Digital twin technology is oriented to the whole life cycle process of products. By creating a digital virtual model of physical entities, it plays a key role of bond and bridge between the physical scene and the information scene, and can provide more real-time, intelligent and swift diversified services. In recent years, digital twin technology has been widely concerned by scholars at home and abroad, and the research has achieved fruitful results. This paper first summarizes the relevant concepts of digital twins, then introduces the research and application status of the main research institutions from both foreign and domestic perspectives, and finally puts forward the shortcomings of the current research and the key research directions in the future, with a view to providing theoretical and methodological references for further in-depth research and wide application in the future.