Is virtual commissioning cost-effective?
This question is on the minds of many machinery and plant manufacturers. While some companies have already firmly integrated digital twins into their development processes, others are still trying to decide whether the investment is actually worthwhile.
A recent industry survey paints a surprisingly clear picture:
- 78% of participants expect virtual commissioning to pay for itself within twelve months.
- 85% see shorter commissioning times as the greatest benefit.
- 73% report significantly shorter on-site assignments during commissioning.
- 87% observe noticeably better collaboration among the departments involved.
- 82% are convinced that end customers also benefit from virtual commissioning and are more satisfied.
- 76% cite management support as a key success factor for implementation.
The consensus within the industry is therefore clear: Virtual commissioning is no longer viewed merely as a technological possibility, but increasingly as a business tool for improving productivity, quality, and on-time delivery.
But what do the actual cost savings look like in practice?
What the figures from a real mechanical engineering company show
In an analysis conducted in collaboration with machineering, the impact of virtual commissioning was examined at a special-purpose machinery manufacturer with approximately 700 employees and annual revenue of €140 million. Following the implementation of virtual commissioning and digital twins, the following results were observed:
- 15% increase in productivity
- 21% reduction in turnaround times
- €2.48 million in annual savings
- €1.73 million in annual net benefit
Payback period of approximately three months
Where does the economic benefit come from?
The greatest potential does not arise only during the actual commissioning phase. Rather, virtual commissioning brings many insights forward to earlier project phases. The study reaches a clear conclusion:
The greatest opportunity for improvement lay in the more efficient use of existing engineering resources. By validating machine designs early on, reducing coordination efforts, and significantly cutting down on troubleshooting, savings of approximately €1.63 million per year were achieved.
Quality (+26%)
Errors were identified and corrected in the digital twin before they occurred on the actual machine. As a result, quality assurance costs were reduced by approximately €659,000 per year.
On-time delivery and lead time (-21%)
By moving testing to an earlier stage and stabilizing the actual deployment, the turnaround time was reduced by 21%. At the same time, costs associated with late deliveries and contractual penalties decreased.
What Decision-Makers Can Learn From This
The connection between the survey and the case study is particularly interesting.
The companies that participated in the survey cite, above all, shorter commissioning times, fewer on-site visits, and better collaboration as the most important advantages of virtual commissioning.
These very effects are also reflected in the actual project results. The greatest savings do not come from the software itself, but from better decisions, earlier error detection, and more efficient processes throughout the entire project.
Conclusion
The discussion about virtual commissioning is often framed as a technological issue. However, the numbers tell a different story: Virtual commissioning is, above all, a matter of cost-effectiveness.
When an investment can pay for itself in just a few months, productivity increases, lead times decrease, and customer satisfaction rises at the same time, the question of whether digital twins create added value no longer arises.
The crucial question is: How much potential remains untapped if companies continue to forego virtual commissioning?
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Links to the website
General link:
Learn more about iPhysics and our virtual commissioning solutions on our website: www.machineering.com.
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Discover iPhysics – your solution for cloud-based simulation: www.machineering.com/en/products/iphysics
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Overview of VIBN:
Find out more about virtual commissioning and its benefits here www.machineering.com/en/virtual-commissioning
