Supply Chain Digital Twins: Opportunities and Challenges Beyond the Hype https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/237399347.pdf
This paper discusses the application of digital twin concepts, prevalent in the factory unit operations environment, to the supply chain context. While the concept of digital twin is relatively recent in the manufacturing context, its application has now emerged within a wider supply chain context. It is unclear in this broader application what might the benefits of such an approach be in terms of operational control, replicability and efficiency.
Industry 4.0. IBM page. https://www.ibm.com/topics/industry-4-0
Industrial operations are dependent on a transparent, efficient supply chain, which must be integrated with production operations as part of a robust Industry 4.0 strategy. This transforms the way manufacturers resource their raw materials and deliver their finished products. By sharing some production data with suppliers, manufacturers can better schedule deliveries. If, for example, an assembly line is experiencing a disruption, deliveries can be rerouted or delayed in order to reduce wasted time or cost. Additionally, by studying weather, transportation partner and retailer data, companies can use predictive shipping to send finished goods at just the right time to meet consumer demand. Blockchain is emerging as a key technology to enable transparency in supply chains.