Exploring Multidomain Faults in Digital Twin: A Gaming Engine Perspective : Wild-and-Crazy-Idea Paper

Creating a virtual model of a real system brings several advantages before its effective fabrication, especially in the design phases. Simulating a system is helpful for determining whether and what improvements need to be brought to the prototype or for testing changes given by the presence of faults. In this context exploiting the features of a gaming engine created mainly for video game purposes for simulating physical prototypes could reveal new research perspectives. Advanced rendering capabilities, physical simulation, and accuracy in describing different materials obtainable make this environment very attractive even beyond the gaming world. Another key feature that can be obtained with these simulators is the combination of accurately modeled physical properties and graphical rendering of physical behaviors. Together, they generate a visualization that is physically accurate and graphically realistic. For this reason, this article examines the development of behavioral models inside the Unreal Engine gaming environment, mainly based on the C++ language. The models created will be used for design analysis, performance monitoring, and improvement research. The model chosen as a case study is a digital twin of a DC Motor simulated in normal operating conditions and in the presence of faults.