The German Aerospace Center (DLR) has opened its Institute of Software Methods for Product Virtualization on the University of Dresden campus, the center said. The institute focuses on aircraft manufacturing.
Three departments initially plan to employ some 70 people at the institution, DLR said, including those for high-performance computing, simulation environments and software methods. The first will research and develop aspects of future high-performance computer architectures, including new algorithms, and data and memory models. DLR said the second department archives significantly heterogeneous and large data sets, generated during high-performance computing. The archives would be available for analysis to optimize the product. The department focused on software methods will conduct research regarding testing, qualification and certification of the products. This department also focuses on reliability.
“The entire aircraft life cycle — from development and production, through operation and ultimately decommissioning — is undergoing drastic transformations, as all areas are gradually being digitalized,” said Rolf Henke, executive board member of DLR. “The new DLR institute in Dresden will therefore gather the relevant software research skills and pave the way for the first complete virtual flight in the long term. It will therefore act as a center for software methods and product virtualization in close cooperation with other DLR institutes and industrial and research partners.”
The University of Dresden already has its Centre for Information Services and High-Performance Computing at the Faculty of Computer Science, DLR said, as well as the Institute of Aerospace Engineering and Institute of Fluid Power. The head of the DLR institute is to be appointed in consultation with the campus’ faculty of computer science.
Construction is set to end in 2020. During this phase, Saxony is to provide annual funding. Funding is also to come from the federal government, which DLR said is providing 90% of the total.