Short answer
When implementing digital twin technology, acknowledge and address the specific industry context; manufacturing's progress offers a roadmap, but construction requires tailored strategies to overcome unique adoption challenges.
- Field
- Commercial Production
- Source
- Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing (2024)
- Method
- Systematic Literature Review
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Digital twins are more mature and widely adopted in manufacturing, offering significant benefits, while the construction industry, despite potential advantages, struggles with adoption due to greater systemic challenges. This commercial production research insight is drawn from a 2024 study published in Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing. Using Systematic literature review, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When implementing digital twin technology, acknowledge and address the specific industry context; manufacturing's progress offers a roadmap, but construction requires tailored strategies to overcome unique adoption challenges.
Digital Twins Accelerate Manufacturing but Face Hurdles in Construction
Digital twins are more mature and widely adopted in manufacturing, offering significant benefits, while the construction industry, despite potential advantages, struggles with adoption due to greater systemic challenges.
Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing · 2024
Key Findings
- 01Digital twin adoption is more advanced in manufacturing than in construction.
- 02Construction faces greater challenges in digital twin adoption despite potential project lifecycle benefits.
- 03Key barriers in construction include the need for hardware deployment, standardization, whole lifecycle application, data protection, and change management.
Application
Design takeaway
When implementing digital twin technology, acknowledge and address the specific industry context; manufacturing's progress offers a roadmap, but construction requires tailored strategies to overcome unique adoption challenges.
How to apply
When evaluating or implementing digital twin solutions, conduct a thorough analysis of the target industry's readiness, focusing on infrastructure, standardization, and change management, drawing parallels from more mature sectors where applicable.
Project actions
- 01When researching a technology, consider how its adoption varies across different industries.
- 02Identify specific barriers to implementation and propose solutions tailored to the context.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Systematic approach to literature review ensures comprehensive coverage.
- +Direct comparison between two major industries provides clear insights.
Limitations
The findings are based on a literature review, which might not capture the very latest on-the-ground developments or specific nuances of individual projects.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of the findings depends on the quality and comprehensiveness of the reviewed literature. Validity is strengthened by the systematic review methodology and direct comparison, but may be limited by the scope of data collection.
Think critically
To what extent can the challenges faced by the construction industry in adopting digital twins be attributed to inherent differences in project-based versus production-based workflows, and what design strategies can bridge this gap?
Design Principles
"Contextualize technology adoption strategies based on industry-specific maturity, infrastructure, and systemic challenges."
Understanding the differential adoption rates and challenges of digital twin technology between manufacturing and construction is crucial for strategic planning and investment. It highlights areas where targeted interventions can unlock significant efficiency gains and innovation potential.
What This Means for Your Design
Digital twins are like virtual copies of real things that help us design and build better. They work really well in factories (manufacturing), but it's harder for them to be used in building sites (construction) because of things like old equipment and different ways of working.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify the selection or rejection of a digital twin approach for your design project, explaining the contextual challenges.
- 2.Cite this study when discussing the benefits and limitations of digital twins in manufacturing versus construction.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights that while digital twin technology offers significant advantages across product and project lifecycles, its adoption is uneven. Manufacturing demonstrates a more mature integration, whereas the construction industry faces substantial hurdles related to hardware, standardization, and organizational change, despite the potential benefits for project lifecycle management. This disparity suggests that design interventions in construction must proactively address these systemic barriers.
Source
Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing
Digital twin for product versus project lifecycles’ development in manufacturing and construction industries
journal · 2024
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about digital twins accelerate manufacturing but face hurdles in construction?
- When implementing digital twin technology, acknowledge and address the specific industry context; manufacturing's progress offers a roadmap, but construction requires tailored strategies to overcome unique adoption challenges. Evidence: Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing (2024).
- Why does "Digital Twins Accelerate Manufacturing but Face Hurdles in Construction" matter for design?
- Understanding the differential adoption rates and challenges of digital twin technology between manufacturing and construction is crucial for strategic planning and investment. It highlights areas where targeted interventions can unlock significant efficiency gains and innovation potential.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When implementing digital twin technology, acknowledge and address the specific industry context; manufacturing's progress offers a roadmap, but construction requires tailored strategies to overcome unique adoption challenges.
- What were the main findings?
- Digital twin adoption is more advanced in manufacturing than in construction.. Construction faces greater challenges in digital twin adoption despite potential project lifecycle benefits.. Key barriers in construction include the need for hardware deployment, standardization, whole lifecycle application, data protection, and change management.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic Literature Review.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2024 journal from Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When evaluating or implementing digital twin solutions, conduct a thorough analysis of the target industry's readiness, focusing on infrastructure, standardization, and change management, drawing parallels from more mature sectors where applicable.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's scope of data collection was limited, suggesting future research could benefit from specific case studies for more comprehensive perspectives.