June 2024

The Hidden ROI of 3D Digital Twins: What You’re Missing Out On   Written by David Reinhart, EVP – Digital Twin, Visionaize. Imagine turning hours of fieldwork into mere minutes at your desk.   For many businesses, the idea of implementing 3D Digital Twins can seem overwhelming, like something out of science fiction—a costly and complex engineering tool. However, the reality is far more accessible and beneficial than you might imagine. This paper explores the hidden ROI of 3D Digital Twins, demonstrating how strategic implementation can unlock significant, often overlooked benefits.   Addressing Cost Concerns & Demystifying the Creation of 3D Digital Twins:   A common misconception is that creating a 3D Digital Twin requires starting from scratch with expensive 3D modeling. In reality, many facilities already possess a wealth of 3D data collected during capital projects.   “An hour in V-Suite is like 8 hours in the field,”   is a quote we love from one of our customers.  It illustrates the efficiency gains from leveraging existing data. By integrating this data with robust digital twin platforms, businesses can develop accurate digital replicas without prohibitive costs. Modern technologies, such as laser scanning and photogrammetry, make this process accessible even for facilities without pre-existing 3D models.   The Value Proposition: Beyond Engineering:   3D Digital Twins offer value across various departments: Operations: Optimize facility performance, reduce downtime, and boost productivity with simulated operational scenarios. Maintenance: Implement predictive maintenance schedules to reduce unplanned downtime and costs. Engineering: Virtually test and refine designs to ensure efficiency and safety before implementation. Projects: Minimize risks and errors during design and maintenance phases with accurate virtual models. Inspection & Reliability: Gain real-time insights into asset performance for proactive issue identification. Environmental Health & Safety (EHS): Monitor and manage safety and environmental conditions effectively. Finance: Realize cost savings from improved efficiency and reduced maintenance expenses. Executives: See enhanced ROI through improved operational efficiency, safety, and profitability. Foster a collaborative work environment that boosts employee retention. Achieving ROI: Strategic Implementation:   The return on investment for 3D Digital Twins is realized through several key benefits: Enhanced Decision-Making: Real-time monitoring and data analysis provide actionable insights, enabling better-informed decisions. This leads to reduced downtime, optimized production, and significant cost savings. Cost Efficiency: By digitizing and integrating data, businesses reduce the need for manual inspections, paper records, and physical testing. This not only saves time and money but also improves data accuracy and accessibility. Improved Safety and Compliance: Accurate digital representations help identify and mitigate safety risks, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and preventing costly incidents. Long-Term Savings: While initial setup costs may seem high, the long-term savings from reduced maintenance, downtime, and operational inefficiencies justify the investment. The cost of digital twin technology has also been decreasing, making it more accessible.   Phased Implementation: Starting Small and Scaling Up:   Achieving ROI from 3D Digital Twin technology doesn’t require an immediate, full-scale implementation. Uncover hidden ROI by gradually integrating more complex systems and realize incremental benefits. Clients can start small, focusing on critical areas with the data they already have, and gradually advance and mature their systems over time. This phased approach helps address common challenges while building a solid foundation for future growth.   Address Common Challenges with a Crawl, Walk, and Run Deployment:   To effectively manage the transition, it’s essential to address common challenges through a phased approach: Time to Value: Clients need to see benefits quickly to justify the investment. Data Quality & Data Silos: Ensuring high-quality, integrated data can be difficult. Organizational Readiness: Preparing the organization for technological change is crucial.   Crawl Phase: Initial Implementation: Rapid Time to Value: Achieve quick wins with minimal upfront investment. 3D Scans & Images: Utilize existing 3D scans and images to create basic digital twins. Light Data Integration: Integrate initial data sets to start realizing immediate benefits. Cost-Effective foundation for the Future: Enhance readiness with integrated laser scans and plot plans, setting the stage for transformation.   In the crawl phase, clients often face data overload due to the sheer volume of operational data. Technological adaptation can be challenging without prior experience, and resource constraints, such as limited budgets and personnel, can impede a full-scale implementation. Starting with simple use cases, such as visualization of existing data for inspections or routine maintenance, can help clients overcome these hurdles. This approach transforms isolated, unintegrated, and limited visibility data into consolidated, visible, and integrated systems.   Walk Phase: Intermediate Development: Medium Functionality: Expand capabilities with more detailed models and functions. Hybrid 3D Model (Mesh + Critical Assets): Combine tagged mesh with critical asset models for a more comprehensive view. Deeper Data Integration: Enhance data integration to support more complex operations. Enhanced Operations: Integrate richer data with CAD and 3D models for better efficiency and quick decisions. As clients progress to the walk phase, they encounter challenges in system integration, managing the increased complexity of a 3D mesh surface model, and minimizing operational disruption while transitioning to more advanced technologies. By incorporating more dynamic data and 3D integration, clients can achieve synchronized, automated, and optimized systems. This phase supports more advanced approaches, reducing manual efforts and enhancing efficiency.   Run Phase: Advanced Implementation: Full Functionality: Implement full-scale, robust 3D models of facilities and assets. Robust 3D Model of Facility & Assets: Create detailed and accurate digital twins of entire facilities. Broad System & Data Integration: Integrate with various systems and data sources for comprehensive functionality. Leading the Way: Use comprehensive data to support cross-functional applications and advanced capabilities and maximize ROI. In the run phase, clients face challenges related to full-scale deployment, advanced data analysis, and the alignment of digital twin adoption with strategic business goals and future growth. With advanced 3D integration and applications of AI, VR, and other advanced technologies, 3D Digital Twins support insightful, predictive solutions, simulations, and forecasting. This leads to the possibility of autonomous automated actions and closed-loop optimization.   Quick Wins: Immediate Benefits of 3D Digital Twins:   Turnarounds and Mechanical Integrity