Industrial automation is having its “measure twice, cut once” moment—only now, the measuring happens in the cloud.

Rockwell Automation says its digital twin platform, Emulate3D™, helped Brazil-based Falcare Industrial Equipment accelerate project execution by 60%, while improving system accuracy and cutting operational waste. For manufacturers and intralogistics providers under pressure to deliver faster and greener systems, that’s not a minor efficiency gain—it’s a competitive reset.

The Problem: Slow Builds, Costly Rework

Falcare, which has spent more than five decades serving retail, food and beverage, logistics, automotive, and machinery sectors, faced a familiar automation bottleneck: long sales cycles, expensive field rework, and the risks that come with testing complex mechanical systems in the physical world.

Traditional commissioning often means building first and troubleshooting later. Conveyor timing mismatches, robot speed inconsistencies, and control logic errors can surface only after hardware is installed—when fixes are costly and timelines already strained.

As customer expectations for faster deployment and predictable ROI grow, that model starts to crack.

The Shift to Digital Twins

Falcare turned to Rockwell’s Emulate3D, a digital twin and virtual commissioning platform designed to simulate mechanical behavior—including robot movement and conveyor speeds—before machines are physically built.

Digital twins aren’t new, but their maturity is accelerating. Across manufacturing and intralogistics, companies are moving from static CAD modeling to dynamic, control-integrated simulations that mirror real-world operations in real time.

Emulate3D bridges mechanical modeling with control logic emulation, creating a synchronized digital representation of the entire system. That means engineers can validate automation behavior, identify discrepancies, and fine-tune logic in a virtual environment.

In Falcare’s case, that translated into:

• 60% faster project execution, enabling earlier customer previews and quicker delivery

• Higher precision and fewer errors, thanks to early validation

• Improved decision-making, supported by accurate system modeling

• Reduced waste and energy consumption, improving sustainability metrics

In other words, fewer surprises after installation—and fewer expensive site visits.

Why This Matters in Brazil—and Beyond

Virtual commissioning is gaining traction globally, but adoption varies by region. Rockwell notes that relatively few Brazilian companies currently use advanced control logic emulation as part of their post-sales support and deployment strategy.

Falcare had previously experimented with alternative tools but ran into technical limitations—restricted modeling capacity, weak integration between mechanical and automation systems, and data-processing bottlenecks.

Emulate3D reportedly addressed those gaps by tightly integrating mechanics and controls. That integration is critical. A digital twin that doesn’t reflect real control logic is more demo than diagnostic.

For intralogistics operations—where split-second timing can affect throughput, safety, and energy efficiency—accuracy at the simulation stage determines whether digital twins are transformative or cosmetic.

Sales Cycles Get a Boost

One of the more strategic advantages of Falcare’s shift isn’t just operational—it’s commercial.

By replacing traditional prototype testing with immersive digital simulations, the company can demonstrate system performance earlier in the sales cycle. Customers see proof of concept before steel is cut or motors are installed.

In a competitive automation market, that shortens decision timelines and reduces buyer hesitation. It also lowers the financial risk for clients investing in high-value automation infrastructure.

For vendors, that means faster revenue realization and fewer costly post-deployment adjustments.

Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is no longer a secondary KPI in industrial automation. Regulatory pressure and corporate sustainability mandates are pushing companies to optimize systems before deployment.

By modeling robot and conveyor speeds digitally, Falcare can fine-tune performance to minimize waste and energy usage. That proactive optimization reduces environmental impact and operational costs simultaneously.

It’s a reminder that digital transformation isn’t just about speed—it’s about smarter resource allocation.

The Bigger Industry Trend

Rockwell’s win with Falcare reflects a broader shift in industrial automation: from reactive implementation to predictive validation.

Digital twins, once considered advanced R&D tools, are becoming mainstream commissioning infrastructure. Vendors that integrate simulation with real control logic—and do so at scale—are likely to shape the next wave of automation standards.

As labor shortages, supply chain volatility, and sustainability mandates intensify, virtual commissioning may become less of an innovation and more of a baseline requirement.

For Falcare, the payoff is measurable: faster delivery, stronger reliability, and greener operations. For Rockwell, it reinforces the strategic role of digital twin technology in its broader digital transformation portfolio.

The message to the automation market is clear: if you’re still discovering system flaws on the factory floor, you’re already behind.

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