Siemens and Team Penske’s Digital Twin Is Ready to Race

Using Siemens PLM software technology, Team Penske can simulate a race with their digital twin to optimize design and speed.

Something is rumbling in auto racing.

Siemens USA is teaming up with professional race Team Penske for the 2018 season, and they have something special up their sleeve.

Siemens USA is part of a global powerhouse in electrification, automation and digitization. With complete access to Siemens’ portfolio of CAD, CAE and machining platforms, Team Penske now has a technological advantage: a digital twin.

A digital twin is a virtual copy of a product that integrates real-world data from the product’s sensors. In essence, a digital twin is all about simulation and information organization. Also called a hybrid twin, the technology keeps track of all the product’s information across its lifespan and enables engineers to build simulations of the product in action using that data.

For Team Penske, this means they can virtually test new parts in their car’s digital twin and simulate a race with the new configurations. The team can even predict race results in-real-time.

“Siemens is a company and a brand that is known worldwide for its superior technology and engineering. Our teams will benefit from Siemens’ expertise and support, and we look forward to helping grow the Siemens footprint in the world of motorsports,” Roger Penske told Engineering.com.

Siemens is one of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies. They provide technological solutions for anything from power generation to medical diagnosis. As a key technical partner, Siemens’ branding will appear on Team Penske uniforms and Indy cars.

This isn’t Siemens’ first step into motocross sports. Last year, Yamaha’s motorcycle division replaced their old CAD-CAE systems with Siemens PLM’s NX. In doing so, Yamaha not only has the advantages of digital twin technology but also the Internet of Things (IoT).

Using digital twin technology, Team Penske and Yamaha can integrate their digital twin with their company’s IoT. A digital thread creates a feedback loop between the product design, digital twin simulations and the IoT data insights. Because of this, the digital twin provides a simple solution to diagnosis, maintenance and product innovation.

What does this mean for Team Penske and Yamaha? In a nutshell, this equates to lean engineering solutions and cheaper, more resource-efficient product testing. And ― ideally for the racing teams ― a pathway to a faster vehicle.

About Siemens PLM Software

Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division, is a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services with seven million licensed seats and more than 71,000 customers worldwide. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Siemens PLM Software works collaboratively with companies, delivering open solutions to help them make smarter decisions that result in better products. For more information on Siemens PLM Software products and services, visit www.siemens.com/plm.