Valeo SVA - Special vehicle applications - MSC Software Corporation
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System dynamics
Valeo SVA –
Special vehicle
applications
Valeo SVA use Romax software and services to achieve a CAE-led
design process for eMobility system development
Client: Listed on the Paris stock exchange, Valeo is effective, utilising a robust process which expedites
an automotive supplier and partner to automakers development cycles.
worldwide. In 2019, the Group generated sales of 19.2bn
EUR and invested 13% of original equipment sales Solution: Adopting CAE-led design processes, achieved
into R&D. Employing nearly 115,000 people across 33 through gaining knowledge from Romax engineering
countries, Valeo create innovative products which experts and using Romax software for comprehensive
contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and developing analysis of integrated electric driveline systems.
intuitive driving.
Benefits: Eliminating one physical prototyping iteration
Challenge: Designing and supplying micro-urban by moving testing to the simulation stage, leading to a
eMobility solutions which are versatile and cost- 7-9 month reduction in development times.
84 | Engineering Reality Magazine
Air quality targets, agreed by contributing towards increasing solutions (e.g. e-bikes), scooters, governments and enforced demand and mounting pressures. and simple city cars, ensuring by legislation, are driving the competitiveness through reusing and automotive industry to use electric Jérôme Mortal, Transmission Systems recycling components across the drive systems in higher numbers. Product Group R&D and Electrification product family. Whilst Valeo already Alongside cleaning up inner-city Director at Valeo comments, “The supply a range of e-drive systems, air pollution, the industry is under industry is moving faster now than they have recently focused on low pressure to supply solutions to we have seen in the automotive world power application solutions, intending meet growing urbanisation as before. It is hard to believe that just to develop a product suitable for well as additional factors such as 5 years ago we were working on new multiple applications in order to reach reduced room for car parking. The ICE production plants. We believe that, a broader market. change to the requirements for by 2030, electrified vehicles (mainly e-drive units means a shift in the 48V and BEVs) will make up two-thirds “To keep up with the incredible way they are supplied; whereas of cars worldwide. Our vision is that speed that the industry is moving before they would come directly mobility will be strongly diversified, at, we need tools which enable us from car manufacturers, now these with a range of micro urban electric to simulate very quickly, so that we OEMs are joined in the market by mobility on offer alongside versatile can increase the range of products start-ups and Tier 1 suppliers, all hybrid and electric passenger cars.” we offer,” Jérôme explains. “For this competing to offer e-drive systems reason, we use Romax software and to power the next generation of Tier 1 suppliers, such as Valeo, have services for both gear and electrical vehicles. As these automotive the chance to expand their product machine design, from architecture suppliers move towards new types of portfolio by offering drive systems and layout, to concept and detailed mobility solutions, suppliers are also suitable for a range of applications, design. However, it is also critical expected to work differently with from low power (e.g. e-bike) to high for looking at the system integration OEMs. Whilst previously they may be power (e.g. truck), which can be and allows us to capture critical tasked with supplying simple parts installed into vehicles by multiple electro-mechanical interactions. to precise specification, as systems manufacturers. Valeo’s range of Romax software gives us an all-in-one become more complex, suppliers products covers small mobility environment for comprehensive static are increasingly being asked to work (
Versatile micro-urban system evaluation, trying to find the unexpected behaviour, mainly due to
eMobility solutions best trade-offs across efficiency, the stiffness of the belt, so we decided
performance and gradeability. Our to quickly evaluate some different
Valeo were tasked with developing design approach considers multiple solutions, working closely with
a low power 48V e-drive system. performance targets simultaneously. suppliers to make sure what we were
Their design consisted of a simple The optimisation and variability simulating was manufacturable.”
