☁️ Rely on Teamcenter X for digital twin adoption
🏎️ From motorsport to industrial engineering
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has appointed Siemens as the Official Digital Twin Sponsor. This collaboration extends the use of Siemens Xcelerator technologies to support aerodynamic studies and rules development across single-seater racing series.
Let’s look at how Teamcenter X, the cloud PLM offering on Siemens Xcelerator, supports those efforts — and why the same approach applies to other fast-moving engineering industries.
⚙️ Why cloud PLM matters for racing programs
Motorsport operates under tight timeframes and strict regulation. Rule makers and engineering teams must coordinate design updates, validate assumptions and document every technical decision. Sharing files by email or maintaining local storage is not sustainable at that pace.
Cloud PLM can support racing environments by offering:
🔒 Secure access for distributed contributors
📁 A single source of truth for models and simulation data
🔄 Standard workflows for change and approval
✅ Traceability for audits and rule evolution
These needs are not unique to racing. Aerospace suppliers, industrial machinery manufacturers and medical device programs face similar challenges when collaborating across teams and suppliers under compliance requirements.
☁️ What Teamcenter X offers
Teamcenter X is the SaaS delivery of Teamcenter, hosted and managed on Siemens infrastructure. It enables organizations to use PLM capabilities without operating local servers or managing upgrades.
For programs like the FIA initiative, Teamcenter X can provide:
📘 Requirements and decision tracking
🔧 Configuration and change management
🧱 Model lifecycle management for NX and Simcenter data
✅ Standard workflows for submission and approval
🤝 Secure collaboration with suppliers or partners
Teams can start small and scale as needed. That flexibility is often important when multiple stakeholders join at different project phases.
🧩 Connecting design and simulation across Siemens Xcelerator
The FIA program references Siemens tools such as NX for design and Simcenter for simulation. Teamcenter X can act as the data layer across these environments so engineers can:
✔️ Confirm they are working on the latest model version
✔️ Launch or register simulation runs with the correct configuration
✔️ Compare results across iterations
✔️ Publish approved data sets for review or regulatory reference
When models and simulation results live in separate locations, teams risk repeating work or using outdated inputs. A connected PLM layer can reduce that risk.
🌍 Collaboration for distributed teams
With contributors across multiple locations, access control and governance become essential.
Teamcenter X supports:
👥 Role-based permissions
📄 Workflow templates for review and approval
📊 Dashboards for progress tracking
🔗 Integration with identity providers and data sources
Whether coordinating between FIA departments, manufacturing plants or supply chain partners, these capabilities help users follow common processes without configuring local tools.
🎯 Practical outcomes racing teams can target
Programs like this can use Teamcenter X to:
✔️ Align documentation and models in a single system
✔️ Reduce handoffs between design, simulation and approval
✔️ Increase visibility for decision makers
✔️ Maintain a structured audit trail for published changes
These gains help racing series move quickly while retaining control. The same benefits apply to aerospace programs validating certification models or equipment makers handling engineering change requests.
🛠️ Beyond motorsport: where cloud PLM patterns repeat
The FIA initiative is a high-profile example, but the underlying pattern is familiar across industries:
| Environment | Common Challenges | Cloud PLM Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace suppliers | Distributed teams and compliance demands | Single source of truth for design to simulation |
| Heavy equipment manufacturing | Variant control and supplier coordination | Standardized change workflows |
| Energy and renewables | Regulatory sign-off and traceability | Documented decisions linked to models |
Teamcenter X can support all of these with the same building blocks used in racing: managed data, access control, approvals and lifecycle context.
✅ Getting started
A typical approach for new users:
- Identify core object types to manage, such as rules, models or test results
- Define a workflow for submission and approval
- Connect NX and Simcenter to manage data in Teamcenter X
- Pilot with one study or program
- Onboard new contributors using shared templates
Small pilots help teams build confidence before expanding across functions.
❓ Frequently asked questions
➡️ What is Teamcenter X?
Teamcenter X is a SaaS PLM solution on Siemens Xcelerator that delivers core Teamcenter capabilities as a managed service – learn more
➡️ How does Teamcenter X support digital twin programs?
It manages the data, relationships and workflows that connect design and simulation so teams can build and maintain virtual representations with governance.
➡️ How is Teamcenter X different from traditional on-premises PLM?
The core functionality is similar, but the infrastructure is hosted and maintained by Siemens. This reduces IT overhead and keeps users on the latest version without manual upgrades.
➡️ Can Teamcenter X support hybrid environments?
Yes. Teams can manage NX and Simcenter data in Teamcenter X and connect additional tools using standard integrations or APIs.
🏁 Conclusion
The FIA collaboration highlights how digital twin methods are becoming part of regulated engineering environments. Teamcenter X provides the PLM foundation that connects people, data and process – not only in motorsport, but anywhere precision, speed and control need to coexist.
Rely on Teamcenter X for your digital twin: structured collaboration today creates more resilient engineering practices tomorrow.
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