The Digital Twin as a Service Enabler: From the Service Ecosystem to the Simulation Model

This paper investigates the concept of the digital twin as an enabler for smart services in the context of the servitization of manufacturing. In particular, a concept is developed and proposed for the derivation of appropriate simulation models starting from the model of the service ecosystem. To do so, smart industrial services are analyzed from the point of view of their value proposition. Next, the role of the digital twin as an enabler for these services is analyzed and structured in a multi-layer architecture. Hybrid simulation approaches are identified as suitable for building simulation models for this architecture. Finally, a procedural end-to-end approach for developing a simulation based digital twin departing from the service ecosystem is proposed.