air-cooled system, with power analysis helps us to create high quality
from 6-10.5KW, a bespoke modular robust designs, and to move towards a Since Valeo had no experience of
transmission, integrated inverter, Right First Time philosophy.” simulating a belt drive, they called
and permanent synchronous claw upon the expertise of Romax
pole motor (reusing an existing Valeo During initial layout studies, Valeo engineering teams, alongside using
motor). Jérôme explains further: “As investigated various solutions and Romax software tools. Romax
with most projects, our first steps decided to use a belt drive to connect optimised the model, checked the
were to select the optimal reducer the e-motor with the gearbox: a results, performed NVH analysis of
ratio and to optimise the consumption, solution which offered great variability the system, and gave training to Valeo
trying to find the right type and of ratio while keeping the unit versatile SVA. On discovering a resonance issue
size of battery and optimise the full to be installed in multiple applications. caused by a higher order harmonic,
efficiency of the system, based on Jérôme Mortal comments: “We a change to the belt drive material
basic vehicle data and Valeo motor had a theory that using the belt was found to provide a solution. The
and inverter characteristics. We would improve decoupling and design was then validated and verified,
use Romax Concept in these early reduce interaction between the two looking specifically at the stress and
design stages, which allows us to subsystems.” Although Valeo were bending limits of the system. Jérôme
investigate multiple layout options confident this solution would work, Mortal explains: “With the versatility
with ease. Later, we use Romax Enduro the first design gave far from the of Romax Enduro, we were able to
and Romax Spectrum to perform desired performance – “we observed achieve the required durability at
an early stage and, in addition, we
were able to freeze the design of the
housing early. Everything we simulated
in the early stage was confirmed later
on by test.”
The project brought together four
partners: the vehicle OEM (who provided
tests and set the specifications),
Valeo (who designed and developed
the new e-motor architecture, reusing
some existing parts for a competitive
and affordable solution), Dana (gear
and lubrication design), and Romax
Technology (belt drive stage simulation
and NVH analysis). Jérôme Mortal
comments: “As well as providing great
software, Romax provided important
engineering support. Romax was
integral in optimising the durability while
86 | Engineering Reality Magazine
do this now to complement simulation,
with approval runs on the testbed to
confirm the results of the simulation.
Not that long ago we were having to
test every single assumption. Now, by
the time we get to the A-sample stage,
we only test one set of samples before
moving to manufacturing. Combining
proven software and engineering
expertise from Romax gave us
the confidence to take the risk of
eliminating a full prototype iteration,
relying heavily on virtual simulation.
With this new approach, we have
achieved a 7 to 9 month reduction in
development time.”
Valeo SVA delivered the drive unit
just 18 months after the start of the
project (it was launched in June 2020,
and can now be bought in the Citroen
AMI One). But even more significantly,
Valeo SVA have demonstrated that
minimising the noise and vibration and Using trustworthy simulation intelligent use of simulation can allow
getting the best efficiency early in the results to eliminate one iteration suppliers to significantly reduce the
design process.” of physical prototyping time and cost of developing a new
e-drive unit. “We have shown that it
The resulting architecture uses one In urban mobility, time to market is is possible to get a new product into
type of reducer, one type of machine, key. For new products, typically the production very quickly, in a process
and can be packaged in different customers’ aspiration is 2 years. For this which is only made possible through
configurations – it has already been project, Valeo were given 18 months increasing virtual simulation, which
used for 1 application in the EU, 1 in from concept to start of production. in turn is only possible because the
India, and 1 in China, all using the In order to achieve this significant quality of the Romax simulation
same machine and same reducer. reduction in development time, Valeo results gives us the confidence to
This new concept for traction had to find a way to accelerate the eliminate tests. We are proud of what
machines, which met targets for process. They decided to eliminate one we have achieved, and our customer
durability and NVH, benefits from a prototype iteration by using simulation is very happy. We intend to apply this
patented invention which makes it to test the system extensively within process and knowledge gained in
possible to implement and maintain the virtual environment. Having future projects.”
an adapted tension without needing used Romax software for previous
additional mechanisms to prevent projects, Valeo had the confidence that
slippage on the Poly-V belt in the simulation results from Romax could be
powertrain. “Using a belt-drive might trusted: confidence which supported Learn more about Romax Technology:
seem a surprising choice, however, their decision to increase the level of www.romaxtech.com
it makes the system very versatile virtual testing.
for different applications, since it
covers a very wide ratio (from 9.2:1 Jérôme Mortal explains: “It is critical
to 21:1),” continues Jérôme. “Whilst that we get a robust design from the
redesigning systems from scratch for very start, and that we can rely on
each application may be the ideal, the accuracy of the results so that
modularity is important in order to be we can trust them without having to
successful in new urban eMobility. The physically test everything. Tools like
system we have created is very simple Romax have allowed us to hugely
and cost-effective.” reduce our physical testing – we only
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