Siemens Digital Industries Software

Moving electric vehicle

manufacturing into the
fast lane

Executive summary
Electrified mobility possesses significant potential to create short-term
disruption in the automotive industry. Sales of electric vehicles (EV) are
rapidly and steadily increasing, driven by improving battery technology,
regulatory pressure, intense investment and an expanding charging infra-
structure. As demand increases, established and startup automotive manu-
facturers need to quickly ramp-up EV production and reduce manufactur-
ing costs to take advantage. EV manufacturing, however, presents unique
challenges to automotive companies. By leveraging comprehensive digital
twins of the product and production lines, manufacturers can design and
validate assembly processes and entire facilities virtually, improving quality
and accelerating production ramp.

Shashi Rajagopalan
Siemens Digital Industries Software

siemens.com/software
 White paper | Moving EV manufacturing into the fast lane

Electric vehicles on the rise

Major automotive OEMs and new startups alike are well The effect of these driving forces is evident in the grow-
entrenched in the pursuit of autonomous, connected, ing adoption of EVs by mainstream consumers. EV sales
electrified and shared mobility. Dozens of companies have seen steady growth over the last five years. EVs
have established programs for designing and testing are projected to match the sales of internal combustion
autonomous and connected vehicles, either for personal engine (ICE) vehicles by 2030, and to surpass them by
use or as part of a shared mobility system. Progress is 2040. To meet this increased demand and remain com-
being made, but large-scale, real-world applications of petitive in a changing market, automotive manufactur-
these technologies are still years in the making. ers will need to ramp up their ability to manufacture
Electrified mobility, on the other hand, has the potential EVs at volume.
to create significant short-term disruption in the auto-
A growing Chinese EV market is the primary source of
motive industry and is already on the way to main-
the rapid expansion of EVs in the automotive industry.
stream adoption.
China houses a majority of the EV startups. Industry
The recent and rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) is analysts estimate that China is home to 200 or more EV
driven by several factors (figure 1): startups, some of which have been the recipients of
billions of dollars of funding. In addition to startups,
• Key EV technologies, such as batteries, are improving
existing Chinese automotive OEMs are aggressively
faster than expected
pursuing EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
• Greater regulatory pressure at national, regional and
The automotive shakeup, however, is industry-wide.
city levels is driving early adoption of what is per-
Global automakers are under pressure to reduce costs
ceived to be a new norm
as they finance the largest automotive industry trans-
• Intense investment into EV programs and startup formation in decades. Volkswagen, for example, has
companies from a variety of sources, both traditional committed $49 billion to the development of electric
automotive companies and new entrants to the and connected vehicles through 2023 (Rauwald, 2019).
market This investment includes the complete re-tooling of
• A growing network of EV charging stations makes it several manufacturing facilities to produce new electric
easier and more convenient to use an EV every day vehicles (Rauwald, 2019). Other companies, while less
aggressive than VW, are following suit.
Electrified powertrains also provide key benefits for
automated, connected and shared mobility systems. For
example, ridesharing and mobility companies are
investing in automated driving technologies to enable
vehicles to operate within their system while not in use
by the owner. This will increase the usage of personal
vehicles significantly, simultaneously making vehicle
longevity more critical. EV powertrains naturally support
this need due to their relative simplicity. With fewer
moving parts, EVs tend to last longer while encounter-
ing fewer mechanical issues.

Figure 1: Four factors driving EV growth.

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 White paper | Moving EV manufacturing into the fast lane

