The new Digital Solutions Center (DSC) is Pirelli’s first development facility focused on digital innovation, and is located in Bari, Italy.
The center – which was first announced in May 2022 – is now fully operational and will focus on digital innovation and enhancing internal skills within strategic areas of the company. Pirelli has 10 employees are already working at the facility on the development of software and algorithms for advanced processes for planning, manufacturing and marketing Pirelli-branded tires, and plans to have at last 50 staff working at the center by 2025.
Several key projects will be worked on at the DSC and include the strengthening of Pirelli’s big data platform for the collection, transformation and analysis of data. The tire maker will use the instrument to enable the processing of algorithms to accelerate product development times, improve product quality, maximize machine efficiency and develop new digital services. Pirelli also aims to optimize commercial effectiveness.
Alongside the development of new algorithms, the tire manufacturer will also be capable of conducting studies on a tire’s digital twin to aid in the design and development of performance attributes on virtual prototypes. Furthermore, by using the Industrial Internet of Things, Pirelli will optimize its supply chain by using predictive modeling to predict product demand and improve production processes. The solution will also enable Pirelli to predict when maintenance of its machinery is required, reducing machine downtime and improving development times and energy and transformation costs.
The center includes an Innovation room which enables digital co-working between employees in Bari and Pirelli’s 500-strong international Digital Team. The room will also enable employees to foster interactions with the Pirelli Headquarters, company production facilities, suppliers, clients and university hubs.
The University of Bari and the Bari Polytechnic will take a leading role at the center, with an area having been created to host working teams from both universities. Both the University of Bari and the Bari Polytechnic are currently finalizing two cooperative projects with Pirelli which seek to optimize production processes in the tire maker’s factories by developing smart manufacturing systems and supporting digitalization and artificial intelligence used during tire development.
