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Robot digital twin systems in manufacturing: Technologies, applications, trends and challenges
KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Production engineering, Industrial Production Systems.ORCID iD: 0009-0008-5481-3484
KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Production engineering, Industrial Production Systems.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0222-912X
KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Production engineering. School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Production engineering, Industrial Production Systems.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9694-0483
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2026 (English)In: Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, ISSN 0736-5845, E-ISSN 1879-2537, Vol. 97, article id 103103Article, review/survey (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The manufacturing industry is undergoing a profound transformation toward smart, digital, and flexible production systems under the Industry 4.0 framework. Within this paradigm, Digital Twin (DT) serves as a key enabler, bridging physical and digital domains to simulate, analyse, and optimise manufacturing operations. Concurrently, robotic systems, enhanced by smart sensor perception, Industrial Internet of Things connectivity, and adaptive control mechanisms, are increasingly deployed to handle complex and dynamic tasks. However, the evolving demands of the modern manufacturing industry require a high degree of flexibility and responsiveness, necessitating more intelligent solutions. The Robot Digital Twin (RDT) has emerged as a transformative approach, facilitating dynamic adaptation and continuous operational improvement. This review offers a comprehensive examination of the literature on RDT in manufacturing from both technology and application perspectives, aiming to provide insight for researchers and practitioners in Industry 4.0. The paper introduces a four-layer RDT system architecture and summarises how Industry 4.0 technologies, e.g., the Industrial Internet of Things, Cloud/Edge Computing, 5 G, Virtual Reality, Modelling and Simulation, and Artificial Intelligence, converge and influence the RDT system based on this architecture. Furthermore, the review covers domain-specific and system-level applications, such as assembly, machining, grasping, material handling, human-robot interaction, predictive maintenance, and additive manufacturing systems, with an analysis of their development status. Finally, the trends, practical challenges, and future research directions for RDT systems in manufacturing are summarised at different levels.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier BV , 2026. Vol. 97, article id 103103
Keywords [en]
Advanced robotics, Digital twin, Industry 4.0, Smart manufacturing
National Category
Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics Robotics and automation
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-369277DOI: 10.1016/j.rcim.2025.103103ISI: 001582099600001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105013503596OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-369277DiVA, id: diva2:1994497
Note

QC 20250903

Available from: 2025-09-03 Created: 2025-09-03 Last updated: 2025-12-05Bibliographically approved

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Qin, QiangLiu, ZhihaoZhong, RuiruiWang, Xi VincentWang, LihuiWiktorsson, Magnus

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Industrial Production SystemsProduction engineeringProcess Management and Sustainable Industry
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Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing
Production Engineering, Human Work Science and ErgonomicsRobotics and automation

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