Challenges in simulation of digital twins: A review

The digitalization of manufacturing processes is on the rise, marking the development of Industry 4.0 and the emergence of smart factories. Digital twins (DTs), which are digital replicas of physical assets or processes, are being utilized to enhance business applications. In the manufacturing sector, DTs can be created for asset-specific production lines or even entire production processes. Implementing the simulation of a DT in a manufacturing unit comes with its own set of challenges. It is crucial to integrate accurate and up-to-date data from various sources, such as sensors and machines. Building an accurate model that accurately represents the behavior of the production line requires a deep understanding of its dynamics, interactions, and dependencies. Validating the model using real-world data is essential for obtaining reliable simulation results. This article aims to provide a review on DT technology, highlight the challenges faced during simulation, identify areas for improvement, and suggest future research topics in the field of DTs for manufacturing.