MTU Aero Engines supports engine development engineers with an innovative test data management system
Increased efficiency through centralized data management
MTU Aero Engines, Germany's leading engine manufacturer, has collaborated with Peak Solution to implement a state-of-the-art test data management system that significantly improves efficiency and precision in engine development. The new system links measured values from engine runs with comprehensive metadata, providing deeper insights into engine performance.
Challenges in engine development
The engineers at MTU Aero Engines face the daily challenge of correlating thousands of measured values from complex engine test runs in order to be able to carry out precise analyses. The previous test data management system, based on a directory structure with binary files, proved to be inadequate. The fragmented data storage and the lack of metadata integration led to time-consuming processes that impaired the efficiency of engine development.
Michael Kern, development engineer in engine performance calculation, explains: “In order to determine the thermal efficiency of an engine, for example, numerous physical variables have to be calculated in complex models. It is crucial that all relevant measurement data is available in the right context.”
The MTU developers therefore needed a solution that would allow them to quickly and consistently link measured values with the corresponding metadata in order to make well-founded decisions.
The solution: a central, standardized test data management system
In 2020, Dr. Fabian Bayerlein, IT System Planner at MTU Aero Engines, initiated the introduction of a new, central test data management system together with Michael Kern. The aim was to implement a server-based system with standardized interfaces (APIs) that would enable developers to put measurement data into context quickly and efficiently.
The new system is based on the ASAM ODS standard and the open source framework open-MDM. This combination, supplemented by individual components of the Peak Test Data Manager, provides a solid basis for future-proof data management. The system not only enables the integration and management of measurement data, but also flexibly supports the specific requirements of engine development for the description and documentation of test projects, test series and measurement data.
Dr. Fabian Bayerlein describes the solution: “The new test data management system acts as a global data hub for us. It ensures that measurement data from different sources can be flexibly integrated and made available worldwide.”
Benefits of the new solution
With the introduction of the new test data management system, MTU Aero Engines was able to realize numerous advantages:
- Flexible data integration: the system enables effortless integration of measurement data from different sources.
- Future-proof storage: The use of proven industry standards ensures the long-term accessibility and usability of test data.
- Extended analysis options: The integration of existing analysis tools and possible connection to Big Data ecosystems allows advanced analysis to be performed, providing deeper insights into the data.
- Web-based user interface: Engineers can access the data from anywhere and use powerful search and exploration functions.
- High scalability: Thanks to cloud-ready deployment with Docker and Kubernetes, the system can be scaled as requirements grow.
Cooperation with Peak Solution
MTU Aero Engines' decision to implement the project with Peak Solution was based on several factors. Peak Solution has been a leading provider of test data management systems in the automotive industry for many years and has extensive know-how and practical expertise, particularly in the area of ASAM ODS and openMDM. With powerful products that have been specially developed for the smooth and efficient implementation of future-proof test data management systems, Peak Solution was able to optimally fulfill the individual requirements of MTU Aero Engines.
“The collaboration with Peak Solution was extremely successful,” confirms Dr. Fabian Bayerlein. “Thanks to their expertise and Peak Solution's powerful tools, we were able to implement our new test data management system quickly and reliably.”
Outlook
The flexible architecture of the new system opens up further opportunities for MTU Aero Engines to optimize its testing processes. Other departments within the company have already expressed interest in integrating the system. In the future, the test data management system will not only be used in engine development, but also in other areas of MTU Aero Engines.
MTU Aero Engines plans to continuously expand and improve the solution in order to remain at the forefront of technological development. This includes coupling with advanced analysis tools and further scaling of the system to meet the growing demands on test data management and analysis.
The case study illustrates how MTU Aero Engines, by working with Peak Solution, has introduced a future-proof test data management system that not only meets current challenges, but is also ideally equipped for future requirements.
