Abstract
Digital Twins (DTs) have become pivotal in Industry 4.0, providing a dynamic, real-time virtual representation of physical systems that enables advanced monitoring, predictive analysis, and operational optimization. Despite widespread application in manufacturing and robotics, integrating DTs with virtual reality (VR) for enhanced user interaction and multi-dimensional visualization remains challenging.
This paper presents a flexible framework that bridges this gap by deploying a DT within a VR environment, specifically designed to enable real-time interaction and visualization of industrial processes. Focusing on a robotic arm manipulating a metal sheet passed through an English wheel, the framework demonstrates an efficient and scalable backend architecture that supports seamless multi-user VR interaction. The system enables real-time data synchronization between the physical and virtual environments, enhancing the fidelity of the DT for both visualization and control. Through robust data-flow management, automated processing, and continuous integration and deployment, this framework contributes a versatile solution for VR-based DTs, reinforcing their potential for predictive maintenance, operator training, and decision-making in Industry 4.0.