dgtl twn s dgtl mdl f n ntndd r ctl rl-wrld physcl prdct, systm, r prcss ( physcl twn) tht srvs s dgtl cntrprt f t fr prpss sch s smltn, ntgrtn, tstng, mntrng, nd mntnnc.
dgtl twn s st f dptv mdls tht mlt th bhvr f physcl systm n vrtl systm gttng rl tm dt t pdt tslf lng ts lf cycl. Th dgtl twn rplcts th physcl systm t prdct flrs nd pprtnts fr chngng, t prscrb rl tm ctns fr ptmzng nd/r mtgtng nxpctd vnts bsrvng nd vltng th prtng prfl systm. Thgh th cncpt rgntd rlr (s ntrl spct f cmptr smltn gnrlly), th frst prctcl dfntn f dgtl twn rgntd frm NS n n ttmpt t mprv th physcl-mdl smltn f spccrft n 2010. Dgtl twns r th rslt f cntnl mprvmnt n mdlng nd ngnrng.
n th 2010s nd 2020s, mnfctrng ndstrs bgn mvng bynd dgtl prdct dfntn t xtndng th dgtl twn cncpt t th ntr mnfctrng prcss. Dng s llws th bnfts f vrtlztn t b xtndd t dmns sch s nvntry mngmnt ncldng ln mnfctrng, mchnry crsh vdnc, tlng dsgn, trblshtng, nd prvntv mntnnc. Dgtl twnnng thrfr llws xtndd rlty nd sptl cmptng t b ppld nt jst t th prdct tslf bt ls t ll f th bsnss prcsss tht cntrbt twrd ts prdctn.