The domestic aerospace industry started one substantial transformation to ensure a competitive, solid and sustainable growth in the future international context through a innovation ecosystem which will guarantee high technical-scientific training, new professionalism with distinctive skills, advanced research and cutting-edge technological solutions. With attention also to European policies relating to the environment and climate, this ambition promotes the collaboration of public and private entities for the evolution of strategic capabilities and skills in a sharing logic.
The digitalisation of the entire product life cycle, from design to logistical support, i supercomputers e artificial intelligencethe analysis of big data to optimize performance and consumption, theelectrification of propulsion, the intelligent management of power and thermal energy on board aircraft, i metamaterialiil volo autonomous and theinteroperability between piloted and unmanned aircraft, the pilot's behavior and the solutions adaptive learning and digital assistance, the space and interplanetary missionswill be the central themes of innovation.
To respond to these challenges, the new technological innovation infrastructure is born “IS4Aerospace – Knowledge Transfer Innovation Infrastructure for New Aerospace Challenges” with a total value of 23 million and 600 thousand euros, financed by the Ministry of University and Research within the PNRR and proposed by Polytechnicwho coordinates it, together with Married Aero, Leonardo e Thales Alenia Spacewho co-finance the initiative in a public-private partnership.
IS4Aerospace it is a first step towards the City of Aerospacean initiative promoted by the Piedmont Region and public and private partners, which will host joint laboratories for research and development of key technologies in the field of next generation aircraft.
“The new IS4Aerospace infrastructure is one of the first concrete results of that strategy that we as the University are pursuing for the networking of research infrastructures in the territory, together and with companies – comments the Rector Stefano Corgnati – The creation of places dedicated to research in partnership can not only encourage joint innovation activities, but also be a stimulus for the development of our territorial ecosystem, especially in a sector as dynamic and with high technological density as that of Space”.
The new joint laboratories will provide an integrated ecosystem of development, prototyping and testing, in the laboratory and in flightincreasingly essential to accelerate the maturation and integration of innovative aeronautical and space components on future products and services, covering the lifecycle process from digital design to validation under realistic conditions.
The infrastructure is designed to be flexible so we can develop various innovative technologiesensuring its maturation through incremental paths and approaches based on high-fidelity numerical simulations, on theArtificial intelligence and on the realization of Digital Twin. The laboratories will be able to recreate the individual systems, both through real components and by means of simulations, as well as the integrated environment that will guarantee the realistic representation of the individual components and of the aircraft, and of the related behaviors in all conditions in which operate.
In particular, Aero Aero will make a High Performance Computing laboratorydesigned to accelerate innovation in the integration of hybrid-electric propulsion systems on low-environmental impact aircraft. This cutting-edge laboratory, in fact, will allow testing and validation activities to be conducted through the simulation and analysis of the aerodynamic and acoustic response of the propulsion systems. Furthermore, it will enable the modeling and testing of hybrid engine architecture systems powered by sustainable fuels, as well as the creation and operation of Digital Twins models for the digitalization of components, subsystems and propulsion systems.
Leonardo will instead develop the first four laboratories of theAI.rcraft Innovation Centerwhich will concern areas of strategic interest with environments for the development and validation of solutions based on artificial intelligence algorithms and digital technologies for aeronautics, monitoring and pilot aid systems in critical environmental situations and high psycho-physical workload , disruptive technologies for the training of future pilots and maintainers, advanced pilot-aircraft and aircraft-aircraft interfaces with increasing levels of automatism and autonomy in managing the workload and performance in real time in scenarios where they will collaborate piloted and unmanned aircraft. Data generation and analysis environments for fleets in service will also be envisaged for the development of solutions that will allow the monitoring and predictive management of aircraft components and systems in real time, increasing the effectiveness and sustainability of the product throughout the entire cycle. of life. Much attention will be paid to all digital solutions for logistical support which will allow the onset of faults to be prevented or identified early and maintenance interventions to be optimised. The nearby Collegno airfield will also be involved in the initiative for ground and in-flight testing activities through the use of experimental aircraft.
Regarding the activities of Thales Alenia Spacethe laboratory “Materials One Point Service – MOPS” it will be able to support space exploration projects, but can also offer a service to programs that are not necessarily space-oriented. In fact, it will guarantee a fast and broad acquisition of data and technological information useful for product design, making it more agile and competitive.
Il Polytechnic will coordinate the activities of the laboratories, at the same time providing advanced skills in the innovation themes proposed by companies and strengthening collaboration and exchange with industrial realities that improve the competitiveness of the territory, helping to strengthen the value of the supply chain at national and international level and generating further qualified employment.
Located in the heart of the City of Aerospace, the new laboratories will in fact be the fulcrum of an ecosystem where the technological-industrial excellence of the large company integrates with the academic world, small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups.
The technological innovation infrastructure “Is4Areospace” is financed byEuropean Union – Next Generation EU, Mission 4 Component 2 – From Research to Business
