ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Aug. 2, 2022 – PRLog — Representatives of the Aerospace & Defense PLM Action Group (AD PAG) have published a position paper, Digital Twin/Digital Thread Solution Definition for A&D, for review and consideration within the A&D industry. The purpose is to facilitate consensus on an industry baseline definition and understanding of the current capabilities of the digital twin/thread in the industry. The position paper is the culmination of a year of research and analysis of technical writings on the subject by a project team comprising domain experts from the seven AD PAG member companies – Airbus, Boeing, GE Aviation, Gulfstream, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, and Safran.

Many digital twin/thread position papers and associated definitions exist within the A&D industry. This position paper attempts to reconcile definitions, unify differences, and construct a formal framework of industry definitions. An explanation of the need that digital twins and digital threads are intended to fulfill is offered. The variability of the need is the key to understanding why several acceptable definitions for digital twin and digital thread exist.

According to Robert Rencher, Senior Business Engineer, Associate Technical Fellow, Boeing, who leads the project team, “The aerospace and defense industry seeks to understand the purposeful need for digital twins and digital threads. The plethora of definitions is best understood by appreciating how digital twins and threads are envisioned by various communities across the product lifecycle. This cumulative effort provides an organizing framework and consolidation of digital twin and digital thread definitions to support the range of product lifecycle perspectives.”

This position paper is the first in a series of papers that will be released as the project team progresses in their work. Future papers will address digital twin/digital thread business architecture and methodologies, comparative analysis of industry standards, value proposition, and strategy and roadmap.

To download the paper, visit https://www.cimdata.com/en/aerospace-and-defense/publications/digtaltwin-digitalthread

About the Aerospace & Defense PLM Action Group

Since its founding in 2014, the AD PAG, administered by CIMdata, has sponsored research and jointly staffed projects on a diverse set of prioritized PLM-related industry and technology topics. These topics include Model-Based Definition, Multiple-View Bill of Materials, PLM Technology Obsolescence Management, Global Collaboration, Model-Based Systems Engineering, and Digital Twin/Digital Thread. As an outcome of these investments, the AD PAG has released a series of direction statements and position papers that are freely available for downloading from its website at http://www.ad-pag.com/. Making these materials available is consistent with the Group’s mission to engage proactively within the PLM ecosystem and advocate for common direction and positions within the aerospace and defense industry on PLM-related topics of importance to the members.

For more information about the A&D PLM Action Group, please contact CIMdata at info@cimdata.com (mailto:info@cimdata.com?subject=ADPAG%20download).