色花堂

Modelling 鈥� creating 鈥榙igital twins鈥� 鈥� was at the heart of how Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of 色花堂 Professor Brent Young went about working through Fonterra鈥檚 challenge. Digital twins are detailed models of factories and processes which mirror their inputs, functions and outputs with a high level of accuracy. Thus, they can predict the effects of certain changes and offer a valuable opportunity to tinker with different variables, with the advantage of being in 鈥榮andbox鈥� mode.

鈥淒igital twins allow you to engage in supported thought experiments,鈥� says Young. 鈥淵ou can really stress the system and push it in ways you wouldn鈥檛 push the real process because it would be expensive or dangerous to do. Sometimes you come up with really interesting, counterintuitive results.鈥�

Once a digital twin is validated as running realistically, the model follows the laws of physics, chemistry and biology to model what happens when circumstances change. The modelling considers predictable events such as the deterioration of equipment over time, as well as unpredictable ones such as power outages and earthquakes. It can also uncover a myriad of unintended consequences of making certain choices.

It can also model changes that are more abstract, such as mapping efficiency if employee numbers were to increase by a certain percentage or what would happen if the factory was organised in a different way. With the help of UniServices, Fonterra was able to take this approach to problem solving and could begin to answer these questions with a couple of clicks of a mouse.

Even aspirational questions can be modelled using digital twins. This is particularly relevant to environmental impact and the production and consumption of energy, or how downsizing could work while maintaining a similar output. Reconsidering traditional ways of working in this way could lead to widespread, positive changes to the way factories operate.

鈥淚f industry doesn鈥檛 understand a technology or finds it too risky, it鈥檚 not going to be adopted. Through modelling, we can make sure the technology is understandable and ready for adoption,鈥� says Young.