An Asset Digital Twin

“Digital twin” is the existence of a sibling; an object, asset, or thing that is being transmitted and replicated into a digital representation. In order to begin an exploration of the digital twin, it is important to first understand this sibling. 

Imagine a power quality meter and energy meter installed in a distribution substation. These units exist primarily to describe the condition of a subsystem such as a load on distribution transformer and the quality of the power delivered to the customer. The “thing” we care about is not the energy meter or the power quality meter in particular, but rather the holistic integrity and health of the substation system itself. This “thing” is the asset, the sibling will become the target of a digital twin.

Observing Non-Connected Asset

Direct observation or measurement of an asset is often the most familiar, most accessible means of understanding its condition and state. Want to know the condition of a distribution transformer? Chances are, walking past it could provide some sense of its condition through direct observation of its key properties, especially if there is unusual noise, vibration, or heat. Instruments and gauges can facilitate this direct observation by quantifying what can often be sensed through observation. Note, however, that concern is not typically given to the state of the measurement device or sensor, but rather to the asset, it is measuring. This is an important distinction to make while beginning to think about connected solutions.