TU Graz Prepares the Next Generation of Digital Manufacturing Experts with Siemens Xcelerator

In an era of digital transformation, companies are seeking engineers who are not only technically proficient but also fluent in the digital tools that are reshaping the manufacturing industry. Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) in Austria is responding to this challenge by equipping students with hands-on experience in model-based design, simulation, automation, and closed-loop manufacturing — all powered by Siemens Xcelerator.

A Modern Education for a Digital Industry

At TU Graz, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Economic Sciences combines mechanical engineering with business insight to educate future-ready professionals. As Dr. Franz Haas, Dean of the faculty, explains:

“Our mission is to develop innovative, interdisciplinary, and holistic solutions for the full lifecycle of products in automotive, energy, and production engineering.”

From the first semesters of the bachelor’s degree through master’s and doctoral programs, TU Graz students are immersed in computer-aided engineering tools and digital workflows. Through the Siemens Xcelerator platform — which includes software, hardware, and services — they gain early access to the same technologies used in cutting-edge global industries.

The smartfactory@tugraz: A Living Lab

At the heart of TU Graz’s innovation ecosystem is the smartfactory@tugraz, a learning and research facility designed to explore and demonstrate agile, autonomous, and digital production. It’s part of the Smart Production Graz initiative and offers:

• Real-time production line reconfiguration
• Integration of robotics and additive manufacturing
• A private 5G network to support industrial IoT
• A safe space for companies to test new manufacturing approaches

This environment allows students, researchers, and partners to experiment with advanced concepts — from automated tool transport using mobile manipulators to full-scale digital twin applications.

Software-Based Manufacturing in Action

In the smart factory, students use Siemens Digital Industries Software to explore a fully connected product development and manufacturing process. They apply:

• NX™ for CAD/CAM
• Teamcenter® for PLM
• Simcenter™ Nastran for structural simulation
• Tecnomatix® for digital manufacturing and robotics simulation

With this software suite, they can design, simulate, and optimize production processes long before physical implementation. They also use virtual commissioning to test PLCs and automation systems digitally, reducing real-world commissioning time and safety risks.

Closed-Loop Manufacturing and Vertical Integration

Thanks to full data consistency from design to execution, TU Graz students experience true closed-loop manufacturing. Updates made by machine operators in the factory are automatically sent back to the digital design environment via Teamcenter and NX Open, allowing for continuous optimization.

Key advantages include:

• Real-time location tracking of mobile assets
• Predictive maintenance using machine data
• Tool digitization via laser scanning and integration into NX CAM
• A connected tool database using Teamcenter X Resource Management

Additionally, the university links its smart factory with other academic pilot factories in Austria using Insights Hub, creating a virtual network of collaborative innovation.

A Model for the Factories of the Future

At TU Graz, future engineers gain practical knowledge that often surpasses what’s currently implemented in industry. With support from Siemens and a full suite of Xcelerator tools, they are trained to think holistically, work sustainably, and lead digital manufacturing initiatives with confidence.

“Siemens software covers the entire product lifecycle, which is key to closed-loop manufacturing,” says Dr. Rudolf Pichler, Head of smartfactory@tugraz.
“Using Siemens Xcelerator helps us educate broad-minded and skilled creators of tomorrow’s products and systems.”