Supplier Moicon specializes in digital twins for industry, and has collaborated with the two companies to create a digital “copy” of their industrial operations. Because that’s exactly what a digital twin is: a copy of the building, the machines, the warehouses, the equipment – created in 3D in a digital solution. So you can practice or test processes and changes in a digital world before implementing them. A bit like a computer game, really.
A tool for communication
Bjørn Eriksen of Moicon calls the digital twin a communication tool: “We create a digital replica of your factory, which allows you to communicate visually, which is much more effective,” he explained.
He showed us how visual communication trumps the written word by handing out Lego construction kits with various instructions. Some were given a sheet of paper with text explaining how to build the Lego car. Others received drawings showing the building process step by step. Can you guess who solved the task the fastest?
Enormous help when moving a factory
In 2022, Hapro invested in a lot of new equipment. This, together with a need to optimize production and the flow of goods, led to a decision to rebuild the factory. “We would never have dared to do this without a digital twin,” said factory manager Roy Hansen. With the help of the twin, various layouts for the new factory have been visualized and all employees have been able to provide input from their point of view and their work operation. In addition, all measurements of rooms and equipment are completely accurate.
Many positive effects
– The fact that people recognize themselves in a visual 3D figure offers many advantages. “For example, HSE is taken care of by having escape routes, medicine cabinets and industrial safety in place, and we can simulate ‘what if’ scenarios without spending a lot of time physically moving the processes,” explained LEAN coordinator Inge Storstein, who has been central to the work on the digital twin. He added that the twin is mobile and displayed in a browser.
With the twin, you can also look at the flow between the lines. “We can quickly see where there is a lot of trampling and unnecessary meters, and this has resulted in us creating a new doorway in the factory,” said Roy Hansen.
Development project at Hunton in Gjøvik
Erling Leine is an IT consultant at Hunton, which established a digital twin for its Skjerven factory (wood fiber insulation) in 2022. – “We spent about a week working with Moicon to set up a model of the factory. This was done ahead of a large internal conference for the company, and we asked all employees for suggestions on how the twin could be used,” he said.
The wood industry has large machines that are not moved very often, unlike Hapro or the automotive industry, which have a constant need for changes and rebuilding. But how can a digital twin still be useful?
– “We were quick to suggest using the digital twin for 3D fire drawings. Hydrants and hoses, extinguishers and fire doors were added with so-called “Mark ups” so that you can see them visually well in the digital twin,” explained Leine. “You could then plan fictitious fire drills, lay out hoses and see where the fire brigade can get to, how far the strokes reach and so on.
The operations and maintenance team was also quick to make suggestions, including marking the equipment with green, red or yellow flags depending on the need for maintenance. They would also like to see sensors that can warn of faults and wear and tear – and a digital twin can also be used to train new operators. They can get a picture of the line and visually see what’s where,” said Leine.
At Hunton, there is no shortage of ideas about how the twin can be used as a tool. For quality and reporting, where on the line do errors occur and where do we need more sensors? For project work to plan new lines and machines or simulate traffic from employees and trucks. We see a lot of exciting opportunities with a digital twin, and we’re looking forward to realizing all our ideas and using the twin more actively,” said Leine.
How to get started?
Leine has some clear recommendations for companies considering a digital twin: – “Try out different tools and programs and find something that works for you. Remember that the 3D files are yours to own, so once your buildings and machinery are scanned, they can be imported and exported to different systems (like Moicon). And the threshold is much lower than you think!
