Expertise

The Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI) is a medium sized university of applied sciences and is currently training about 5.000 students in 39 technical and business science programs. Core competencies at the THI hover around the fields of Automotive, Aerospace, Renewable Energies and Business Management. In 2012, the automotive research, combining vehicle technology, power train, car communication, automotive-production technology and vehicle safety achieved app. 2,7 million euros of third party funding.

Vehicle mechatronics and car safety

THI is contributing to the long-term objective of zero road casualties through innovative developments in the field of road safety systems. By means of the bionic principle the senses that enable people to identify and avoid hazards in their environment are to be simulated, using new sensor technologies. For vehicles, research includes sensing accidents (e. g. acceleration and rotation-rate sensors, PTS pressure measuring system), hearing accidents (e. g. crash impact sound sensing), seeing accidents (e. g. radar, camera) and communicating the accidents via Car2X communication.

Engine and power train

The research focuses on the assembly of drives, shafts and axle drive as well as on engine analysis. The research work ranges from the simple component analysis focused on the use of weights, materials and coatings or specific construction characteristics to the functional analysis of the whole aggregate. The own laboratory equipment consists of dynamic engine test rigs with exhaust gas analysis, a chassis dynamometer, a component test rig for the analysis of oil pumps and generators and a test rig for the investigation of engine start systems.

Power electronics and electromobility

The research activities are focused on the development, simulation and optimization of innovative DC-DC and DC-AC converter topologies and multi-converter systems for automotive applications. Furthermore, research focuses on energy storage systems for hybrid and electric vehicles. The laboratory for electric mobility contains various testing facilities for cell- and battery systems tests. Equipment and software for the development of innovative battery management hard- and software and innovative battery systems are also included.

Vehicle safety centre CARISSMA

THI has gained a nationwide grant for building a new vehicle safety centre “CARISSMA”. With CARISSMA, based on a 28 million budget, THI will significantly contribute to the development of effective responses to medium- and long-term challenges in this research area. After completion in 2015, CARISSMA will represent a research centre with national and international importance.

Participation in EU Projects and International Activities

THI is involved or has been involved in the following EU projects:

LOw COst roBOT co-workers (LOCOBOT) Rail Freight and Logistics Curriculum Development (RiFLE) Integrative Test-Methodology for RFID Applications (ITERA) Applied network on Automotive Research and Education (AWARE) Automotive Production Engineering Unified Perspective based on Data Mining Methods and Virtual Factory Model (AutoUniMo) Network of Excellence in Renewable Energy Technologies for Development (NEED) Regeneratives Energienetzwerk Region Ingolstadt (RegIN+)