step of the process, and of the input/output of each of those steps.
This digital twin paradigm of a critical business process is one of oga‘s main areas of expertise.
oga’s business solutions are born with the vision of providing a differential value to our clients from the combination of Automation, Optimization and Simulation capabilities.
Solutions that offer a new management model based on data, where Artificial Intelligence and Operational Research confirm their transformational capacity, challenging our processes and proposing new ways of growth and building competitive advantage.
We develop and apply digital twins to complex manufacturing (oga.Factory), logistics planning (oga.Logistics), or stock management (oga.Retail) among other business solutions, from the vision, confirmed in recent years with major clients of reference, of the tremendous value that we can build with a digital twin of a process:
- Operational Value: Automation and Optimization (optimizing the day-to-day running of the process).
- Strategical Value: Simulation (‘what-if’, analysis of virtual operating scenarios) and Prescription (identifying the keys, variables and values of the global optimization of the process).
- Business Value: Impact on their efficiency and profitability and therefore on the balance sheet.
Our experience is that this type of more ‘directed’, more vertical or ‘surgical’ approaches are gaining more and more importance, since, although they may initially ignore the visual value of the rendered/3D representation of the asset (i.e. production line, plant…), they focus on the core of the business value, on comprehensively analyzing the behavior and performance of those critical processes that really impact on it (i.e. mixing, filling).
A 360º vision is thus built, identifying and weighting all the variables that affect the objective function (i.e. reduce energy consumption, reduce concentrate wastage, maximize filler performance…), making it possible to simulate as many variations or modifications of the complete process as the client requires (‘what-if’ scenarios), and of course identifying the variables and the range of target values that will ensure the client’s ultimate objective (i.e. reduce energy consumption, reduce concentrate wastage, maximize filler performance…), “upstream” in the process.
All this, notwithstanding the fact that this 3D vision of the production line is undoubtedly a valuable tool, and perfectly complementary to this vertical approach, and that it helps internal sales, which is an important aspect.
At oga we can help you build your digital twin of the business process, reducing operational costs, optimizing resources, and obtaining a positive impact on consumption and carbon footprint, ultimately achieving a sustainable operating cycle..
We are passionate about data and everything it contains, and we solve complex operational problems to bring maximum business value to our clients. Shall we talk?
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Juan Carlos Rubio
With more than 20 years of international experience in technology consulting in multinational environments in different roles, including team management and strategic advice on the relationship between business and technology, from the management and direction of programs and projects.
Founder and CEO at oga. Rugby player, passionate about guitar, travel, gastronomy, very proud father, always thinking...
- 19 November 2021