Virtual Twin Integration for Industrial Automation

Dassault Systèmes and OMRON have established a cooperation focused on integrating virtual twin technology with industrial automation systems for manufacturing environments. The collaboration targets machine builders and industrial manufacturers seeking to improve production system validation, commissioning, and operational monitoring through combined IT and OT infrastructure.

Industrial manufacturers increasingly face integration challenges caused by disconnected engineering, automation, and production systems. Product design, robotics programming, sensor integration, and production-line deployment are often handled separately, leading to extended commissioning periods, configuration errors, and limited adaptability in production operations. The cooperation between Dassault Systèmes and OMRON addresses these issues through a unified digital infrastructure combining simulation and operational control technologies.

Technical Integration of IT and OT Systems
The cooperation combines Dassault Systèmes’ 3D UNIV+RSES platform with OMRON’s Sysmac industrial automation platform. The integrated environment enables manufacturers to design, simulate, validate, and operate production systems using a continuous virtual engineering workflow.

The core technical element is the Virtual Twin of Production Systems. The system allows manufacturers to model production lines, robot behavior, material flows, and logistics operations before physical deployment. Simulation environments can be used to validate automation sequences, safety conditions, maintenance procedures, and operational performance parameters during engineering phases.

OMRON contributes industrial automation hardware and operational technologies, including controllers, sensors, robotics systems, and production-line integration capabilities. Dassault Systèmes provides the virtual simulation environment, 3D modeling infrastructure, and virtual twin architecture supporting real-time synchronization between physical and digital systems.

Deployment and Operational Workflow
The deployment model integrates simulation and operational feedback throughout the production lifecycle. Production systems are first developed and tested within the virtual environment before installation. Once deployed, operational data from sensors, robots, and controllers is transferred back into the virtual twin environment for comparison between simulated and actual system behavior.

This closed-loop architecture supports predictive maintenance, process optimization, and operational fine-tuning. Manufacturers can identify deviations between simulated and physical operations, enabling engineering teams to adjust system parameters and reduce unplanned downtime or commissioning risks.

The integrated approach is applicable across industrial automation sectors including automotive manufacturing, electronics assembly, logistics systems, and high-mix production environments requiring flexible manufacturing processes.

Industry Demonstration
The companies presented the cooperation at the Hannover Messe 2026 industrial trade fair, held from April 20–24, 2026, in Hanover, Germany. Demonstrations focused on the integration of virtual twin environments with industrial automation systems for production-line validation and operational management.

“Manufacturing is entering a new era. With OMRON, we are building living production systems, AI-driven, self-improving, and software-defined, where the virtual and physical worlds are fused into one continuous loop of learning,” said Pascal Daloz, CEO, Dassault Systèmes.

“Our partnership with Dassault Systèmes strengthens our ability to integrate the OT and IT worlds and provide customers with a holistic solution from simulated to fully implemented, intelligent production,” said Motohiro Yamanishi, Company President of the Industrial Automation Company (IAB), OMRON Corporation.

Edited by Sucithra Mani, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

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