With Australia working towards its ambitious target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, sustainability is a key focus for rail operators around the country.
Technology company Dassault Systèmes is helping these operators to achieve their goals with its innovative 3DEXPERIENCE platform, a digital platform that makes it easier to engineer environmentally-friendly practices into every stage of the rail lifecycle – from concept to design, engineering and construction to operations and maintenance.
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform connects people, ideas, data and solutions in a single collaborative, common data environment, providing companies with a holistic, real-time vision of their business activity and ecosystem.
It allows businesses to create and visualise virtual twins of products, processes, and operations, allowing them to innovate, produce and trade in more optimised, risk-reduced and sustainable ways.
We spoke to the team at Dassault Systèmes to find out more.
Integrated design and engineering
A critical part of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is integrated design and engineering, which shifts traditional three-dimensional computer-aided design capabilities to cognitive augmented design, fusing modeling and simulation.
Leveraging knowledge, know‑how and technology to automate design and systems engineering, the software is helping to shape a connected world by offering all the features for the design of connected objects and experiences.
From a sustainability perspective, the platform can help operators to design more sustainable infrastructure, from rolling stock to stations, tracks and signalling systems.
For example, sustainable innovation is being used to design batteries for electric or hybrid trains, according to Phil Barrett, AP South Rail Sales Expert for Dassault Systèmes.
“The number one way operators can reduce their carbon footprint is by reducing their use of diesel fuel,” said Barrett.
“When exploring the use of hybrid locomotives, or electric/hydrogen-powered locomotives to transition away from diesel locomotives, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform can be used to collaboratively design the equipment.
“By bringing data from multiple sources together and providing a single source of truth to all stakeholders, it streamlines communication and facilitates data-driven decision making, ensuring faster and more accurate results.”
Virtual testing and simulation
Another feature of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is simulation that allows operators to evaluate the performance, reliability and safety of materials and products before committing to physical prototypes.
It’s an effective tool to predict and reduce fuel and energy usage in many ways, according to Tony Rakuljic, Senior Client Executive for Dassault Systèmes Australia and New Zealand.
He gave an example of a high-level freight operator in the United States who used the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to examine the aerodynamics of its freight consists.
“They aerodynamically improved their hoppers thanks to simulation and were able to find a three to seven per cent fuel usage reduction from those changes,” he said.
Bringing it back to hydrogen/electric batteries, Rakuljic said simulation can also help to test and improve their implementation.
He added: “Using the information in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, users can really accelerate the innovation process.”
Operations and maintenance optimisation
Dassault Systèmes’ innovative solutions also support operators with maintenance planning, workforce scheduling, depot operations and service delivery optimisation.
This helps to reduce wasted resources, cuts downtime and extends the lifecycle of assets.
“The solution can be used to plan maintenance activities for both rolling stock and rail networks,” said Barrett.
“Using the data in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, operators can shift from interval-based maintenance to risk-based maintenance.
“This leads to less time spent in the workshop, better use of the workforce and assets when they are in the workshop, and higher availability of assets on the network.”
A platform for continuous innovation
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform is more than a tool for managing current operations – it is a strategic enabler for future transformation. By embedding ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) targets, operators can track their sustainability performance in real time, ensuring they remain aligned with ambitious national and industry goals.
“You can also look at the potential impact of floods and heat waves,” said Rakuljic. “It’s about forward thinking, simulating different scenarios and preparing for them.”
Through this combination of predictive foresight and operational agility, operators can stay ahead of disruption, ensuring their networks remain sustainable, resilient, and ready for the future.
