Digital Twin - Engineering with the Human Factor in the Loop

Abstract

The Digital Twin, Heerema Simulation Center (HSC), is able to capture the offshore behavior in a realistic real-time digital environment with high fidelity hydrodynamics and physics and real operator stations. This digital tool completely changed engineering in all phases of the project life cycle since its first use in 2015. Its unique capacity is to ‘Engineer with the Human Factor in the loop’ independent if this Human Factor is the client, designer, fabricator, marine warranty surveyor or the offshore operator. In the conventional engineering tools the Human Factor cannot be included and in the conventional engineering process the preparation is done by engineers without much involvement of the operators. It is as if engineering and execution are separate worlds. Being able to bring these worlds together efficiently in an early stage has already led to an efficiency improvement for all parties (i.e. client, fabricator and offshore operator) involved and has improved the Operational Excellence offshore. In this paper the results of three simulated cases will be described to explain the way the Digital Twin is used for different purposes and objectives and what sort of results can be achieved from ‘Engineering with the Human Factor in the loop’. The Digital Twin is an exceptional tool in our Digital Journey that speeds up the process of implementing changes for a more efficient and safer offshore world.