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Design, CAD & BOMs

What is a virtual twin for a metal panel?

A virtual twin is the system record of a unique panel: marks, materials, status, and location — not a catalog SKU. Spectr creates that twin when the BOM is generated from CAD, then updates it through fabrication, crates, and field scan.

Key facts

  • It is not a photorealistic digital twin for the architect. It is an operational twin for the shop.
  • Barcode labels point at this record, not at a generic “ACM panel” item.
  • Status should move: designed, fabricated, crated, shipped, installed.
  • When the field scans a crate, they are asking the twin what is inside.

How shops handle this

  1. Create it from the drawing
    If the twin is typed later, it is already a copy.
  2. Scan at every handoff you currently phone about
    Receiving, staging, crate-in, install.
  3. Do not recycle IDs across projects
    Panel A-12 on two towers is how people pick the wrong file.
  4. Use it when something goes wrong
    Damage, shortage, and revision arguments should start from the record, not from memory.

Common questions

Is this BIM?

No. BIM is the building model. The virtual twin is your product’s life in the ERP.

Do we twin every screw?

Twin the products you need to find, cost, and prove. Commodities can stay bulk inventory.

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