Purpose Achieving high-fidelity modeling of physical dynamic behavior distinguishes digital twin (DT) from simulation. Physical manufacturing systems or processes are complex aggregates of information composed of different elements. The DT behavioral model (DTBM) constructed based on single-model makes research fall into the dilemma of “model islands. ” Therefore, this article aims to propose a system-level DTBM modeling paradigm with multi-model integration to enable more intelligent DT applications in the manufacturing. Design/methodology/approach A modeling reference architecture for DTBM is proposed to accelerate technical standardization and promote consensus among stakeholders. A modeling method of DTBM is proposed based on systems modeling language (SysML), which is used to realize the description of information interaction and dynamic collaboration between sub-models in DTBM. Based on timed automaton (TA), a formal transformation framework and toolchain for DTBM verification are designed to ensure the correctness and reliability of modelling. Findings The proposed modeling paradigm shows good ability in expressing complex dynamic interactions between sub-models. A case study of processing quality control proves its practicability. The results show that the proposed method can accurately, effectively and verifiably characterize the behavior of complex physical manufacturing systems or processes. Originality/value This article innovatively proposes a DTBM modeling paradigm that covers the entire process of architecture, modeling and verification. Unlike traditional single-model method, it supports multi-model collaboration, dynamic interaction and correctness assurance, providing theoretical and technical support for the realization of intelligent and reliable DT systems.
Li et al. (Thu,) studied this question.