10.22.2025
The ideal scenario is one in which a production plant runs flawlessly even before commissioning. However, a closer examination of plant projects often reveals a different reality—unexpected challenges typically arise during on-site commissioning and must be resolved under significant time constraints. Hymmen demonstrates how digital twins can offer a solution. By simulating the production process in advance on a 1:1 scale and factoring in all relevant variables, this technology enables timely intervention at critical points.
As the production plant project enters its final phase, the machinery is delivered to the customer’s site and assembled both mechanically and electrically. Meanwhile, the team at Hymmen’s headquarters in Bielefeld is already one step ahead. To ensure a smooth on-site commissioning process, Hymmen’s automation experts initiate virtual commissioning in advance. By creating a digital twin of the physical material, product, process, or system, it becomes possible to assess—early in the development cycle—whether the planned plant meets all specifications, whether components and drives are correctly configured, and whether the control systems function as intended.
Entire production processes can be virtually visualized through animated simulations. This enables both a bird’s eye perspective of the entire plant and detailed close-ups of individual machine components. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the digital twin can be projected onto a wide range of display surfaces, including standard monitors and screens. Augmented reality (AR) glasses further enhance the user experience by offering an immersive, lifelike view. The images demonstrate how a roller coating machine appears to be positioned within a meeting room, with the AR user able to look beneath the hood to inspect internal details.
Hymmen is already leveraging a wide range of advantages using digital twins:
Early identification of logical errors in programming
Digital detection of mechanical interference contours
Scalable learning effects through systematic documentation
Significant reduction in travel and commissioning times
All of this contributes significantly to optimizing plant projects — ensuring timely final acceptance and high levels of customer satisfaction. In addition, the digital twin facilitates process optimization: for example, the plant’s throughput time can be calculated in advance, enabling targeted improvements before delivery. By embracing digital twin technology, Hymmen is clearly in step with current industry trends.
As numerous customer conversations at Ligna 2025 confirmed, manufacturing companies are highly interested in digitally optimizing their plant projects.
