Send an inquiry Order newsletter Digital Twin Our customers have a continuous need to drive their business forward by developing new products or by automating production. If you are interested in taking advantage of advanced simulation technologies, Etteplan is your partner. We create digital twins to speed up your lead times and to reduce risks in product development, production, after market, and software testing.
Key Benefits Rapid time-to-market Lower investment risks Product safety Improved transparency in cooperation Digital Twin refers to a virtual simulation model of a machine or production line which is capable of imitating the use and behavior of the actual machine or production line in real time. The model also authentically simulates the product’s natural user environment and work process. The twin can be used to simulate the operations of a piece of equipment or production line in a virtual environment before any decisions concerning manufacturing. This helps save in costs and reduces the risks related to costly investments. If you can't see the video, please accept marketing cookies here. If you consider a digital twin as a solution for your development challenges, we help up from the first steps to maintaining the simulation model. We also help you to utilize the model in different functions such as product development, production, and after market services. In simulation models of mobile machinery we use, for instance, Mevea’s advanced software.
Digital twin in product development Etteplan can develop a digital twin, I.e. a simulation model of a part of your machine or product which is then used to predict how the part in question behaves. We can also create a simulation of an entire machine or process, thus predicting how the entire process functions in real time. A story you might like Digital Twin revolutionizes industrial product development Our services cover the mechanical, electrification, automation and intelligence engineering of the physical device, as well as the testing of the software solution using the digital twin. With the help of the simulation model, we can collect valuable user experience early on in the product development stage and save costs. With our services, the lead time for the customer’s product development is reduced, since various product options or software can be tested at an early stage. The risks related to the investment are also reduced, as a decision on the investment only needs to be made after the product’s functionality has been confirmed by the simulation model. Engineering and testing with a digital twin reduces the costs of the prototype stage by 30 to 50 per cent, and the lead time of the product design by 20 to 30 per cent. The method is especially useful in designing and introducing new generations of products and in managing the full life cycle of a product. Thanks to the simulation model, communication among the experts in product development is easier and more concrete, as everyone can work on the same model, without losing overall sight of the product to be developed. Digital twin in designing a production line Etteplan serves customers in utilizing the digital twin in production settings. A virtual simulation model can be used, for example, to help design a new production line or to add automation to an existing line. The engineering and testing of machine hydraulics, mechanics, automation and other characteristics of large-scale industrial equipment and production lines is cost-effective with a digital twin, as it enables faults and bottlenecks to be detected at an early stage, and the old production line can run without interruption until a suitable solution is found. A story you might like Improving ergonomics in your production We help our customers take note of the ergonomic requirements of work stations along the production line in the early stage of planning. A virtual model can help determine, for example, that adding automation or collaborative robots (cobots) in certain work phases can improve work ergonomics and prevent work-related illnesses. One challenge for a manufacturing company may be managing product variants, which entails making changes to a production line in order to meet customers’ changing needs. We help our customers in automating existing production lines and in designing cobots, or to improve the occupational safety of the production environment in order to comply with reformed regulations. Digital twin for after-sales services Etteplan can help if you’re your challenge is to develop and improve your aftermarket operations and services. We develop a digital twin of your product suited for training and marketing purposes, for example, in customer meetings and at trade fairs. The digital twin travels along with the laptop and does not require any additional heavy or difficult-to-transport devices. The simulation model can be used to create for the customer a user experience that matches the actual operating conditions and to demonstrate the machine’s operation in mines and other places that are difficult to access. Training for distributers and machine operators using a digital twin saves in training costs, as the machine that is in operation does not have to be taken out of production use. We also create digital twins that customers can use to present new technologies, such as operator-assisted software solutions, IoT-based data collection solutions or autonomous driving solutions. In the models, Etteplan creates a virtual environment that matches the real situation and which also employs VR and AR technologies. We also use the digital twin to develop new condition monitoring solutions for our customers. The digital twin’s real-time connection to a machine opens up opportunities for condition monitoring and preventive maintenance. Digital twins installed in a physical device predict and simulate the machine’s operation during use and provide even more intelligent messages to the operator.
