The autonomous industry is currently going through a significant transformative period since the invention of the internal combustion engine. The shift toward Electric Vehicles (EVs) in recent years is not just about a change in fuel source. But is instead a fundamental reimagining of vehicle architecture.
EV is essentially a high-performance computer on wheels. Mechanical systems, complex electronics, and chemistry-heavy battery packs in EVs need to function in perfect harmony. Global automotive leaders to manage this layer of complexity are shifting to Siemens Teamcenter PLM.
Teamcenter as the world’s most extensively used PLM Software provides the digital backbone essential for integrating multi-disciplinary data. This ensures that the powertrain, battery, and electronic control systems are developed as a cohesive unit rather than isolated silos.
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY CHALLENGE OF EV DEVELOPMENT
Old-styled traditional vehicle development was predominantly mechanical. In the age of EVs, the ‘Product Definition’ has undergone a dramatic change. A modern EV powertrain represents a symbiotic confluence of:
- MECHANICAL ENGINEERING: Housing, Gears, and Thermal Management Systems.
- ELECTRICAL / ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING (E/E): Inverters, Sensors, and high-voltage Wiring Harnesses.
- SOFTWARE ENGINEERING: Battery Management Systems (BMS) and Motor-Control Logic.
- CHEMISTRY/MATERIALS SCIENCE: Cell Chemistry & Thermal Runaway Barriers.
These departments without a robust system like Teamcenter PLM often work in separate tools. In such a scenario, mechanical team might use CAD; the electrical team ECAD; and the software team ALM (Application Lifecycle Management). This is where Teamcenter plays a critical role.
It bridges the gaps, and creates a unified ‘Digital Twin’ that encompasses every discipline.
SIEMENS TEAMCENTER PLM TO MANAGE EV POWERTRAIN
The EV powertrain comprising of motor, transmission, and inverter requires extreme precision. A change in the inverter’s electronic layout can affect the mechanical housing’s cooling requirements.
INTEGRATED CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT
Engineers using Teamcenter can manage a ‘Multi-Domain Bill Of Materials’ (BOM). Siemens Teamcenter PLM synchronizes mechanical, electrical, and software components into a single, comprehensive structure instead of having three different lists for them.
The software will immediately notify the electronics team when a motor’s torque specification gets updated. This allows for adjustment of the inverter parameters. At the same time, the software team gets to update the control logic.
REQUIREMENTS TRACEABILITY
Missing a single requirement in EV development can lead to a multi-million dollar recall. With Teamcenter, requirements can be tracked from the initial ‘Target’ phase through the final validation.
The PLM system ensures if a requirement for ‘0-100’ km/h is set the motor design, battery discharge rate, and software calibration are all digitally linked to that specific goal.
BATTERY LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT
The battery pack in an EV is the most complex and expensive component. Its development involves managing volatile chemistries and intricate cooling systems.
MANAGING CELL CHEMISTRY AND MATERIAL DATA
Teamcenter specializes in managing ‘formulation’ data. Battery engineers using it can track the cells’ chemistry compositions, alongside the pack’s mechanical design.
This is critical for:
- SUSTAINABILITY: Tracking minerals’ origin. Like Lithium and Cobalt for ESG reporting.
- SAFETY: Managing the thermal simulation data. They help prevent thermal runaway.
THERMAL AND STRUCTURAL SIMULATION INTEGRATION
The performance of an EV battery largely depends on temperature. Teams by using Teamcenter can link directly to the design revision simulation results from tools like Simcenter. This will ensure when the battery casing is modified every time, the thermal simulation is re-validated. They help prevent expensive physical prototyping mistakes.
ELECTRONICS AND SOFTWARE (EV’s BRAIN)
Electronics and software now account for a huge portion of an EV’s value. Teamcenter PLM offers for E/E (Electrical / Electronic) design management, a dedicated environment.
ECAD-MCAD CO-DESIGN
Fitting electronic boards into tight mechanical spaces is among the biggest friction points in EV design. Teamcenter helps facilitate ECAD-MCAD co-design. This will allow an electronics engineer to work on a PCB layout in their native tool. Similarly, the mechanical engineer will get to see the ‘keep-out’ zones in real-time their CAD environment.
