Portrait:

With more than 45,000 students and 550 professors, RWTH Aachen University is the second largest technical university in Germany in terms of student numbers. The university consistently achieves top positions in national and international rankings. It receives the highest third-party funding of all German universities and has always been ranked in the top 3 by the 500 largest German companies in the categories of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, industrial engineering and natural sciences. According to the Times Higher Education World University Ranking, the university is one of the top 100 universities worldwide. It is also part of the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments.

The Institute for Rail Vehicles and Transportation Systems (IFS) focuses its research and teaching on rail vehicles and their components. It deals with issues in the areas of lightweight construction and structural integrity, driving dynamics and vibration comfort, wheel/rail interaction, assisted and driverless driving and condition monitoring. The IFS is internationally renowned among universities in the railroad sector for its many years of expertise in the areas of chassis development, drive concepts, data-based condition monitoring and automation of rail vehicles.

The Institute for Power Electronics and Electrical Drives (ISEA) has been active in the research fields of power electronics and electrical drives for more than 50 years. The focus here is on the development of innovative components, controls and system concepts in the fields of traction and automotive technology, energy supply, industrial technology and household technology.

Project activities:

IFS developed the concept of the Aachen Rail Shuttle and was responsible for project administration. Within the consortium, the institute coordinated the project activities and the coordination between the partners. It was closely involved in the development and design. The IFS contributed its extensive expertise in the field of chassis development and supported the designers with simulations on safety against derailment and ride comfort.

Software-supported dynamic calculations were carried out for the relevant crash scenarios when designing passive safety in accordance with EN 15227. IFS implemented the requirements management and defined the interfaces for the integration of the drivetrain, braking system, electrical components and other purchased parts. The software-side vehicle control on the one hand and the design and planning of the electrics on the other were carried out with the support of Hörmann Vehicle Engineering. During production, the IFS acted as a link between design, production and assembly, organized the time sequence and provided advice to the partners.

The ISEA took over the design and procurement of the battery and created a model for the performance of the electric motor.