The first step was in 2011. Ten years after, Pirelli, the Milan Polytechnic and Fondazione Politecnico have not lost their enthusiasm for working together in the name of research and the “Joint Labs” agreement has been extended for three more years, with challenging new objectives. The main results of the collaboration are the static simulator, installed in Pirelli R&D Centre in Milan, and the dynamic simulator in the Polytechnic. But that's not all...
THE THEMATIC AREAS
There are two other macro-areas of research in addition to the integrated use of the two simulators for optimising new tyre development and testing. The first is area focuses on materials, with the development of innovative solutions and mixing process models, and the second area pivots on product development and cyber applications, with integrated static-dynamic simulation and innovative modelling.
“Innovation is the driving force behind our company. Being able to count on a network with the world's most advanced research institutes and universities, such as the Polytechnic, means investing in meeting the future challenges of mobility,” commented Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Pirelli. “Attention to all aspects related to sustainability, the evolution of automation, virtualisation and connectivity are priorities to which we are committed, also with the ‘Joint Labs' programme. The collaboration with the Polytechnic reasserts our commitment to bolstering our core of know-how in these areas in Italy”.
JOINT RESEARCH AND TRAINING
The results of ten years of collaboration between the Milan Polytechnic, Fondazione Politecnico and Pirelli include 14 filed patent families, some 30 articles published in international scientific journals, dozens of presentations at international congresses, 12 research contracts in the Cyber Tyre and F1 fields and the launch of the new second-level university “R&D Excellence Next” master's degree for new engineers hired by the company. The use of advanced materials has also made it possible to achieve great results in terms of tyre performance, safety and sustainability. Particular interest was devoted to the study of low-noise tyres, especially for new hybrid and electric vehicles, while the Tread Modelling Automation project focused on tyre modelling and the characteristics of various summer, winter and all-season tread patterns.
150 YEARS OF HISTORY
The relationship between the Milan Polytechnic and Pirelli goes back a long way. It started in the early days when in 1870, the fresh Polytechnic graduate Giovanni Battista Pirelli was directed by one of his teachers, Giuseppe Colombo, towards the chemical industry and rubber production. Giovanni Battista Pirelli founded Pirelli & C. two years later. A particularly noteworthy collaboration set up by the Milan Polytechnic and Pirelli over the years is that of CORECOM. Founded in 1995, it was one of Italy's first public-private consortia and an international leading player in the development of photonics until 2010.
