Digital Twins and their Impact on Industrial Machinery: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

Abstract

In the past decade, the incorporation of digital twins into industrial machinery has marked a transformative milestone, leading to more efficient and safer machines that have extended their lifespan and increased industrial productivity. Focusing on this phenomenon, the purpose of this study is to discern the current landscape of research regarding the influence of digital twins on industrial machinery over the past seven years. To achieve this, a systematic literature review was conducted, examining sources such as IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, Hindawi, and ScienceDirect. Through meticulously calibrated search strategies, 4,881 relevant studies were identified. Eight rigorous exclusion criteria were applied, using the PRISMA diagram for filtering, and 61 high-quality studies were selected for review. The findings highlight China’s prominent contribution to the field and emphasize predictive maintenance as the most impactful area of application, with journals such as Hindawi and ProQuest leading the dissemination of knowledge. Overall, this research reveals significant insights that enhance the understanding of the impact of digital twins in the industrial machinery sector.