TU1: Industrial Digital Twins as Cyber-Physical Systems: From PLC Data to Operational Intelligence
Avadh Nagaralawala Independent Consultant – Automation & Control Systems | IEEE Senior Member, PMP 11–14 May 2026, Perth, Australia
Abstract:
Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems (ICPS) increasingly rely on Digital Twins to connect physical assets with cyber intelligence for monitoring, diagnostics, and decision support. In heavy engineering and mining environments, Digital Twins must operate under strict real-time, safety, and reliability constraints, often within brownfield automation architectures.
This tutorial presents a practical framework for designing and deploying Digital Twin–enabled Industrial CPS using existing PLC, SCADA, historian, and condition-monitoring infrastructures. Rather than focusing on platform-specific solutions or purely theoretical modeling, the tutorial emphasizes control-centric and data-driven approaches that can be incrementally implemented in operational environments.
Participants will learn how operational states, control logic, and physical behavior can be systematically mapped into cyber-physical models that support predictive diagnostics, situational awareness, and performance optimization. The tutorial bridges academic CPS concepts with industrial automation practice, highlighting real-world design patterns, common pitfalls, and deployment strategies.
The tutorial covers the following topics:
- Industrial CPS architecture: physical assets, sensors, PLCs, SCADA, historians, and edge systems
- Digital Twin models for industrial CPS: models vs shadows vs live Digital Twins
- PLC and SCADA data as CPS inputs: state machines, alarms, events, and cycle-based modeling
- Condition monitoring integration for diagnostics and prediction
- PLC modernization and CPS readiness in brownfield environments
Speaker Bio:
- Avadh Nagaralawala is an Industrial Automation and Control Engineering Consultant with over 12 years of experience in the design, modernization, and deployment of automation systems across heavy engineering and mining environments. His technical expertise includes PLC and SCADA systems, Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems, Digital Twin architectures, condition monitoring, and Industry 4.0–driven modernization initiatives. He is a PMP-certified professional and an IEEE Senior Member, actively contributing to international engineering forums through publications, peer review activities, and invited technical talks. His work is focused on translating cyber-physical systems theory into practical, scalable, and value-generating industrial solutions, with particular emphasis on brownfield operational environments.