Digital Twins & Simulation

Digital twins and numerical simulations are now much more than mere validation tools. They make it possible to specify requirements at an early stage, compare system architectures, and validate design decisions – and accompany products right through to operation.

Our range of research and development services for model-based product development

We support you and your company in the early stages of product development – from requirements analysis and system design to specification – through the development and application of digital twins and numerical methods. Virtual system models and digital process chains make it possible to simulate requirements and system architectures at an early stage, evaluate variants, and make informed design decisions. The integration of material data and microstructure-informed models creates a robust basis for the selection and specification of materials and components. This allows risks to be identified early and the performance and sustainability of products to be specifically enhanced as early as possible in the concept phase.

Specifically, the range of services includes::

• Development and application of digital twins for virtual mapping, simulation, and analysis of components, systems, and materials – from the initial idea to verification.
• Numerical product development with a focus on metallic components, mechatronic systems, software-defined products, and digital material development for early evaluation and optimization of design variants so that requirements and architectural decisions can be made reliably.
• Coupling simulation and experimentation for function- and reliability-oriented optimization and validation, both in the concept phase and in later product validation.
• Integration of material data and microstructure-informed models for more accurate simulation results, which serve as the basis for material selection and design.
• Establishment of digital process chains for the development and optimization of materials, structural components, and systems throughout the entire development process.

Key research areas for the next generation of digital methods

To enable the next generation of digital methods and tools for industry, our research in the field of "Digital Twins & Numerical Simulation" focuses on the targeted further development of competencies along the entire digital value chain. We identify and address specific areas of innovation, such as the autonomous creation of digital twins, the integration of material data, and the coupling of numerical and experimental simulation. The goal is to create new data-based approaches for virtual product development and to further increase system reliability as early as the system architecture and design phase through the innovative coupling of simulation and experimentation.

Our research topics in detail:

• Autonomous creation and further development of digital twins for various areas of application in the context of sustainability assessment and increasing system reliability as a tool for specifying and evaluating requirements and architecture variants early on in the development process
• Integration of virtual sensor technology and condition management into digital twins. Among other things, this enables monitoring and evaluation strategies to be assessed at an early stage in the development process.
• Digital material/formulation development in polymer design; integration of material data into system models, e.g., to support material selection and specification in the concept and design phase.
• Virtual system reliability analysis by linking simulation results with probabilistic FMEA and microstructural damage models for early risk assessment and validation of system designs.
• Statistical experimental design (DoE) and calibration for efficient validation and optimization of models and systems for efficient optimization and validation of models and systems for optimization and validation of models and systems – from initial simulation to validation.