Digital twin understanding and adoption in small- and medium-sized enterprises: a case study

While digital twins can enhance product development and production performance, their adoption among small and medium-sized enterprises remains limited due to unclear terminology, uncertain added value and a lack of practical guidance. This study examines these challenges through two complementary approaches: the application of an established digital twin maturity model and the development of a navigator tool. The maturity model identifies technical gaps but does not provide actionable direction. The navigator tool guides potential actions by integrating digital twin concepts, capabilities, readiness and suitability assessments to help small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies understand digital twins and identify relevant application areas. The case study demonstrates that the navigator tool enhances conceptual understanding and facilitates a systematic exploration of potential digital twin applications. Future work should refine the navigator tool’s questions and transfer the tool to an online platform to widen its availability.