Jun 22, 2023

Smart warehouse operations have always been at the heart of supply chain efficiency models, and being able to efficiently put away, locate, and retrieve inventory is critical to smart warehousing. As warehouses get larger, store more inventory, and support greater complexity in order fulfillment, the ability to effectively manage warehouse transactions becomes even more important.

A digital twin is a digital replica of a physical object. It collects and stores a variety of information about the physical object by connecting with sensors and other data sources. Armed with this data, the digital twin can be used to run simulations, study performance issues, and generate improvement recommendations, which can then be applied to the physical object.

Examples of widespread usages for digital twins

• All-encompassing view of data on a company’s key customer/target market
• Replication of the functionality of real-world assets like a new model for Tesla
• Visual representation of a customer journey in a business from start to finish
• Visual simulation of surgeries in the medical field to help plan for complications
• Digital representation of a city to help planners understand energy consumption

In the supply chain world, Digital Twins are an emerging technology trend, and have the potential to boost users into the next generation of managing adaptive, responsive supply chain systems and processes.

Examples of everyday use cases of digital twins that affect your supply chain

• Real-time monitoring of warehouse operations to improve resource allocation and improve workflows
• Simulations to identify and mitigate issues without disrupting operations
• Accurate, real-time inventory tracking for efficient stock management
• Visualize warehouse layout and storage for better space optimization
• Simulate new storage models to optimize picking and replenishment strategies

Companies can thoroughly redesign and create test prototypes of their vision and desired upgrades without the added risk of adopting changes prematurely and spending concrete cash on theoretical solutions that could lack viability.

If something were to go awry, a digital twin solution makes it easy to identify blind spots and provide actionable insights from data to draw predictions and illustrate “what if” scenarios in greater detail. This offers better ROI and safer decision-making. According to Supply Chain Digital, at least 50% of large global companies will be using AI, advanced analytics, and IoT supply chain operations. This makes it clear that to thrive in the new normal, implementing the correct tech will be paramount to usher in better conditions and increase revenue.

The idea of digital twins originated at  NASA in the 1960s from a living model of the Apollo mission to ensure multiple simulators could provide safety and mission success analysis for space programming to see how operations on Earth will emulate and translate in the ether.

This technology has quite possibly redefined the future for a myriad of industries and will continue to revolutionize the importance of anticipation when managing a supply chain. If you’re interested in learning more about automation, digitization, and scaling your business with smart technology connect with our dedicated team today.