Our goal is to use solutions, prototypes and supporting software to create and use digital twins. A basis for this is the international standard of the Asset Administration Shell. The Asset Administration Shell is used to drive the development of reference implementations in an open source initiative at the Eclipse Foundation. For this purpose, the IDTA is developing models with standardised semantics and corresponding interface (API), which are crucial for the interaction in the network of value creation. In this way, Digital Twins and their applications become interoperable.

We offer an overview of the official IDTA submodel templates. Customised submodels can be created quickly and easily on the basis of the available templates.

Submodels constitute the content of the Asset Administration Shell. They cover an aspect or a specific use case and describe content-related or functional aspects of an asset. All submodels pass the IDTA-defined process, to ensure that submodels are correct in relation to the standardized meta models, describe a well-defined purpose and meet a the quality standard.

To date, more than 80 of these submodels have been developed in IDTA working groups. Among other things, these enable the realization of the digital nameplate and the provision of an asset's carbon footprint. They also support comprehensive asset management in production facilities. The submodels are the building blocks that make the end-to-end use of information a reality for all partners in the value chain.

The standardised Digital Twin connects physical industrial assets with the digital world. The core technology for implementation in industry is the Asset Administration Shell (AAS), which contains all relevant information of a physical asset. This includes documents as well as data and functionalities. All this information is made available as required throughout the entire lifecycle – from manufacturing to commissioning, operation, maintenance, recycling or decommissioning. Current security requirements are always considered and fulfilled.

Thanks to standardised semantics and interfaces, the AAS enables the exchange of information across all manufacturers. It also improves coordination between development, production and application. Redundant and inconsistent information management is reduced. At the same time, the AAS simplifies data management for intelligent and non-intelligent assets.

Numerous exhibitors at SPS show the standardized Digital Twin in industrial implementation. The AAS Guide from the IDTA leads to 34 exhibits that showcase a wide range of tools and applications and demonstrate the industrial maturity of the AAS. The AAS Guide is available as a printed version at the IDTA booth and is available in advance in digital form.

In addition, experts will provide information and discuss the Digital Twin and AAS in numerous presentations. The AAS Guide provides a compact overview of the topic-related sessions.

The IDTA offers a powerful alliance that actively and innovatively shapes the future of the digital twin. The joint expertise in many fields lays the foundations for knowing the exact practical requirements that the Digital Twin needs to meet and for fulfilling them in technical and organisational terms with IDTA.