Electric vehicle manufacturing

challenges

EVs present new challenges that major automotive Manufacturers are shifting to modular native EV plat-
brands and startup companies have yet to face. Drive forms, both to better accommodate electric pow-
range and vehicle cost continue to be central concerns ertrains and to support high-volume production.
of consumers. Automotive manufacturers must maxi- Native EV platforms can accommodate battery packs
mize the drive range of their vehicles while continuing that are up to 25 percent larger, providing greater
to reduce costs through more efficient production. drive range, and support flexible powertrain configu-
rations (Chatelain, Erriquez, Mouliére, & Schäfer,
Vehicle weight is a major determiner of drive range; a
2018). Advances in battery chemistry will continue to
10 percent weight reduction can improve fuel economy
improve the energy density of these batteries, further
up to 8 percent (Shea, 2012). Unfortunately, electric
improving range.
drivetrains and batteries are significantly heavier than
ICE powertrains. To counteract the increased weight of The cost to manufacture and purchase EVs will decline
electric powertrains, vehicle manufacturers are incorpo- as production increases, but reaching price parity with
rating advanced lightweight materials into the vehicle ICE vehicles will require additional advancements in
body. Replacing conventional materials with lightweight battery production methods. Batteries are the primary
magnesium and aluminum alloys or carbon fiber can contributor to the cost of EVs. The production of bat-
reduce the weight of a vehicle body and chassis by up tery cells is the primary challenge, accounting for 70
to 50 percent. Vehicle manufacturers must incorporate percent of the total cost of the battery pack.
these materials intelligently and ensure that weight Improving cell chemistry that increases energy density
reductions do not compromise vehicle safety. will help, but battery producers will need additional
means of reducing cell production costs to deliver
Drive range is also impacted by the size and chemistry
cost-effective vehicle batteries.
of the vehicle batteries. Many EVs currently on the
market are adapted from pre-existing ICE vehicles. Due Finally, automotive OEM and supplier relationships
to differences in the packaging of ICE and electric pow- will become more important and more complex. For
ertrains, these non-native EVs compromise battery size automotive OEMs, this transition will present new
to fit into the existing architecture (figure 2). challenges in managing their supply chains including
lead-time, quality assurance and traceability of the
product lifecycle across organizations. Suppliers will
see a great opportunity for growth and evolution into
providers of more complete vehicle sub-systems. With
growth, however, comes additional risk. OEMs will set
aggressive time-to-market goals for increasingly com-
plex systems. In addition, suppliers will need to ensure
robust collaboration and traceability procedures are in
place as they work with OEMs and other suppliers.

Figure 2: Native EV platforms provide more configuration flexibility and

greater drive range by accommodating larger battery packs.

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 White paper | Moving EV manufacturing into the fast lane

The digital twin moves electric vehicle

manufacturing into the fast lane

Creating a digital twin of the product and the produc- tool like the Tecnomatix® portfolio to build a simulation
tion can solve the challenges of EV manufacturing by of the product components and robotic welding tool, a
blurring the boundaries between design and manufac- programmer can quickly define a welding seam on the
turing, merging the physical and digital worlds. These product geometry that accounts for robot collision
digital twins capture physical asset performance data constraints and configuration to produce a single weld-
from products and factories in operation. The data from ing seam.
smart connected products in the field and factory equip-
New materials are not the only change agent related to
ment is aggregated, analyzed and integrated into prod-
lightweight vehicle design and manufacturing.
uct design as actionable information, creating a com-
Advanced technologies like additive manufacturing
pletely closed-loop decision environment for continuous
(AM) can also contribute to the reduction of vehicle
optimization.
weight by enabling the production of more sophisti-
Such a comprehensive digital twin enables manufactur- cated component geometries. AM allows engineers to
ers to plan and implement manufacturing processes for reimagine product design to expand their capabilities,
new lightweight designs and modular vehicle platforms improve performance and reduce material usage and
while reducing the costs of battery production and weight. AM also empowers companies to re-invent
coordinating across deep supplier ecosystems. This manufacturing by eliminating tooling, castings and
approach will not be optional, but required for automo- molds, and reducing manufacturing components to
tive companies as they transition into the dynamic and simplify processes.
fast-paced future of their industry. Let’s examine how
Integrating AM into vehicle production will create some
the digital twin helps solve each challenge.
challenges. AM requires specialized equipment and
methods that must interact with conventional manufac-
Lightweight Designs
turing processes and tools. A major challenge for manu-
The integration of new materials into vehicle architec-
facturers is achieving this integration while scaling AM
tures is key to many manufacturers’ strategies for reduc-
processes to meet the high-volume production typical
ing the weight of vehicles while maintaining vehicle
in the automotive industry.
safety. These new materials, however, introduce new
manufacturing constraints. For example, the increasing A comprehensive digital twin facilitates the industrial-
use of aluminum and carbon fiber to create vehicle ization of additive manufacturing by unifying product
bodies has caused an adoption of new joining technolo- design, manufacturing design and actual production.
gies. Most vehicles will contain a mixture of traditional With advanced product design and simulation tools,
and new materials. This means that new materials will engineers can prepare parts for AM from the outset.
join with conventional product components. Generative design and topology optimization optimize
component geometry for weight, material usage and
A digital twin of the production process enables engi-
strength. The component can then be validated using
neers to evaluate multiple methods of joining vehicle
advanced materials simulations and prepared for the
components, including joining technology and tool
printing process. This preparation includes printing
orientation, to identify the most accurate and efficient
orientation and support structures, as well as slicing,
process. For instance, laser welding requires high accu-
hatching and printing simulations. These solutions can
racy especially when dealing with complex component
even perform post-processing and inspection on the
geometry. A key challenge is achieving a smooth and
virtual component to verify the component design and
continuous welding seam, without splitting the seam
manufacturing process.
into multiple segments. Using a digital manufacturing

