Special Focus: Digital Thread/PLM

There is still a lack of clarity when it comes to the concept of the digital twin/digital thread. 

In our annual readership survey, a substantial number of companies have yet to explore the technology (and there are quite a few who do not even know what it means).

But that is starting to change. With increased use of modeling and simulation, data science, analytics and other technologies in product design, companies are now linking these technologies with product lifecycle management (PLM) and virtualization to create partial or full digital twins of products. In turn, this can lead to further digitalization of the manufacturing chain.

In this Special Focus Issue, our writers take a look at the latest advancements in digital twin and PLM technology, as well as how the technology can improve the entire design-to-production process.