There are many definitions and interpretations of what a digital twin actually is. In the world of Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), the core definition is that no matter what system a record for a physical asset exists in, that the critical attribute values are the same in all other systems. It doesn’t matter if the system is SAP S/4HANA, SAP Asset Central, ESRI GIS, Intergraph Smart Plant Foundation etc. - the key information must be the same. Even in the more sophisticated renditions of the digital twins like dynamic finite element models, the need for accurate key master data is still paramount.
The challenge is that changes in these key master data elements can be initiated in a variety of ways and from different sources. So how do we keep all the systems that have a record for this equipment in sync and consistent when a change is made? This is what Asset Information Workbench (AIW) was built for, to act as a hub to ensure that all changes, no matter how or where they originate are replicated to all the relevant systems and all subsequent adjustments are also made.
To watch David Sentance, VP Delivery, Utopia speak live from the floor at TechEd on digital twins in asset management, click here.
To learn more about SAP Asset Information Workbench (AIW), click here.
