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Digital twin: for your automation & digitalisation strategy

Imagine your system being digitally available at all times: in real time, clearly organised and detailed. The digital twin makes this possible for you. This future-proof key technology means you can not only monitor, simulate and optimise the operating processes themselves, but also have all upstream and downstream processes under control at all times – from system planning to order picking. And that’s before any changes are necessary in the real world. This allows you to gain sound insight, make data-based decisions and increase your efficiency in every single phase of the process.

Just one copy or several? What the digital twin really does.

The digital twin is far more than just a virtual representation of a system or component. It links many individual processes across the entire life cycle – from initial planning and development to production, maintenance and recycling. This gives you a completely new perspective on your operations and enables you to make informed decisions at every stage of the product life cycle. Whether you are planning, producing or maintaining, the digital twin provides you with the information you need at all times to react flexibly to changes and optimise your system operation. Our many years of experience in fluidics and digitalisation mean Bürkert can support you as a competent partner. We work together to develop solutions that are precisely tailored to your needs and make your processes fit for the future. Let’s work together to make your systems more efficient and sustainable.

Efficiency through digitalisation – your path to lean and flexible processes

The digital twin enables you to get the most out of every stage of your system’s life cycle. It enables you to monitor all processes in real time and adapt them quickly if necessary – for more flexibility and transparency in all operating phases. Thanks to the continuous synchronisation of physical and digital data, you are always in a position to take proactive maintenance measures, deploy resources in a targeted manner and minimise downtimes. This allows you to organise your processes more efficiently and remain flexible so that you can react immediately to new requirements. The five decisive advantages of the digital twin for you:

How can the digital twin increase efficiency and security in practice?

Two specific example applications will show you how you can soon benefit from the technological possibilities of a digital twin – to make your processes more secure, precise and efficient.

1. Virtual calibration – precise calibration with minimal downtime

Wouldn’t it be great if your sensors could be precisely calibrated at any time, and without dismantling and interrupting production? The digital twin makes it possible for such scenarios to come within reach. In future, measurement deviations could be recognised digitally at an early stage and corrected directly, while your system continues to run undisturbed. This saves valuable time and the calibration would be even more accurate thanks to the comparison with high-precision laboratory references. Experience the potential of virtual calibration, which can help you minimise maintenance costs and improve the accuracy of your processes in the long term.

Measuring accuracy without interruption

The calibration of sensors is crucial to ensure precise measurements over long periods of time. The digital twin makes it possible to carry out this process in a completely digital manner – without any physical intervention. Instead of removing the sensors, they are calibrated virtually with a high-precision laboratory reference. • Continuous operation: calibration without removing the sensors. • Time-efficient: avoids long downtimes thanks to digital adjustment. • High precision: calibration with ten times more accurate laboratory references for reliable measurements.

Dynamic simulation

The sensors are integrated into the process system and connected to a central control system. As soon as deviations are detected, the digital twin can trigger the calibration process automatically or manually, depending on the process requirements. • Immediate response: automatic or manual correction in the event of deviations. • Networked control: sensors are fully integrated into the digital system and linked to the digital twin.

Permanent data reconciliation

The values measured by the sensors are continuously compared with the data from the digital twin and a virtual reference. Deviations are recognised and adjusted immediately without the need for physical intervention. • Permanent accuracy: real-time synchronisation and automatic adjustment of measurement data. • Error prevention: early detection and correction of deviations before they affect production.

Efficiency without downtime

Calibration is completely virtual, which means that the sensors do not need to be removed during operation. By synchronising with the digital twin, production stops can be avoided and operating time maximised. • Minimise downtime: calibration during ongoing operation. • Maximum efficiency: virtual corrections prevent unnecessary production interruptions.

2. Virtual parameterisation of valves – optimised process reliability and shorter time-to-market

Precisely adjusting valves is often time-consuming and prone to errors. In future, the digital twin can enable you to simulate this process – completely digitally – and determine the optimum settings, even before the valves are physically installed. This leads to improved process reliability and shortens the time-to-market as potential errors can already be recognised and rectified in the simulation. The virtual parameterisation of valves means you have your processes firmly under control and avoid unnecessary delays.

Precision before start-up

Setting valves, for example to control the processing temperature in food processes, is often time-consuming and error-prone. The digital twin enables you to virtually simulate and optimise this step before the physical valves are installed. • Time savings: faster set-up thanks to digital simulations. • Less resource consumption: precise default settings reduce material waste. • Reduced sources of error: optimised parameterisation minimises manual adjustments.

Precise default settings through modelling

Model-based simulations help precisely map all relevant system components, ambient conditions and process media. These simulations make it possible to optimise the valve settings to the real conditions before physical commissioning takes place. • Exact simulation: simulation of the entire system, including environment and medium. • Optimised default settings: the simulation results flow directly into the valve configuration. • Error minimisation: reduced deviations through accurate mapping of the operating conditions.

Efficient production start without lengthy adjustments

After the simulation, the optimised settings are transferred directly to the real system. This saves time and resources, and the valves are ready for immediate use. • Quick production start: optimised default settings shorten the setup time. • Cost efficiency: lower energy and material consumption thanks to precise default settings. • Smooth process: minimised downtime and faster production start thanks to thorough preparation.

Our experts will be happy to support you with your individual requirements.

Profitalk digital twin – expert knowledge directly from Bürkert

AAS – The basis for your digital twin

The asset administration shell (AAS) is a core component in the concept of the digital twin. It ensures that all relevant data on physical objects is recorded in a structured way and is digitally accessible. This means comprehensive and current information can be accessed at any time, so processes can be managed accurately. As the digital twin will create a multitude of future possibilities, the AAS is already forging new paths by providing all the important data. Therefore, it is an essential component for realising the digital twin and its possible future uses.