Optimizing and predicting the energy consumption of industrial manufacturing can increase its cost efficiency. The interaction of different aspects and components is necessary. An overarching framework is currently still missing, and establishing such is the central research approach in this paper. This paper provides an overview of the current demands on the manufacturing industry from the perspective of digitalization and sustainability. On the basis of the developed fundamentals and parameters, a superordinate framework is proposed that allows the modelling and simulation of energy-specific properties on several product and process levels. A detailed description of the individual methods concludes this work and demonstrates their application potential in an industrial context. As a result, this integrated conceptual framework offers the possibility of optimizing the production system, in relation to different energy flexibility criteria.

In recent years, the Digital Twin has attracted significant attention in academia and industry as a powerful technology for creating virtual replicas of physical systems tailored to specific purposes. Digital Twins can be developed at various levels of maturity, accommodating different system types and scopes. Consequently, diverse domain-specific approaches to Digital Twins development exist, yet no standardized method defines, verifies, and validates their requirements. This is essential for a consistent and reliable implementation of Digital Twins. This paper explores the application of Model-Based Systems Engineering in the design, development, verification, and validation of a Digital Twin System. It presents a comprehensive methodology that encompasses all phases of a Digital Twin System’s life cycle. The methodology was applied to model the requirements and the functional, behavioral, and structural aspects of a Digital Twin System for an aircraft seat testbench, supporting its design, implementation, and operation at the prototype level. The Digital Twin replicates the seat testbench, enabling simulations for early system validation under various conditions. Integrating Model-Based Systems Engineering with Digital Twin technologies enhances the clear definition of scope and technical requirements, contributing to more effective testing and development processes in the aeronautical industry. This work underscores the benefits of a model-driven approach for Digital Twin design, laying the foundation for future applications in complex engineering systems due to its repeatability.

The transition to sustainable energy sources presents significant challenges for energy distribution and consumption systems. Specifically, the intermittent availability of renewable energy sources and the decreasing usage of fossil fuels pose challenges to energy flexibility and efficiency. An approach to tackle these challenges is demand-side management, aiming to adapt energy consumption and demand. A key requirement for demand-side management is the traceability of the energy flow among individual energy consumers. In recent years, advancements in industrial information and communication technology have provided additional potential for data acquisition. Complementary to acquired data, a physics-based modeling and analysis approach is proposed, which describes the energy consumption with physical parameters. This results in comprehensive options for monitoring actual energy consumption and planning future energy demand supporting energy efficiency and demand-response goals. To validate the proposed approach, a case study with a 3D printer covering approximately 110 h of active printing time is conducted. The medium-term study results indicate a consistent parameter trend over time, suggesting its conceptual suitability for industrial application. The approach helps to monitor energy efficiency among manufacturing assets by identifying peak loads and consumption hotspots, and provides parameters to estimate energy consumption of manufacturing processes. Results indicate up to 50% energy savings when switching the printing material and indicate further potentials.