SAS Digital Twins: Transforming Manufacturing With Unreal Engine and Advanced Analytics
SAS Digital Twins: Transforming Manufacturing With Unreal Engine and Advanced Analytics
SAS is advancing manufacturing transformation through digital twins that integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics with Unreal Engine (UE) from Epic Games.
Modern factories generate massive volumes of data from various sources and sensors. When leveraged effectively, this data enables manufacturers to optimize processes, drive efficiency, enhance productivity, and foster innovation.
Using these digital twins, companies such as Georgia-Pacific (GP) are able to test new strategies in simulated digital environments, creating best practices for business and industry adoption.
Georgia-Pacific’s Digital Twin Pilot
Georgia-Pacific is currently trialing SAS’s digital twin technology at its Savannah River Mill, which produces napkins, paper towels, and toilet tissue. The company uses SAS’s analytics to improve automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and other critical processes.
“With SAS and Unreal Engine, we can generate realistic factory simulations. We can visualize AGVs navigating the factory, responding in real time to proximity alerts, obstacles, and rare disruptions,” explained Roshan Shah, GP’s Vice President of AI & Products. “SAS’s enhanced digital twins enable better decision-making and increased output at Savannah River Mill, with strong potential for raising productivity, safety, and efficiency at other GP sites.”
Technology Behind SAS Digital Twins
SAS utilized RealityScan, Epic’s mobile app, to create photorealistic digital models of GP’s Savannah plant and import them into UE. Unreal Engine, recognized as a leading real-time 3D tool, allows for the development of interactive 3D experiences.
Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, applies its cutting-edge UE rendering technology not only in gaming but also in industries like film, architecture, automotive, and simulation.
Combining SAS analytics and UE, GP can refine operations in digital environments without affecting live production. SAS Viya helps translate extensive factory and sensor data into actionable insights, connecting UE simulations with Viya’s optimization algorithms.
Through this integration, businesses can run digital simulations to identify optimal solutions, avoiding costly or time-intensive real-world tests. The project is anticipated to yield cost savings and higher-quality products.
Enhanced Digital Modeling
“With SAS analytics and Unreal Engine, Georgia-Pacific demonstrates how digital twins create real-world value,” said Bill Clifford, Epic Games’ Vice President and General Manager of Unreal Engine. “SAS empowers manufacturers to bring complex data to life in 3D, making advanced digital twins more accessible for real-time insights and operational cost savings.”
UE’s physics simulation and lighting effects enable highly detailed digital models, allowing manufacturers to interact with their operations in new ways. The integration with AI leads to sharper predictions and improved business outcomes.
These SAS-UE digital twins extend advanced analytics beyond data scientists to frontline workers, machine operators, and engineers, broadening access to powerful insights.
Expanding Beyond Manufacturing
SAS plans to expand these capabilities across manufacturing and into other fields. In healthcare, enhanced digital twins can simulate and optimize patient flow, predict maintenance needs, enrich training, and help improve outcomes while managing costs and resources. For urban planning, these tools can model and optimize smart city development, contributing to more sustainable urban living.
SAS Chief Technology Officer Bryan Harris notes that the use of gaming technology can shift business decision-making from spreadsheets to immersive, visually rich experiences, making AI and data more engaging for the next generation of workers. “Gamifying processes can make work more stimulating and productive, benefitting both staff and business results,” said Harris.
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About SAS
SAS is a global leader in analytics, data management, and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, serving organizations across a wide range of industries. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, SAS delivers advanced analytics software that helps businesses unlock the power of their data to drive smarter decisions and improve outcomes.
The company’s flagship platform, SAS Viya, combines machine learning, AI, and data visualization, enabling users to analyze massive data sets with ease. SAS is known for its robust solutions in areas such as business intelligence, predictive analytics, digital twins, fraud detection, and risk management. Its software supports clients in manufacturing, healthcare, banking, government, and more. With a commitment to innovation, SAS invests heavily in research and development to stay at the forefront of the analytics industry. The company is recognized for its customer-centric approach and long-standing reputation for reliability and performance.
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