Quality starts digitally
Even before the first chip has been milled and the first prototype been assembled the development lab is running at full stretch – in strictly virtual mode. Welcome to the world of digital engineering where products and processes are imagined in advance. Around the world, more and more mechanical engineering companies are using digital engineering methods in their development processes.
The global digital engineering market is recording an annual growth rate of 11.5 percent, according to market research institutes such as Fortune Business Insights. Business consultants at McKinsey point out that companies using digital twins can enhance product quality by up to 25 percent. In addition, development cycles are shortened by as much as 50 percent. For as many as 75 percent – and counting – of product development managers, the utilization of digital twins is a top priority.
Early detection of error sources
Digital engineering describes consistent digital product development – from the initial idea to simulation and tests to virtual validation. During that process, digital twins are created, i.e., exact virtual images of a product based on which complex functional tests, material analyses, or system integrations can be performed. But not only that.
In virtual industrial worlds, highly dynamic simulations of entire plants are created, visualizing not only processes but actively optimizing them thanks to AI. What used to be done in test phases with costly prototypes in the past for months on end is happening in the virtual space today – at greater speed, flexibility, and with an enormous knowledge gain.
“The quality of a product is not only decided at the end of a process on the factory floor but at the beginning of the development cycle,” says Christoph Ross, Vice President Digitalization & IT Operations at motion technology company Schaeffler.
“Digital methods enable us to detect and eliminate sources of errors early on. Consequently, we can launch high-quality products faster and more efficiently, which lowers costs.”
Christoph Ross, Vice President Digitalization & IT Operations at motion technology company Schaeffler.
Organizational growth needs to keep pace
Schaeffler has been working with digital twins in product development since as far back as 2016. Examples include electric mobility with many use cases for virtual duplicates such as in battery manufacturing. Schaeffler simulates cell formats or cathode or anode chemistries in a wide range of installation scenarios from micromobility to heavy-duty applications. In that way, solutions and products for new traction batteries can be developed at an early stage that will meet future requirements such as those for ultra-fast charging, longer life, or stricter operational safety requirements.
Despite all technological progress it’s obvious that without organizational change the potential of digital engineering will remain limited. New tools alone won’t improve any products – it takes new processes, new roles, and a culture emphasizing transparency, connectivity, and data expertise.
Many industrial companies – including Schaeffler – have adjusted their processes to the new requirements. The group has been pursuing a consistent digital strategy for several years. A key action was the rollout of a group-wide engineering cloud enabling global development teams to access standardized data, models, and simulation environments. At the same time, classic departmental structures were broken up: today, interdisciplinary teams of mechanical and electronic engineering, software, and IT are closely working together. That transformation was complemented by extensive qualification programs.
“The real efficiency gain is not in the software itself but in the way it’s being used. New tools add true value when the growth of culture keeps pace with that process,” confirms Schaeffler’s expert Christoph Ross. “Optimal results are created only when all the parties involved – from product developers to industrialization to quality assurance – think within and work together in digital mode.” In a nutshell, digital engineering calls for holistic change – in terms of processes, tools, mindset, and organization. Companies consistently pursuing that pathway will be rewarded with more efficient processes, more innovative products, and higher quality.
