An intelligent Digital Twin based on machine learning for interpretable decision-making in manufacturing

In the context of Industry 4.0, several technologies converge to orchestrate improvements in business performance. Among these, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Twins stand out as some of the most promising. These two technologies are connected through the concept of intelligent Digital Twins (iDTs), which enhance standard Digital Twins with intelligent capabilities while keeping humans at the core of the process. One of the main obstacles to the broad adoption of iDTs in operations and supply chain management is the reliance on opaque AI models, which often limit trust and acceptability among operations experts and managers. To address this, it is critical to design iDTs that not only leverage the advanced capabilities of AI but also provide interpretable and actionable insights to stakeholders. In this paper, we present an action research in Adige Spa to develop an iDT framework for production scheduling. Our framework integrates interpretable machine learning techniques, employing evolutionary learning to produce decision trees that are transparent by design. Additionally, we incorporate Large Language Models to explain decision tree policies in natural language, enhancing user understanding. The framework also facilitates human interaction, allowing users to express preferences and guide the tree learning process. Results in a hybrid flow shop setting demonstrate that the proposed iDT framework delivers interpretable and effective decision-support policies while empowering users to influence and refine its outcomes, hence bridging the gap between AI-driven insights and real-world applicability.