Digital twin driven virtual verification

The creation of high-fidelity, dynamic, and self-learning virtual models, known as digital twin (DT), will play a critical role in Industry 4.0 by reflecting the whole product life cycle. This ability enables designers to determine product functionality and configuration during the initial product design stages. The integration of virtual and physical elements of the product life cycle pioneers allows designers to model performance and detect issues of real-world function in a virtual space. This process, known as DT-driven virtual verification, will facilitate a significant leap in design efficiency. This chapter proposes a DT-driven virtual verification framework model to improve product design with respect to the five stages of a product life cycle (including design, manufacturing, usage, maintenance, and end-of-life). Furthermore, as demonstration of the framework’s efficacy two case studies are conducted: the first on a commercial espresso coffee machine and the second on a 3D printer. Development and application of the framework aim to highlight the revolutionary potential and expedite development of DT technology into real-world design.