May 2023 Volume 5

AUTOMATION

Scientific Forming Technologies Corp. is the Columbus, OH-based supplier of DEFORMsimulation software. According to JimMiller, SFTC’s Director of Sales and Marketing, “The end goal of the digital twin software platforms is to track multiple process chains simultaneously. This includes straight simulations, production parameters and data, data analysis, equipment intelligence, equipment instrumentation, etc. The first stop in this process is the manufacturers of the equipment for the new line. From our standpoint, we have tried to evolve our software toward integrating core technologies into our platform to better accommodate digital twin development.” As the ability to develop and communicate with digital twins improves, digital twins can be used to design the physical products and processes they will be monitoring. “Advances in computer speed have aided the digital design of physical processes and production lines,” said Miller. “Having run various simulations over a large processing range on the digital twin, we can check it on newly-installed real equipment and compare actual data to what the simulations predicted. One of our ultimate goals is automated process control, and the more pieces of the puzzle you can plug into the model, along with artificial intelligence, the best resolution you can get from the digital twin,” he added. In the manufacturing process, the digital twin may be called upon to monitor data from hundreds of sensors, including environmental ones. Though great strides have been made in digital twin technology and applications, it is still a relatively young concept whose application and maturity are growing rapidly.

A simulation (left) and actual forged knuckles are a digital twin in its simplest form, and both are the basis of a digital twin for the full forging process. Courtesy of QForm-UK, Forge Technology Inc. Digital Twins inManufacturing In modern times, manufacturing is no longer a simple matter of producing the greatest level of output at the lowest cost. Manufacturers today have broader concerns such as product life cycle management (PLM), which encompasses pre-manufacturing preparations, product production, product and process sustainability, material supply chain issues, and product life cycle and disposal issues. Not long ago, the concept of implementing digital twin technology would have greatly, and maybe prohibitively, disrupted a manufacturing process. However, the advent of Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things, and data analytics are helping manufacturers harness the reams of data generated by modern (or “smart”) processing equipment, coupled with advances in wireless connectivity. This has made digital twin technology less disruptive to the product or process being modelled, and easier and cheaper to implement.

Digital twin strategies often require a variety of transformative technologies, like those shown here, to link virtual and physical domains. Courtesy of Scientific Forming Technologies Corp.

Forging, Digital Twins, andMetamorphic Manufacturing

In forging, a digital twin is a virtual model of a physical forging process that is created using advanced computer-aided design (CAD) and simulation software. The digital twin is designed to replicate the behaviour of the actual forging process in a virtual environment. In practice, a digital twin captures all the key parameters of the forging process and simulates how the material will behave under different conditions. This allows engineers to identify potential issues before they arise and adjust the process to ensure that the final product meets the desired specifications.

Digital twin technology can be highly beneficial to themetal forging industry by improving productivity, quality, and cost-effectiveness. By using digital twins, companies can gain a competitive edge in the market while also improving sustainability and reducing their environmental impact.

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