Digital twin-based sustainable intelligent manufacturing: a review

Abstract As the next-generation manufacturing system, intelligent manufacturing enables better quality, higher productivity, lower cost, and increased manufacturing flexibility. The concept of sustainability is receiving increasing attention, and sustainable manufacturing is evolving. The digital twin is an emerging technology used in intelligent manufacturing that can grasp the state of intelligent manufacturing systems in real-time and predict system failures. Sustainable intelligent manufacturing based on a digital twin has advantages in practical applications. To fully understand the intelligent manufacturing that provides the digital twin, this study reviews both technologies and discusses the sustainability of intelligent manufacturing. Firstly, the relevant content of intelligent manufacturing, including intelligent manufacturing equipment, systems, and services, is analyzed. In addition, the sustainability of intelligent manufacturing is discussed. Subsequently, a digital twin and its application are introduced along with the development of intelligent manufacturing based on the digital twin technology. Finally, combined with the current status, the future development direction of intelligent manufacturing is presented.