Framework for the Development of a Process Digital Twin in Shipbuilding: A Case Study in a Robotized Minor Pre-Assembly Workstation

This article proposes a framework for the development of process digital twins (DTs) in the shipbuilding sector, based on the ISO 23247 standard and structured around the achievement of three levels of digital maturity. The framework is demonstrated through a real pilot cell developed at the Innovation and Robotics Center of NAVANTIA—Ferrol shipyard, incorporating various cutting-edge technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, automated welding, computer vision, visual inspection, and autonomous vehicles for the manufacturing of minor pre-assembly components. Additionally, the study highlights the crucial role of discrete event simulation (DES) in adapting traditional methodologies to meet the requirements of Process digital twins. By addressing these challenges, the research contributes to bridging the gap in the current state of the art regarding the development and implementation of Process digital twins in the naval sector.