They will help prevent the common issue of a board being designed only to discover later it does not fit the physical housing.
SOFTWARE LIFECYCLE INTEGRATION (ALM-PLM)
The Battery Management System (BMS) of an EV is determined by several millions of code lines. Teamcenter integrates with Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) tools, ensuring that software versions are synced with hardware revisions.
If the BMS software version ‘v4,2’ against the specific sensor hardware ‘Rev B’ installed in the vehicle has not been validated, then the vehicle cannot be shipped.
Teamcenter in such a scenario manages this ‘compatibility matrix’ flawlessly.
ENSURING QUALITY AND COMPLIANCE IN EVs
The automotive industry has to comply with strict safety standards like ISO 26262 (functional safety). To improve compliance, PLM Software is the primary tool.
CLOSED-LOOP QUALITY
Teamcenter allows a ‘closed-loop’ quality process. For instance, a defect is found during an EV powertrain testing process. Subsequently what happens is that the defect is bogged in the PLM system.
The system thanks to the digital thread can automatically identify:
- Which design revision caused the issue?
- Which suppliers provided the affected parts?
- Which other vehicle models are using the same component?
This kind of visibility is not possible with manual systems. But it is native to Siemens Teamcenter PLM.
BENEFITS OF THE ‘DIGITAL TWIN’ STRATEGY
EV manufacturers can by using Teamcenter create a comprehensive Digital Twin. It provides a digital representation of the vehicle that evolves throughout its life.
- REDUCED TIME-TO-MARKET: Allows different disciplines to work in parallel rather than sequentially. This helps shave months off the development cycle.
- COST-REDUCTION: Catches ‘fitment’ issue in a digital ECAD-MCAD simulation. This is thousands of times cheaper than catching it on a physical assembly line.
- ENHANCED INNOVATION: Data is transparent and accessible. This will enable engineers to spend less time searching for information. As a result, they can instead spend more time innovating on motor efficiency or battery density.
CONCLUSION
The transition to electric mobility as competition heats up worldwide is a race against complexity and time. OEMs and Startups alike to win will require a PLM Software with the capability to handle simultaneously the intricacies of chemistry, electrons, and gears.
Siemens Teamcenter PLM with its ability to manage multi-disciplinary data at scale stands in a different league from its competitors. By leveraging CJ Tech’s proven Teamcenter PLM capabilities, EV makers can get the clarity and control essential to build the vehicles of tomorrow.
FAQs
1.Can complex software lifecycle of a Battery Management System (BMS) be managed by Siemens Teamcenter PLM?
Yes. Teamcenter integrates with Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) tools. It can manage the ‘Software Bill of Materials’ alongside the hardware. Teamcenter ensures that every software version is digitally linked to the specific hardware revision for which it was designed for. This helps to prevent compatibility errors. They also help ensure that the ‘brain’ of the battery is always in sync with its physical cells.
2. How are battery safety and compliance standards supported by this PLM Software?
Safety in EV battery development is paramount. Teamcenter helps manufacturers with standards like ISO 26262 by
- Providing full traceability. It records every requirement, simulation result, and design change.
- Allowing engineers to trace back through the ‘Digital Thread’ the specific material batch, cell chemistry, or design flaw that caused the problem. This way it facilitates a faster and more accurate resolution.
3. What is a ‘Multi-Disciplinary BOM’ in the context of Teamcenter?
Mechanical, electrical, and software teams in traditional systems often maintain separate lists of parts. Siemens Teamcenter PLM creates a Multi-Disciplinary Bill Of Materials (BOM) that consolidates these into a single source of truth. This means for an EV powertrain, the motor (mechanical; the wiring harness (electrical); and the control logic (software) are all visible in one hierarchy. This ensures that a change in one area will automatically alert the stakeholders in the other areas.
4. How does Teamcenter improve for EV Electronics the thermal management design?
EV Electronics generates significant heat in compact spaces. Teamcenter manages the simulation data (CAE) directly alongside the design data.
Engineers can by linking thermal simulation results to the 3D models of the electronics and powertrain, use Teamcenter to more efficiently iterate on cooling fins, liquid cooling loops, or heat sinks. This ‘closed-loop’ approach ensures that the thermal performance is validated at every step of the design process.