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 White paper | Moving EV manufacturing into the fast lane

Such an end-to-end system can produce astounding EV Platforms

results. AM has become a major piece of Ford’s manu- As manufacturers shift towards native EV platforms,
facturing eco-system. One of their AM applications, their assembly processes will need to shift towards a
according to Ford, has the potential to save the com- more modular build environment. This strategy applies
pany more than $2 million (Goehrke, 2018). Other to EV initiatives at established OEMs and at start-up EV
major automotive manufacturers are investing in AM as companies with a mid-term to long-term vision. In
well. BMW recently announced a project to further addition, strategic alliances between global automakers
integrate AM into its vehicle production. The company will be important methods of gaining access to foreign
expects its new AM lines to reduce manual processes markets, diluting the cost of platform development and
from 35 percent to 5 percent, cutting the cost of metal accelerating supply chain optimization through scale.
components in half (Jackson, 2019). Ford and VW have announced such an alliance in which
Ford will purchase 600,000 units of VW’s modular elec-
In another example, the EDAG Group leveraged a fully
tric vehicle platform (Volkswagen, 2019).
integrated AM process to minimize the weight, develop-
ment time and cost of their scalable battery housing, Assembly methodologies, processes and tooling will
SCALEbat (figure 3). AM was used to manufacture a evolve to support these modular build scenarios that
geometrically complex coolant distributor with active can quickly adapt to market conditions. As a result,
valve control. This component regulates the volume- manufacturing planning must be digitalized to become
flow of coolant in each of the battery housing’s three more agile and integrated. Leveraging a digital twin of
cooling circuits individually. EDAG was able to reduce the product, engineers can evaluate manufacturing
pressure drop by 22 percent due to the geometric free- methods virtually, analyzing multiple tools, assembly
dom provided by AM.

Figure 3: The EDAG Group’s SCALEbat modular battery housing features an additively manufactured coolant distributor.

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 White paper | Moving EV manufacturing into the fast lane

