Structured 3D Modeling for Industrial Digital Twins: A Case Study on the SMC HAS-200

Digital twins (DTs) are an important pillar of Industry 4.0, and their performance relies on the quality of their 3D models. This paper discusses 3D modeling for industrial DTs and the most common methods, techniques, and tools used for it. It also presents an approach for creating 3D models for industrial DTs, focusing on requirements analysis, parametric and modular design, and scalability. The approach is supported by a classification that balances accuracy and simplicity. It is applied to the SMC HAS-200 educational production line, which demonstrates high efficiency, scalability, and reduced rework in DT’s model development.