Case Study: Politecnico di Milano achieves 20–40% cost savings and faster time-to-market with MathWorks

Politecnico di Torino Graduate Student Demonstrates Value of Physical Modeling and Dynamic Simulation to Industry Partner Comau

Politecnico di Milano partnered with industry partner Comau to validate the design of an industrial lifter and demonstrate how modeling and simulation can reduce prototyping time and prevent mis‑specification. The key challenge was to size the DC motor and show that dynamic simulation — rather than slow, iterative physical prototyping — could shorten development time and lower costs using MathWorks tools such as MATLAB, Simulink, Simscape, and Simscape Multibody.

A graduate student used MathWorks’ Simulink and Simscape Multibody to import the CAD assembly, run dynamic simulations and parameter sweeps, and compare a detailed model with a much simpler one. MathWorks‑based simulation revealed an underestimated torque requirement, allowed a basic model (built in hours) to identify the critical design issue, and supported a cost–benefit analysis projecting 20–40% development cost savings and months faster time‑to‑market; Comau has begun adopting the approach.

Politecnico di Milano

Massimo Violante

Associate Professor