NORD DRIVESYSTEMS has begun offering digital twins of its drive solutions, in a move the German manufacturer says will shorten project timelines and reduce integration risks for customers.
Engineers using the company’s myNORD portal can now generate a virtual model of a fully configured drive system and test its behaviour in a simulated environment before installation.
The service builds on the growing use of data-driven modelling since the introduction of the Functional Mock-up Interface standard in 2010, which has allowed machinery makers to adopt simulation more widely in system planning.
The new process, developed with Munich-based software specialist Machineering, lets users select components, performance requirements and mounting options online, then request a corresponding simulation model. These models can be dropped into a virtual representation of the customer’s own plant, where drive configurations can be stress-tested and adjusted ahead of production.
NORD said the approach allows errors to be identified and resolved in early design phases, avoiding damage or costly changes later on. Physical manufacturing begins only once a customer has validated the digital system. Because the virtual model has already been integrated with system controls, the company said actual commissioning can be completed in a matter of weeks, rather than the months typical for complex installations.
The company is starting with simulation models of its high-efficiency IE5+ and IE4 motors, as well as matching gear units and frequency inverters. It plans to extend coverage to further product groups over time.
Founded in 1965, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS employs about 4,800 people and operates 48 subsidiaries in 36 countries. The group reported sales of € 1.09 billion in the 2023 financial year.
