An analysis of the research trends and collaboration strategy of university and industry on digital twin technology

The rapid transition to digitalise all processes in the manufacturing field has promoted the introduction of new manufacturing technologies. However, few have focused on how to create synergies in R & D through university-industry collaboration (UIC) in the relevant fields. To fill the research void, in this study, we analysed the research trends of industry and university with a focus on the technological field of digital twins (DTs), which has recently attracted attention, and we explored partner selection for effective UIC strategies in the field. The results suggest that the university focuses on intelligent production systems using AI technology, whereas the industry focuses on industrial digitalisation platforms for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. The methodology proposed in this study can be applied to other industrial fields that require the UIC strategy. The research findings provide useful guidelines concerning UIC for industry practitioners and academic researchers in DTs.