Digital Twin: The Hybrid Approach to Sustainable Data Management
The Role of Digital Twins in Sustainable Product Data Management
The Neoception® Digital Twin Infrastructure (DTI) aims to unify proprietary product data from various sources (e.g., sensors, MES, ERP) into standardized digital twins. These digital twins serve as the foundation for various use cases, enable global access to digital information, support the development of new business models, and foster the creation of sustainable and resilient value networks.
A key feature of the DTI is its dynamic approach: Digital twins are only created when needed to avoid redundant data storage and ensure that users always work with the most up-to-date information.
With the introduction of Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, which establishes a framework for defining Ecodesign requirements for sustainable products (ESPR), the requirements for managing digital product data are increasing. In particular, the introduction of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) requires the long-term archiving of relevant information within the digital twin. This archiving obligation presents a challenge for digital asset management, which is primarily designed for dynamic data processing.
To meet these requirements, the DTI adopts a hybrid approach: Dynamic data processing remains at the core, complemented by a storage infrastructure for persistent digital twins. This approach is essential because both real-time data and long-term data availability are crucial for digital twins in industrial applications.
The Hybrid Approach in Detail
The hybrid approach of the DTI combines dynamic data processing and persistent storage within a unified framework. While real-time information is provided immediately, reliable long-term archiving is ensured simultaneously. Figure 1 illustrates this hybrid approach, where digital twins are implemented as Asset Administration Shells (AAS)—a standardized concept in Industry 4.0 that serves as an interoperable interface for data integration and management.
In the dynamic component of the DTI, known as the DTI Core, data is consolidated and converted into a standardized format, which is then provided via standard interfaces. The Snapshot Application is the central component of the hybrid approach.
Creating Snapshots: The current state of the AAS is retrieved via the DTI Core. Based on this, a copy of the AAS is created, timestamped, and transferred to a repository for long-term storage via a standardized interface. A typical use case is the production of an asset, such as a sensor. Once the manufacturing process is completed and the asset is released for sale, the Snapshot Application automatically generates a snapshot. This snapshot documents the exact state of the AAS at the time of delivery, ensuring traceability for compliance and legal documentation.
Access & Management: The hybrid approach enables access to both live data from the DTI Core and archived AASX containers at specific points in an asset’s lifecycle. This functionality forms a reliable basis for digital twin traceability.
Technical Implementation: To implement this approach, BaSyx components are used, providing both the Registry Service and the persistent repository. These components ensure reliable storage and management of the generated snapshots.
The Snapshot Application offers two options for creating and managing snapshots:
- Manual Snapshots: Users can manually capture the current state of selected assets.
- Automated Snapshots: The application can be configured to automatically generate snapshots at regular intervals to ensure continuous documentation.
These functionalities are accessible via both the integrated viewer and a REST API.
The integrated viewer enables the configuration, creation, and registration of snapshots via a graphical user interface. This interface supports the management of both individual assets and entire asset groups.
Additionally, the snapshot application can be accessed via a REST API to create and manage snapshots from external systems. This facilitates integration into automated processes and enables flexible usage.
The BaSyx Viewer enables detailed viewing and analysis of the stored snapshots.
Advantages of the Hybrid Approach of DTI
The hybrid approach of DTI combines flexibility and reliability in data management. The dynamic provision of data ensures that up-to-date information is always available. At the same time, persistent storage meets long-term archiving requirements. This combination creates a future-proof solution that efficiently integrates real-time data processing and long-term data availability.