Digital Twin Competence Center Launched at MCI

PRINOTH one of the first compay partners

Virtual development platform for machines produced in Tyrol - Set-up with the support of the province of Tyrol - First company partners: Liebherr and PRINOTH

Innsbruck (OTS) - With the support of the state of Tyrol, a "Digital Twin Lab" was recently set up at the Entrepreneurial University® to support Tyrolean companies in building up and expanding their expertise in the field of machine simulation, thus accelerating and making development processes more effective. The MCI contributes its internationally recognized expertise in product development processes, especially in the fields of mechatronics and automation.

In concrete terms, the Digital Twin Lab at the MCI will make it possible to save time-consuming test series in the development of working machines and thus drastically shorten the time to market. Not only the associated cost savings, but also the higher speed with which the company can react proactively to market requirements have an impact.

First successes have already been achieved: Bulldozers from Liebherr's Telfs plant and snow groomers from PRINOTH, part of the LEITNER Group, based in Sterzing and Telfs, are currently being tested, further developed and optimised as part of the project.

Background:

"Digital Twins" is about the virtual representation and optimisation of mobile machines. By means of numerical simulation and empirical results, very meaningful simulative images of real complex devices can be generated on the computer and operating situations can be simulated. In this way, knowledge about the behaviour, possible weak points and optimisation requirements of the machines in real operation can be gained very early in the development process and transferred to the concepts. The goal is a faster and more valid product development, which has a positive effect on the international competitiveness of companies.

This is what those involved say:

"The new competence center sets a milestone in supporting domestic mechanical engineers with regard to innovations, securing the location and product development," emphasizes Patrizia Zoller-Frischauf, Member of the State Council for Economic Affairs. "On behalf of the province of Tyrol, we are pleased to be able to provide the local industrial companies with a competent partner for research and development in the form of the MCI”.

Ulrich Hammerle, Technical Managing Director Liebherr-Werk Telfs GmbH: "LIEBHERR Werk Telfs GmbH sees the 'Digital Twin Lab' as a center of excellence that is unique worldwide in its composition. The virtual simulation of off-road industrial tracked vehicles will be realized under various themes. The mapping of all machine functions towards simulation opens up a wide range of possibilities. Examples of this are the efficiency or function improvement of our machines, and also the targeted development of assistance and automation systems".

Martin Kirchmair, Head of Research & Development for snow groomers at PRINOTH: "For PRINOTH we see the Competence Center as a great opportunity to make our product development even more efficient and better in the future. The goal is to use the Digital Twin to simulate and optimize our products on the computer and thus to be equipped for new challenges such as autonomous functions. This process will also reduce time to market".

Michael Kraxner, Head of Research & Development at MCI, is pleased about the positive synergies: "We are complementing and deepening existing research fields for, and together with, local industrial companies. A classic win-win situation for all involved".

Mechatronics course director Andreas Mehrle adds: "It's great that we can use our expertise to contribute to the innovativeness and competitiveness of companies. The winners are not only the companies, but also our students".