In the process of developing new products and processes, computer-assisted simulation methods are being used  more and more widely. In addition, the simulation serves to improve and optimize existing products and processes and to analyze malfunctions and damage that have occurred. Last but not least, simulation is used in the day-to-day operation of technical systems and plants in order to have permanently simulation-supported up-to-date information about the system status, which cannot be provided by sensors alone.

The term digital twin is becoming increasingly established for the required simulation models and their application.

The Institute of Mechatronics researches and develops in the field of modelling and simulation of the dynamics of mechatronic systems on the basis of the multi-body simulation method. One result of this R&D activity is the alaska/SimulationEngine.

The alaska/SimulationEngine is a C++ class library and provides

• Methods for generating physical models of mechanical/mechatronic systems
• Methods for generating mathematical models (systems of motion differential equations)
• Methods for simulating the dynamic behaviour (solution of the DGL system in the time domain)
• Methods for analyzing system behavior in the frequency domain
• Preprocessors for model generation
• Postprocessors for result processing

Besides the general purpose simulation environment alaska/ModellerStudio with a number of extension modules the IfM also develops customized software solutions based on the alaska/SimulationEngine. Among them simulation applications with a focus on specific areas of application are understood. The underlying simulation models are adapted to the respective application case, thus high-performance and real-time capable as well as open for the continuous processing of externally provided data, for example from real sensors.

The alaska/SimulationEngine is the ideal basis for the development of digital twins for mechanical and mechatronic systems.