{"id":109049,"date":"2025-06-15T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-15T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/?post_type=article&p=109049"},"modified":"2025-06-16T22:41:02","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T20:41:02","slug":"the-core-principles-of-the-digital-twin","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/articles\/the-core-principles-of-the-digital-twin\/","title":{"rendered":"The Core Principles of the Digital Twin"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In the past, digital twins were defined as “digital representations of things from the real world” [1]. However, this narrow definition no longer reflects the complexity digital twins in the context of Industry 4.0. The current definition by the VDI expands this view: “A digital twin is much more than a digital copy of a physical object. It forms the basis for a continuous exchange of data between the real and digital worlds. Based on models, algorithms and simulations, properties or behaviors of the object are described and influenced. The concept comprises three core areas: the …<\/div>\n

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Subscription<\/th>\nincluded<\/th>\nPurchase<\/th>\n
without<\/td>\n−<\/td>\n29,00 \u20ac<\/td>\n
Digital<\/td>\n−<\/td>\n27,55 \u20ac<\/td>\n
Expert<\/td>\n✓<\/span><\/td>\n0,00 \u20ac<\/td>\n
Professional<\/td>\n✓<\/span><\/td>\n0,00 \u20ac<\/td>\n
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Conducting Experiments in Hybrid Learning Factories<\/h4>\n
The example of the InTraLab Potsdam<\/div> <\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/table>\n
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\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t <\/div>\nIndustrial production is undergoing rapid transformation through digitalization, automation and cyber-physical systems, creating new competence requirements for employees. Learning factories provide experiential environments for developing these competences. This article presents the Industrial Transformation Lab (InTraLab) as a hybrid learning factory combining physical demonstrators and digital simulations. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
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Learning Factories for the Future of Manufacturing in Brazil<\/h4>\n
Advancing manufacturing through technology and skills development<\/div> <\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/table>\n
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\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t <\/div>\nManufacturing firms in developing countries face challenges in closing productivity gaps while adopting Industry 4.0 technologies. Learning factories are one helpful approach to countering these challenges. One such example is the learning factory F\u00e1brica do Futuroin S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil, which has engaged students, supported competence development, and collaborated with industry in applied research, functioning as a hub for advanced manufacturing initiatives. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
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Industrial Transformation via a Machining Learning Factory<\/h4>\n
A learning module to foster competencies for a sustainability-driven transformation<\/div>
Oskay Ozen<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a>, Victoria Breidling<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a>, Stefan Seyfried<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a>, Matthias Weigold<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a><\/div>\n <\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/table>\n
\n Sustainability-enhancing transformation processes are necessary in all sectors if we are to remain within planetary boundaries. This also applies to the industrial sector as a significant emitter of greenhouse gases. Employees need new competencies to master this complex task of industrial transformation. These range from CO2 equivalents accounting to the development and evaluation of transformation scenarios, including technical measures. The learning module developed here addresses these competency requirements and uses the example of the ETA factory to show how a competency-oriented learning module for industrial transformation can be structured. It essentially comprises four phases: data collection and CO2 equivalents accounting, cause analysis, development of measures and evaluation of measures. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Industry 4.0 Science<\/strong> | Volume 42 | Edition 2 | Pages 38-47 | DOI 10.30844\/I4SE.26.2.38<\/a><\/div> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
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Experiencing Digital Twins in Production and Logistics<\/h4>\n
The fischertechnik\u00ae Learning Factory 4.0 as a development platform for possible expansion stages<\/div>
Deike Gliem<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a>, Sigrid Wenzel<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a>, Jan Schickram<\/a>, Tareq Albeesh<\/a><\/div>\n <\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/table>\n
\n The fischertechnik\u00ae Learning Factory 4.0 has proven to be a suitable experimental environment for testing digital twins. Depending on the targeted maturity stage, the functions of a digital twin range from status monitoring and forecasting to the operational control of production and logistics systems. To systematically classify these functions, this article presents a maturity model that serves as a framework for the development of a digital twin. Building on this, selected use cases are implemented in a test and development environment based on a system architecture with multi-layered logic structure. These initial implementations serve to highlight application purposes, relevant methods, and typical challenges and potentials in the transfer to real factory environments. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Industry 4.0 Science<\/strong> | Volume 42 | Edition 2 | Pages 30-37 | DOI 10.30844\/I4SE.26.2.30<\/a><\/div> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
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AI Implementation in Industrial Quality Control<\/h4>\n
A design science approach bridging technical and human factors<\/div>
Erdi \u00dcnal<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a>, Kathrin Nauth<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a>, Pavlos Rath-Manakidis<\/a>, Jens P\u00f6ppelbu\u00df<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a>, Felix Hoenig<\/a>, Christian Meske<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a><\/div>\n <\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/table>\n
\n Artificial intelligence (AI) offers significant potential to enhance industrial quality control, yet successful implementation requires careful consideration of ethical and human factors. This article examines how automated surface inspection systems can be deployed to augment human capabilities while ensuring ethical integration into workflows. Through design science research, twelve stakeholders from six organizations across three continents are interviewed and twelve sociotechnical design requirements are derived. These are organized into pre-implementation and implementation\/operation phases, addressing human agency, employee participation, and responsible knowledge management. Key findings include the critical importance of meaningful employee participation during pre-implementation, and maintaining human agency through experiential learning, building on existing expertise. This research contributes to ethical AI workplace implementation by providing guidelines that preserve human ... <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Industry 4.0 Science<\/strong> | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 1 | Pages 120-127 | DOI 10.30844\/I4SE.26.1.112<\/a><\/div> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
