Expanding the Scope of Manufacturing Digital Twins to Supply Chain

Abstract

The rapid emergence of digital technologies is revolutionising the manufacturing industry, with digital twins (DTs) emerging as a transformative innovation. DTs, virtual counterparts of physical entities or systems, hold immense potential for optimizing and overseeing manufacturing processes. By proposing a three-dimensional classification framework that considers DT integration levels, supply chain (SC) structural hierarchies, and SC processes, this study examines the evolution of manufacturing DTs to encompass the SC. An analysis of existing literature reveals a significant gap in extending manufacturing DTs to the SC system level without incorporating structural and process aspects of DT models. The paper also investigates the key performance objectives, including efficiency, resilience, and sustainability, as well as the challenges associated with DT implementation. The insights provided in this paper contribute to a better understanding and practical application of DTs in the dynamic contexts of manufacturing and the SC.