Digital Twins in the Supply Chain

Digital twins, a concept introduced by Michael Grieves 21 years ago, are digital representations of physical objects that have gained prominence. It can be product twins, asset twins, or human twins that serve as building blocks for the metaverse. In supply chain operations, it can represent manufacturing sites, warehouses, supply chains, and infrastructure. Various technologies, including sensors, IoT, AR/VR, cloud computing, 3D modelling, and AI, support the creation and functionality of digital twins. This whitepaper by the Vlerick Centre for Smart People in the Smart Supply Chain discusses the potential and wide range of digital twins’ applications, from product life cycle management and plant design optimisation to smart maintenance and supply chain planning. A case study from ENGIE illustrates the use of a plant’s digital twin for safety training purposes.