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DIGITAL TWIN TECHNOLOGY Vincent Higgins, Honeywell’s Workforce Competency Solutions
How advanced digital twins narrow the industrial skills gap Digital twins and immersive field simulators (IFS) can narrow the skills gap by offering a replica training environment with virtual and mixed reality tools.
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n today’s demanding industrial environment, there is an urgent need for training that helps workers acquire knowledge and develop new skills they can perform on the job. Without proper technical instruction, plant personnel are prone to mistakes that can hinder operational and business performance. According to industry data, more than a quarter of plant incidents occur because workers lack competence. Many situations require fast response based on an accurate understanding of equipment in the appropriate context. A surging compressor, flow reversal in an FCC or boiler drum level instability are all situations requiring prompt and effective action to avoid bad consequences. Unfortunately, the current business environment has restricted the ability to perform classroom instruction at most industrial sites. Knowledge transfer between seasoned employees and new hires has become more difficult, if not impossible. Faced with increasingly complex KEYWORDS: digital twins, technology and an experienced workimmersive field simulator, force nearing retirement, plants need virtual reality robust training solutions that accurately An immersive field simulator depict real-world environments. Tradi(IFS) provides a virtual reality tional training often fails to help panel (VR)/mixed (MR)-based training and field operators and maintenance solution. technicians become better at their jobs. VR learning is four times faster than traditional classroom The result can be reliability issues and instruction and four times more unplanned downtime
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focused than e-learning. IFS provides a detailed accurate training environment that replicates the look and feel of an actual plant environment.
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CONSIDER THIS What benefits could your plant gain from digital twins and virtual reality simulator?
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Evolution of training simulators
Manufacturers have long used operator training simulator (OTS) systems to train process operators in large-scale industrial applications. These simulators are used for instruction on a wide range of operational procedures, imparting fundamental process understanding and maintaining and improving occupational skills.
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Modern OTS solutions combine dynamic process simulations, emulated control systems and replicated interfaces to recreate the look, feel and behavior of the actual plant. They provide an effective means for optimizing processes and gaining operations experience. Simulation offers a protected area for instruction on new job scenarios, which can be relearned at any time. OTS systems also have employed digital twin technology to replicate physical processes and assets in a virtual environment. This approach provides the closest possible virtual image of a real control system, serving as a simulation model of reality with all components, their characteristics, functionalities and parameters. Digital twins developed by process experts can help retain and transfer valuable expertise to a newer control room and field operators. The digital twin models can be static or dynamic high-fidelity process models; dynamic control system models; or 3D spatial models created from CAD drawings, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) scans, or even photos taken using digital algorithms.
Digital twin helps industrial training
Using a digital twin, training courses can be designed for: • Familiarization with layout, including the location of main pieces of equipment and identification of emergency equipment • Line tracing and location of instrumentation, control and relief valves and start/stop motors • Start-up, shutdown, malfunctions and normal operations • Rounds and sampling procedures • Lockout and tagout (LOTO), and equipment isolation. www.controleng.com
