Windsor today is seeing an evolution from ‘automotive’ manufacturing to what Yvonne and others call, ‘automobility’. (See timestamp for discussion.) As the evolution of the automobile (and auto manufacturing) continues, the technology used is also evolving – and falling in cost. ‘Digital Twins’ is one of those pieces of technology and the focus of Ed and Linsey in the VR Cave.
A ‘Digital Twin’ is a computer simulation of a physical product or process. Currently making use of this technology is a previous podcast guest – Windsor’s own Jonathon Azzopardi from LAVAL Tool. By setting up his gun drill in a digital rendering of his shop floor in the VR Cave, he gained valuable insights about its placement and operation that he would not have otherwise had. While this technology is not necessarily new, the fact that SME’s like LAVAL Tool are using it is a recent development.
As the costs of this (and other) technology comes down, other industries are finding uses for it. Yvonne has seen this shift coming for some time now. Windsor’s automotive industry will continue to drive economic prosperity in the region. However, the influx of new technology being used by the automotive industry will undoubtedly end up being used by other sectors and companies as well. Yvonne gave the example of Industry 4.0 helping greenhouses identify various species of bugs in their crops – a traditionally slow and analogue process. (See timestamp for discussion)
Have a listen and see what’s going on in Windsor today.