sequences and production line configurations while showing the adherence of processes to manufacturing
identifying and resolving issues (figure 4). standards at the station, line, or factory level to provide
an estimation of process maturity. As these processes
are developed, it will become crucial for manufacturers
to capture as much data and knowledge from each
implementation to assist production ramp-up in other
facilities.
The benefits of digitalization extend to the factory level.
With digital production planning and simulation tools,
planners can evaluate production line configurations,
and entire factory layouts to optimize manufacturing
operations. Industrial engineers create a virtual model
of the manufacturing facility to define and optimize
factory-specific operations. To begin, the engineers can
access defined assembly processes directly from the
PLM solution, such as Teamcenter® Manufacturing
software, to insert into the factory floor plan. These
Figure 4: Engineers can use the digital twins of these sub-assemblies to assembly processes form the “building blocks” with
plan and evaluate manufacturing processes.
which the engineers will define a production line or
factory layout.
Vehicles contain hundreds of parts that need to be
Next, the engineers plan and evaluate each production
assembled. A planning team defines assembly processes
line. Each of these lines may produce several vehicle
that identify the tools and equipment needed to assem-
models and variants. The engineers can examine and
ble each product, and the sequence in which this
validate the variation in work content in any given
assembly should occur. Advanced process planning
workstation for each vehicle model or variant.
solutions help planners allocate vehicle parts to new
Furthermore, the engineers can perform line-balancing
assembly processes and can identify parts that have yet
analysis to ensure that workstations and operators are
to be processed. Furthermore, these solutions can
neither under or over-worked. The engineer can then
access libraries of processes to reuse proven process
quickly reconfigure the allocation of operations to work
knowledge such as assembly standards, time estimates,
stations to resolve issues or improve performance.
quality checks and more. This reduces the time required
to create high-quality assembly process plans, enabling Finally, engineers can leverage the virtual factory and
rapid response to product or production changes. production line models to plan and optimize factory
logistics and material delivery. With consideration of the
Next, each planned assembly process can be distributed
rate of production, planners can identify material deliv-
within the context of the manufacturing facility con-
ery locations and review delivery routes and corridors.
straints, enabling planners to define and validate the
Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) can be simulated in
assembly sequence. Planners can select tooling based
the context of the factory layout to ensure proper func-
on the product requirements from tool libraries, driving
tionality. Engineers can even virtually commission con-
standardization. They can also assign checks for tool
trol logic for automated systems based on the simula-
reach and access or ergonomic feasibility to align the
tions. This enables the engineers to ensure that material
process with manufacturing standards.
is delivered where it is needed, and when it is needed to
An integrated process simulation environment enables prevent production delays.
a manufacturing engineer to load the digital twin of an
assembly sequence to perform static and dynamic Battery Production
checks for tool collision and other manufacturability Reducing the cost of battery production is a critical step
constraints. The results of the simulation can be cap- to the success of EVs. Integrated digital solutions can
tured and attached to a manufacturability check, which help battery producers achieve cost-effective batteries
can then be updated to a product lifecycle management by connecting battery design with manufacturing and
(PLM) solution. The PLM solution can then use the establishing a digital thread throughout the flow.
manufacturability checks to publish a dashboard

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 White paper | Moving EV manufacturing into the fast lane

Advanced battery design and simulation solutions

enable engineers to optimize cell design and perfor-
mance at early stages of development. Cell geometry
can be defined and optimized in the context of the
battery modules and final package. Then, battery cells,
modules and packs can be evaluated in a virtual produc-
tion process, enabling engineers to optimize the design
for improved assembly and disassembly. This prevents
the occurrence of tedious or time-consuming assembly
tasks that can create bottlenecks in production.
Manufacturing engineering for the battery pack can
mimic that of a body shop. The structural engineering
and joining method (fastening, laser welding, arc weld-
ing, etc.) is defined in product engineering. Once simu- Figure 5: Engineers can virtually examine operator ergonomics to ensure
comfortable working conditions.
lation of the battery pack is completed, data for the
battery module, cell, or pack, as well as relevant manu- These capabilities can also be used to validate operator
facturing features is released to the manufacturing ergonomics and refine the layout of the production line.
engineering department to build the production sta- The battery assembly sequence can be defined and
tions. The manufacturing engineers can use the actual evaluated to ensure optimal cycle times. Such simula-
battery pack design data to build production stations tions may also uncover problems. The battery package
with an appropriate mix of automation, robotics and may be too large for the defined assembly when lying
human operators. Design inputs can also serve as pro- flat. Smaller operators will have difficulty reaching
duction requirements. Manufacturing processes must across the package while taller operators will need to
not surpass the speed, acceleration, vibrations, tem- adopt an unsafe posture. Engineers can modify the
perature, or humidity that the battery pack will experi- layout by inserting a tilted workbench, allowing opera-
ence in an operational vehicle. tors to perform the assembly easily. A corresponding
For example, once battery modules are fixed to the ergonomics report can also be generated to ensure
battery pack housing, operators need to connect the compliance. The process simulation tool can then vali-
battery modules together using cables. The design of date the new process cycle time and generate work
the battery modules and connectors need to account for instructions from the first-person view of the operator.
operator posture and anthropometrics, as well as clear-
Supplier Evolution
ance with other structures on the battery module. Later
Leveraging a comprehensive digital twin will enables
in the product lifecycle, the cables may need to be
OEMs and suppliers to collaborate effectively and effi-
disconnected to allow battery repair. Therefore, the
ciently under tight delivery timelines. Such a digital twin
connectors must also be detachable.
facilitates model-based definition and engineering that
Modern CAD solutions, such as Tecnomatix Process can help improve designs for manufacturing processes.
Simulate, feature integrated manufacturing interfaces Assembly variation analysis and automated feature-
that enable a user to select the target anthropometry based CMM programming ensures first-pass manufac-
and posture for the operation (figure 5). The engineer turing quality and can identify root causes of product
can then examine whether there is enough space on defects. The digital twin can also be used to plan quality
the connector for operators to grip, whether enough inspections and tie these to change management pro-
clearance to other structures on the battery module is cesses. With these capabilities, OEMs and suppliers can
reserved, and whether the relevant ergonomics stan- achieve faster quality ramp-up with root-cause analysis
dards are met. that feed back into product design change processes.

