Mitsubishi Electric Develops Edge Digital Twin Technology

Mitsubishi Electric Corp. reports that in collaboration with RWTH Aachen University in Germany, it has developed a technology that uses a digital twin to correct machine tool errors in real time on machine tools equipped with computer numerical control (CNC¹).

Tests showed that the technology can reduce errors caused by slight deformation of machined parts due to the force of a cutting tool by up to 50%.² This results in fewer mistakes during the cutting process, lowering the number of defective parts for improved productivity and reduced environmental impact.

From April 2023 to March 2026, Mitsubishi Electric and RWTH Aachen University, known for its digital twin expertise, conducted joint research on online edge computing with a high-speed processing unit. They developed digital twin technology for CNC machine tools that can accurately estimate machining errors and feed the results back into the control system in real time.

The digital twin’s compact physical model, which is composed of a minimum number of equations, was created using large amounts of data, including axis positions, currents and cutting forces.

Data are acquired at a high sampling rate,³ and only information necessary for estimating machining errors is extracted. Real-time testing on a CNC machine tool confirmed that errors in machining due to a tool inadvertently deforming the part being cut can be reduced by up to 50%.

By reducing defective parts and stabilizing surface quality, the technology improves productivity while reducing environmental impact, the company shares.

1. A device that uses a computer to numerically control the operation of a machine tool.
2. Using a test machine equipped with a Mitsubishi Electric CNC device owned by RWTH Aachen University.
3. A value of how many times per second a sensor or measurement device acquires data.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.