Rücker: Success with new virtual development software

The publicly quoted, internationally active engineering contractor Rücker AG of Wiesbaden, Germany, is currently experiencing increased demand for their new production plant simulation software. Automobile manufacturers and their partners in the system and plant engineering and construction industry can safeguard and validate complex production processes with it. Rücker developed special software called “Invision” for the purpose which is now being used with great success to supplement the many options offered by the digital factory. It is considered a trendsetting programme. Rücker EKS GmbH in Weingarten/Oberschwaben is the lead company. This Rücker AG subsidiary has been the group’s centre of automated plant development, design and simulation (EKS) expertise since 2004. It currently employs 54 development engineers, and intends increasing this number as quickly as it can. The jobs are waiting.

Production plant and the entire production process can be simulated in real time and virtual process validation and commissioning realised. This simulation can be used to easily determine whether specific processes function without problems and how any malfunction might be remedied. The old expensive and time-consuming test plant of steel and iron are now superfluous thanks to the digital test runs that are now possible.

The pressure to shorten development cycles in the automobile industry is increasing with every model generation. This has major effects, and not only on product development. The time available for development and realisation of production systems is constantly having to be shortened too.

The Rücker subsidiary in Weingarten not only had decisive influence on the technical development and external use of this digital software but also offers the service associated with virtual production as well as the purchase or rental of licenses.

Wolfgang Rücker, chairman of Rücker AG, commented on the development of the digital factory that “The increasing variety of models on the market and shortening service lives constantly demand further digital tools to validate and safeguard production processes. Our “Invision´ software offers makers and their contractors an efficient, modern system of meeting increasingly demanding market needs”.

In brief Rücker AG – the publicly quoted engineering contractor Rücker AG of Wiesbaden, Germany, was founded in 1970 by its current chairman and majority shareholder Wolfgang Rücker. It has been publicly quoted since 2000 and is now a market leading engineering services contractor to the world’s aviation and automobile industries. Clients include international automobile, aviation, railway engineering, shipbuilding, wind power and environmental and mechanical engineering companies.

Rücker’s automobile division renders virtual development services to many major makers in the bodywork, interior design and electrical system fields. The group’s aviation division offers services ranging from styling aircraft interiors via designing and modelling models and prototypes to calculating and constructing wing and fuselage structures.

Rücker AG has 39 locations in 18 countries and currently employs about 2,500 people, nearly all engineers. We’re hoping to recruit a further 500 engineers and designers in view of the gratifying order situation.

Turnover in the 2010 financial year grew by 15.7 percent to 151.9 million EUR (2009: 131.3 million Euros). EBIT 2010 was over double that for 2009 and increased thanks to a higher volume of business from 3.7 million Euros to 8.1 million Euros. 2010 group profits totalled 4.8 million EUR, triple that for the year before (1.5 million Euros). Our 2011 financial figures will be published at the end of March 2012.