Engineering service provider for mobility: simulation, prototype construction and testing of vehicle structures, powertrains and chassis systems.
fka GmbH
Aachen (Steinbachstraße 7, 52074)New on Amplifa
About fka GmbH
fka GmbH is an internationally active engineering service provider based in Aachen, founded in 1981 as a spin-off of the Institute of Automotive Engineering at RWTH Aachen University. The company supports OEMs, suppliers and research institutions in the development of vehicles and mobility-related systems – from requirements definition and conceptual design through structural and crash simulation, tire simulation and Model-Based Systems Engineering to functional prototype construction and in-house testing. Its service portfolio includes mechanical testing of body structures and structural components, multi-domain powertrain testing from e-bikes to heavy commercial vehicles, E/E component testing, tire testing on a flat-track tire test rig, as well as homologation and part type approval. In addition, fka offers consulting, benchmarking and user experience testing. Customers come from the automotive and mobility sector, industry, aerospace and robotics; the company has worked with, among others, Volkswagen, Audi, Opel, BMW, Volvo and NIO. With more than 120 employees and over 150 projects per year, fka realizes development orders for 412 customers worldwide.
- Site
- Aachen
- Processes
- Mechanical testing of body structures and structural components, Multi-domain powertrain testing (from e-bikes to heavy commercial vehicles), E/E component testing – development and validation of electrical components, Tire testing (flat-track tire test rig, unrivaled measurement capacities from motorcycles to trucks), Tire simulation, Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), Functional safety – from concept through implementation and validation, Benchmarking (powertrain, structure, vehicle architectures)
- Materials
- Model-Based Systems Engineering, Structural and Crash Simulation, Rapid Prototyping and Prototype Manufacturing, Flat-Track Tire Test Rig (Flat-Trac IV CT plus), Multi-Domain Powertrain Testing
- Certificates
- DIN EN ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1981
- Employees
- 120+
- Industries
- Automotive / Mobility, Industry, Aerospace, Robotics
- 01
Requirements definition and conceptual design
- 02
Modeling and simulation (structure, crash, tire)
- 03
Prototype construction and vehicle integration
- 04
In-house testing and validation
- 05
Homologation and consulting
Methods, Tools and Testing Technology
Model-Based Systems Engineering
Model-based development approach with a central system model for requirements, architecture and functional safety.
Structural and Crash Simulation
Quasi-static computation, modal analysis, material modeling and numerical optimization of components.
Rapid Prototyping and Prototype Manufacturing
Manufacturing of functional hardware and software prototypes from component level to vehicle integration.
Flat-Track Tire Test Rig (Flat-Trac IV CT plus)
MTS test rig for tire testing from motorcycles to trucks.
Multi-Domain Powertrain Testing
Testing and validation of powertrains across various applications.
Locations
Aachen
DEHeadquarters: development, simulation, prototype construction and testing
- Lot size
- Prototypes, small series
- Flat-track tire test rig MTS Flat-Trac IV CT plus
- CAE tools for structural and crash simulation
- In-house workshop and rapid prototyping capacities
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Prototype Construction | – | – | – | – | – |
| Mechanical testing of body structures and structural componentsTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Multi-domain powertrain testing (from e-bikes to heavy commercial vehicles)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| E/E component testing – development and validation of electrical componentsTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tire testing (flat-track tire test rig, unrivaled measurement capacities from motorcycles to trucks)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tire simulationEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Functional safety – from concept through implementation and validationEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Benchmarking (powertrain, structure, vehicle architectures)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Occupant protection tests and development/validation of protection systems (incl. crash simulation,Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat-track tire test rig (Flat-Trac) | MTS Flat-Trac® IV CT plus | 1 | – | – | Aachen |
| CAE tools (simulation software) | – | – | – | – | Aachen |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Certification
fka GmbH is certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015; the audits are conducted by an external certification body.
| Evidence | Aachen |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1981
Founding of fka Forschungsgesellschaft Kraftfahrwesen mbH Aachen by Prof. Jürgen Helling on 11 June 1981 as a spin-off of the Institute of Automotive Engineering at RWTH Aachen University.
- 2017
Creation of the Electric Mobility Index in cooperation with Roland Berger.
- 2022
Hosting of the 15th Aachen Body Engineering Days; around 160 employees at the time of the conference, presentations among others by Volkswagen, Audi, Opel and NIO Performance Engineering.