Autocomp Management Sp. z o.o. (ACM), having a place of business in Poland, is an internationally active manufacturer and supplier of technologically advanced systems supporting training for the national defence sector and uniformed services as well as for rail, road and water transport and also produce dedicated specialised projects in industrial automation and naval equipment.
The company has an own R&D department covering software technology, electronics, optics and mechanics workshops. Many of the proprietary solutions developed have been patented and implemented in own products. The scope and scale of conducted works enabled ACM to be granted the status of the Research and Development Center.
Interview with Roman Haberek, Executive Director at Autocomp Management.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Roman Haberek: The key business lines of ACM are:
- Training vehicle simulators;
- Military education and training systems;
- RVM-Reverse vending machines for collecting returnable packaging;
- Automation and control systems projects.
Solutions offered by ACM are open systems that can be delivered as stand-alone modules, subsystems for third-party training platforms, allowing also expansions by way of training simulators of other manufacturers.
Autocomp Management is about to deliver a brand-new solution for Polish Army. The platoon level armored vehicle simulator for Rosomak with Hitfist-30P turret consisting of eight in total high-fidelity cabin replicas – four driver and four gunner/commander units. All connected into one virtual battlefield assisted by nine auxiliary commanding stands.
We are also proud of developing our new product, the reverse vending machine collecting returnable packaging, that helps zero-waste management. Moreover, it has just received a Gold Medal award at the POLECO fair.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
R.H: All our products are combination of hardware and software designed by our engineers to meet specific customers needs. Custom made mechanics, electronics, optics and software create products with a quality recognized on the market. Our main products line are simulators which vary in level of details from simple software only designs for preliminary training and education to large scale training centres with multiple high-fidelity replicas of devices. The systems delivered include, among others:
Śnieżnik™ – infantry standard-issue weapons training system for training of shooters without use of ammunition. It also allows to interoperate with simulators of training equipment like anti-air ZU-23-2KG artillery system, anti-air GROM/PIORUN rocket launchers and others:
- Pojedynek™ – shooting training system for civilian use by schools and shooting enthusiasts;
- Optoelectronic devices replicas – high-fidelity reflecting the experience of using real devices;
- Jaskier™ / Tasznik™ – high-fidelity cabin replicas for comprehensive driver/gunner/commander simulator for the Rosomak armored vehicle with Hitfist-30P turret;
- Integrated modular TTT– class simulator system of military arms and equipment for crews of armored vehicle Rosomak;
- Truck and bus driving simulators– advanced driving simulator fulfilling all requirements for driving under all conditions built on the basis of the original vehicle cabins adapted to the needs of the simulator;
- Rail vehicle simulators– enables full training of the train driver within a fully equipped vehicle cabin replica.
All vehicle simulators can be installed on motion platform that simulates vehicle movement.
Apart from simulators we also offer systems for:
- Reverse vending machines for collecting returnable packaging;
- Vessel dynamic positioning for automatic maneuvering in various environmental conditions;
- Training camp shooting range automatic systems that allow wireless control of popup targets and collection of results.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
R.H: The immersion simulator market in which we operate is currently testing whether VR technology can replace high fidelity simulator systems. VR enthusiasts claim that it is possible and that this is the direction of the future. However, it is high-fidelity replicas integrated with onscreen projection and motion simulation (the immersion simulator) that give the best training results in areas where developing muscle memory and behavior habits in crisis situations save human life. It is especially important in the areas of special vehicle driving, shooting, defense training and medical assistance. VR technologies are perfect for procedural simulators and simulators supporting maintenance processes. In advanced training processes, VR simulators are included in the theoretical training stage, enabling the presentation of the subject matter in a more realistic way than traditional presentation methods. In the field of first aid and medical aid, the market is moving towards AR technology, but as for the moment being, its use does not allow for the expected effects, e.g. in the field of realistic simulation of an injury.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
R.H: Markets, in which ACM is active, include the domestic and international market of civilian and military vehicle simulators and trainers, combat training support systems, and other critical process simulators. The local market for simulators and trainers for civilian vehicles (buses, trucks, and traction vehicles) is saturated. The largest rolling stock operators have already built and equipped their training infrastructure with modern simulators. At present, the only projects in Poland related to traction vehicle simulators are projects related to the delivery of new rolling stock, which may also include a simulator.
On the other hand, due to the military conflict in the territory of Ukraine, interest in combat training support systems in the military sector has increased, both in field of launching new facilities and modernization existing ones with new combat training support simulators.
An interesting market is the market of virtual shooting ranges for civil schools operating so-called “uniformed classes”. These schools have the option of co-financing the purchase of virtual shooting ranges by the Ministry of National Defense. Another big prospect for the sale of virtual shooting ranges in the coming years is the restoration of defense training in all secondary schools, along with shooting training.
Due to the entry into force of the European Union regulations on the circular economy and recycling, an increase in demand for ACM Reverse Vending Machines should be forecasted over the next four years.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
R.H: Most of the ACM offered products are innovative products. As mentioned earlier, having the research and development status of ACM enables implementation of innovative solutions and inventions.
All the solutions of vehicle training simulators are protected by patents. The company has patented such innovative systems and components as follows:
- Vehicle simulator;
- Gearbox simulator;
- Steering system simulator.
The POJEDYNEK™ virtual shooting range simulator family and Śnieżnik™ combat training support systems are also based on patented innovative solutions:
- The method of creating an image in simulators of telescopes and optical sights and a set for creating an image in simulators of telescopes and optical sights;
- Cartridge for the weapon simulator;
- Shooting target.
In particular, the most innovative products released to market, include telescope and optical sight simulators, both for rifle simulators and combat vehicle simulators.
E.E: What estimations do you have for the rest of 2022?
R.H: The end of the year is a period of intensive deliveries and project implementation. For Autocomp, the most important works scheduled for Nov and Dec this year are related to deliveries about 80 POJEDYNEK™ virtual shooting systems for schools, the supply of simulators of aiming devices, the control panels for gunners and commanders for Leopard tank simulators for the tank manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and the installation of a platoon combat training support system ROSOMAK armored vehicles (computer simulation system based on artificial intelligence with implemented real bases of terrains and objects of military training camps, integrated with eight High Fidelity simulator cabins of armored vehicle cabins) for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland.