Scaling digital models

The development of accurate digital models (DMs) for physical systems requires virtual representations that faithfully capture the underlying physics of the system or equipment being represented. Physics-based DMs provide reliable predictions only when accurate mathematical models of physical systems exist. When such models are incomplete or uncertain, experimental calibration can significantly improve model fidelity. However, in industries where systems or equipment exist in multiple sizes or configurations, performing experimental calibration for each variant can be prohibitively expensive and time-consuming. To address this challenge, this paper introduces a novel methodology and modular computational framework that leverages machine learning (ML) and dimensional analysis (DA) to enable scaling of DMs. The proposed approach allows calibration to be performed on a single representative system, with results scaled to other system sizes, whether from full-scale to reduced-scale prototypes or vice versa. Traditional applications of DA in this context often encounter difficulties due to distorted scaling factors. This work resolves these challenges by developing a consistent scaling framework tailored for DMs. The methodology is demonstrated by a case study in which a calibrated DM of a wheel loader is scaled between an industrial-size system and a miniaturized laboratory system.