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Applied AI for Human-Centric Assembly Workplace Design<\/h4>\n
An ethics-informed approach<\/div>
Tadele Belay Tuli<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a>, Michael Jonek<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a>, Sascha Niethammer<\/a>, Henning Vogler<\/a>, Martin Manns<\/a> \n \"ORCID<\/a><\/div>\n <\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/table>\n
\n Artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance smart assembly by predicting human motion and adapting workplace design. Using probabilistic models such as Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs), AI systems anticipate operator actions to improve coordination with robots. However, these predictive systems raise ethical concerns related to safety, fairness, and privacy under the EU AI Act, which classifies them as high-risk. This paper presents a conceptual method integrating probabilistic motion modeling with ethical evaluation via Z-Inspection\u00ae. An industrial case study using the Smart Work Assistant (SWA) demonstrates how multimodal sensing (motion, gaze) and interpretable models enable anticipatory assistance. The approach moves from ethics evaluation to ethics-informed work design, yielding transferable principles and a configurable assessment matrix that supports compliance-by-design in collaborative assembly. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Industry 4.0 Science<\/strong> | Volume 42 | 2026 | Edition 1 | Pages 60-68 | DOI 10.30844\/I4SE.26.1.58<\/a><\/div> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The digital twin [DT] is considered a key technology of Industry 4.0. Its basic concept is now being successfully applied in practice, as demonstrated by the commissioning of Mercedes’ Factory56 in 2022. New identification technologies, tracking systems and communication solutions faciliate new ways of controlling production and managing material flows, particularly at the shop floor level. With precise technical data permanently available not only for products, but also for material availability and order fulfillment status, production processes can be managed more dynamically and efficiently. This is precisely where the concept of the DT comes into play, enabling the immediate use and evaluation of this data.Its relevance continues to grow, especially in the context of make-to-order production, the rising variety of product configurations, and the globalization of production and supply networks. This article introduces the basic concept of the DT and illustrates how it connects to the Smart Factory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":108917,"menu_order":0,"template":"","categories":[79167,79168,79298],"tags":[84132,80085,80200,80100,79631,79671],"product_cat":[3300],"topic":[67838,68760],"technology":[67599,67717],"knowhow":[],"industry":[],"writer":[83649],"content-type":[],"potential":[],"solution":[],"glossary":[],"class_list":["post-109049","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","category-design-en","category-translate-en","category-typeset","tag-automation-pyramid-din-iec-62264","tag-digital-shadow-en","tag-digital-trigger-en","tag-digital-twin-en","tag-digitaler-zwilling-en","tag-smart-factory-en","product_cat-article","topic-digital-twin","topic-factory-design","technology-analytics-en","technology-simulation-en","writer-wilmjakob-herlyn-en","product","first","instock","downloadable","virtual","sold-individually","taxable","purchasable","product-type-article"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991.webp",1400,788,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-150x150.webp",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-666x375.webp",666,375,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-768x432.webp",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-1024x576.webp",1020,574,true],"front-page-entry":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-1032x320.webp",1032,320,true],"post-entry":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-764x376.webp",764,376,true],"post-teaser":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-392x320.webp",392,320,true],"post-teaser-mobile":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-608x496.webp",608,496,true],"post-custom-size":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-640x325.webp",640,325,true],"whitepaper-teaser":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-274x376.webp",274,376,true],"card-big":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-514x292.webp",514,292,true],"card-portrait":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-320x440.webp",320,440,true],"card-big-company":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-514x289.webp",514,289,true],"gp-listing":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-196x180.webp",196,180,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991.webp",1400,788,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991.webp",1400,788,false],"woocommerce_thumbnail":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-510x510.webp",510,510,true],"woocommerce_single":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-510x287.webp",510,287,true],"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-100x100.webp",100,100,true],"dgwt-wcas-product-suggestion":["https:\/\/industry-science.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Herlyn-AdobeStock_1376863991-64x36.webp",64,36,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Malou Baumann","author_link":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/author\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The digital twin [DT] is considered a key technology of Industry 4.0. Its basic concept is now being successfully applied in practice, as demonstrated by the commissioning of Mercedes' Factory56 in 2022. New identification technologies, tracking systems and communication solutions faciliate new ways of controlling production and managing material flows, particularly at the shop floor…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/109049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/108917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"technology","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/technology?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"knowhow","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowhow?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"writer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/writer?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"content-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-type?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"potential","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/potential?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"solution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/solution?post=109049"},{"taxonomy":"glossary","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/industry-science.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/glossary?post=109049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}