Development of a Digital Twin for Educational Purposes

Abstract

The transition towards Industry 4.0 requires engineering students to gain hands-on experience with cyberphysical production systems and digital twin technologies. However, existing educational digital twin solutions are often based on closed industrial kits, limiting their accessibility for academic use, while open, affordable approaches reported in the literature are typically limited to simple proof-of-concept demonstrations involving a single sensor or actuator. This paper presents the development of a digital twin of a physical LEGO Mindstorms EV3 assembly line, coupled with FlexSim discrete-event simulation software. The digital twin was developed using a five-step methodology, comprising conceptual model design, virtual model development, control layer development, data layer development, and verification and validation. The resulting model allows students to gain hands-on exposure to the design, control, and synchronisation principles underlying modern digital twins.