Synergies Between Virtual Commissioning and Digital Twins †

Virtual commissioning (VC) and digital twins (DTs) are two key enabling technologies of Industry 4.0 (I4.0), which can enhance operational efficiency, optimize resource utilization, streamline the development and deployment of automation systems, and accelerate innovation in manufacturing and industrial processes. However, studies examining the synergy between these two technologies are still lacking. To address this research gap, this study aims to investigate the technological relationships and synergies between VC and DTs in the context of I4.0. The results suggest a strong relationship between VC and DTs since they share similar technological components, such as the digital model. Moreover, the result indicates that the concurrent use of VC and DTs can help leverage both technologies and their added value by increasing model reusability. Different strategies are proposed for combining VC and DT functionalities, highlighting how VC can support DTs, how DTs can support VC, and how both technologies can be integrated. It also provides future research directions.