Digital twin in industry 4.0 and beyond applications

The digital twin is the replica of the real world in the virtual environment, which is fed with real-time data and information. This replica can be used as a virtual copy of any field of any industry. The main purpose is to simulate the facilities and make predictions to identify a potential problem as well as optimize the real-time system, increasing reliability and availability while reducing risks and maintenance costs. The process starts with creating a model that would adequately represent a real system and integrating the model with information from collected real-time data of the physical object supported by sensors. Then, based on these inputs, a digital twin can serve as a vehicle to assist with the predictions or simulations of how the real object or system will react in given conditions. Every step taken in technology is of great importance for the industry. Emerging technologies lead and drive industrial revolutions, such as one of the recent ones, the Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0. Among the new technologies that led to the realization of Industry 4.0 are the Internet of things (IoT), cloud technologies, big data, data science, virtual reality, artificial intelligence (AI), additive manufacturing, predictive maintenance, and many more. Digital twin technology has already taken place among these new technologies and is surely growing in the technology market. IoT devices generate the data required to create the right digital twin that reflects the physical twin with all its features. Integrating the physical and digital world creates solutions to design, engineering operations, and production problems. Products that are costly to test in real life and complex procedures are tested on digital twins. A prototype can estimate the digital analysis of manufacturability. This chapter includes the applications and methodologies of the digital twin, working principles, and its importance in Industry 4.0. Additionally, the point where the digital twin may lead to significant shifts in Industry 4.0 and beyond applications, the sectors in which the digital twin can be used, and also some of the dangers that may arise with the digital twin are discussed.