Systems Integration
The CU-ICAR definition of Systems Integration is an interdisciplinary, collaborative engineering and management approach that derives, evolves and verifies an integrated optimal solution that satisfies all customer needs. This includes includes
- Design space
- Functional requirements
- Manufacturing costs
- Time to Market
- Weight
- Regulations
The CU-ICAR Systems Integration technical focus is on:
- Requirements engineering (including requirement analysis and identification of coherences and conflicts),
- Describing and modeling of system dynamics of singular nature,
- Describing and studying interactions among system components and functions/properties,
- Identifying sensitive parameters for target achievement,
- Finding concepts, alternative concept variants, and evaluation and comparison of solutions considering target achievement, weight, cost and design space,
- Promoting building blocks (modules), modular architectures, functional clustering/differentiation, integral architectures, extensibility and flexibility,
- Improving product maturity and reduction of hardware validation,
- Improving product reliability and serviceability by applying fault diagnostics of complex inter-connected (mechatronic) systems, and
- Adapting organization structure to modularization strategy; splitting up core competences between OEM (target setting, concept development, design, system integration, purchasing, performance evaluation, assembly) and suppliers (series development, modular production).
Strategic Areas of Research Focus
- Integrated CAE-driven Concept Design focusing on parametric multi-physics systems integration and multi-disciplinary optimization tools for concept development in the early design phase.
- Vehicle Architectures for Platforms and Commonality with the focus on to optimizing product/purchasing costs and establishing efficient (standard) manufacturing processes that maximize economies of scale and balance necessary means of flexibility/extensibility.
- Finding Solutions for Sustainable Mobility in the near future, including alternative power trains minimizing energy waste in automobiles, lightweight vehicle design, energy management and interactions with existing and future infrastructures.