In the project area D the methods, tools, and technologies of self-optimisation gained in the project areas A, B, and C are going to be assembled and realised, tested, and refined on real mechatronic systems. The experiences gained in the realization process will again yield impulses and stimuli for further advancement of the theory, tools, and methods of dealing with self-optimizing systems. A central aspect is the function-oriented design where complex overall systems are divided into individual function modules and structured both hierarchically and modularly. The modules can then be developed independently of one another and need not be examined as a whole before the overall system is integrated.

The D1 subproject deals mainly with self-optimization of the individual module as a component of an overall system that is structured in a modular-hierarchical way while in the D2 subproject, self-optimization is applied to integrated overall systems made up of networked modules.

Main Areas of Research

In the second period of sponsorship, research work was focused mainly on the vehicles (RailCabs) of the „Neue Bahntechnik Paderborn (NBP)“ and their function modules but also on universally applicable electrical drives and energy-storage systems. In the process, reliability is taken to be an integral part in the self-optimization architecture. In the future the focus will be laid on the self-configuration of drive systems and actuator groups as well as the design of self-optimizing operating strategies for applications having stochastic excitations (e.g., road vehicles). Interlinked self-optimizing subsystems will be examined on a distributed vehicle test bed and on a flexible road vehicle (Chameleon). Then our work on reliability and possible ways to enhance it by means of self-optimization will be extended to interlinked systems. All told, the following demonstrators will be employed for research on self-optimization in the project area D:

Self-optimizing Function Modules

• Active air-gap adjustment (testbed)
• active track guidance (on the RailCab vehicle)
• active suspension system (semi-vehicle testbed)
• doubly-fed linear motor (testbed)
• switched reluctance motor with FPGA (testbed)
• hybrid energy-supply module (testbed)

Self-optimizing Networked Systems

• Energy management (networked testbed, made up of energy-supply module, linear motor, active suspension, and air-gap adjustment)
• convoy (two RailCabs)
• flexible road vehicle „Chamäleon“