I recently had the privilege of being part of a captivating presentation by Siemens. They showcased how the optimization and digitalization of an outdated Nestlé bouillon factory in Juuka, Finland, resulted in significant production savings amounting to hundreds of thousands of Euros over the years. At the core of this transformation was the utilization of cutting-edge technology: the digital twin (Nestlé Juuka, n.d.).

The concept of the digital twin, as we know it today, is a relatively modern invention. However, its roots trace back to NASA’s Apollo 13 mission in 1970, where simulators guided the spacecraft crew safely for landing. Further development came in 2002 from Michael Grieves at the University of Michigan, who introduced the notion of a digital twin, defining it as a digital representation of a physical system used to simulate behavior intricately linked to its real-world counterpart (Koulouris et al., 2021) (Henrichs et al., 2022).

A digital twin is essentially a virtual copy of a tangible product, such as a device or production line, encompassing all its crucial characteristics. It’s constructed using data and models from various life cycle stages, representing its behaviors and conditions. Continuously updated with real-time data from the actual product or process, it evolves as a digital profile, mimicking past, present, and potential future behaviors to predict uncertainties in operations (Koulouris et al., 2021). As an example of the newly established production line for the bouillon manufacturer, the digital twin is an exact digital replica of the facilities. The real installation is packed with an array of sensors, all interconnected through a program. Additionally, precise dimensions and functions of all parts of the installation are stored in the program. Hence, envisioning the digital twin of the bouillon production is akin to a highly advanced simulation game. However, this simulator operates on real data, allowing for the highest possible accuracy in predictions. It’s a system that evolves over time, continuously improving and refining itself.

The digital twin of the bouillon factory is no longer an isolated instance in the food industry. This technology is widespread throughout the entire food production supply chain. A German study, for instance, found 53 applications in scientific papers, with 54.90% focusing on agricultural applications, including plant growth and animal monitoring. It replicates entire production systems, such as greenhouses, for monitoring purposes and supports pest control. Additionally, 31.37% of applications optimize product quality in the processing stage, involving machines like pasteurizers and packaging equipment, while 7.84% and 5.88% monitor fruit and vegetable quality during supply and distribution by monitoring for example temperature (Henrichs et al., 2022).

In conclusion, the concept of the digital twin is far from reaching its full potential. It holds promise in the R&D sector by substituting practical experiments with simulations. Moreover, this technology could optimize not only production processes, but also maintenance task. And when the digital twin is combined with advanced AI, who knows what possibilities will yet unfold.

Oliver Lardon

Bibliography:

Henrichs, E., Noack, T., Pinzon Piedrahita, A. M., Salem, M. A., Stolz, J., & Krupitzer, C. (2022). Can a Byte Improve Our Bite? An Analysis of Digital Twins in the Food Industry. Sensors, 22(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22010115

Koulouris, A., Misailidis, N., & Petrides, D. (2021). Applications of process and digital twin models for production simulation and scheduling in the manufacturing of food ingredients and products. Food and Bioproducts Processing, 126, 317–333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbp.2021.01.016

Nestlé Juuka: From outdated to trendsetting. (o. J.). [fw_Inspiring]. Siemens.Com Global Website. Abgerufen 9. Januar 2024, von https://www.siemens.com/global/en/industries/food-beverage/references/nestle.html

Image source: https://www.stambol.com/2018/07/02/digital-twins-doing-real-world-work/