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 White paper | Moving EV manufacturing into the fast lane

Suppliers will also need to remain flexible to short lead launch with optimized processes. Production through-
times and accelerated evolution of assembly methods put will also be improved due to the early integration of
to meet variable demands. Digital twins of the produc- product and production engineering.
tion facilities will allow these companies to make the
As production lines and facilities are designed, imple-
best use of existing capabilities while quickly identifying
mented and enter operation, detailed information is
and designing new production lines or assembly pro-
captured automatically and available for sharing among
cesses (figure 6). If additional production lines or new
multiple facilities. This information helps accelerate
assembly processes are necessary, manufacturing engi-
production ramp-up in new facilities and ensures consis-
neers can use NX™ Line Designer software to design
tency across a supplier’s production or the OEM’s supply
these additions in the context of the current factory,
chain. Work instructions, detailed process documenta-
verifying floor space and layout. Digital twins of the
tion and even live equipment dashboards can be made
production also facilitate the inclusion of factory design
available to enable knowledge and information sharing
into product engineering. Together, these capabilities
across an organization.
reduce late changes and help accelerate production

Figure 6: Production digital twins help manufacturers and suppliers develop new production capabilities quickly to maximize each facility and line.

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 White paper | Moving EV manufacturing into the fast lane

Conclusion

EV manufacturing presents new and novel challenges to ergonomics. Integrations with product design solutions
automotive OEMs and startups seeking to become allow engineers to optimize product designs for manu-
major electric mobility players. These companies will facturing and leverage the product digital twin during
need to adopt advanced manufacturing technologies, manufacturing planning and simulations. Finally, robust
such as additive manufacturing, and develop modular PLM solutions ensure that an unbroken digital thread is
production facilities to produce the lightweight and maintained among OEMs and suppliers throughout the
flexible platforms needed for next generation EVs. Cost product lifecycle.
reduction and coordination across the manufacturer
Consumer preference is already shifting towards
and supplier ecosystem will also be critical to fostering
e-mobility, bolstered by government regulations and
the growth of EVs in the market.
increasing accessibility as costs plummet. As the compe-
Integrated and digitalized manufacturing planning and tition ramps up, companies that embrace digitalization
simulation solutions can help these companies adapt from product definition through manufacturing and
and overcome these challenges by uniting manufactur- into production will be able to deliver higher quality
ing with design, and the real world with its digital coun- products to market in less time, and respond to changes
terpart. Such solutions will enable vehicle manufactur- with greater agility and intelligence. In the future, such
ers to accelerate their production planning and ramp-up capability will be necessary to succeed and thrive in the
by virtually designing and validating production pro- age of electrified mobility.Um conis. Imuntesse, este,
cesses for cycle time, product quality and operator nostea nu eorem eraturei firmis rediem nimistri ta

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insights/ 5. Shea, S. B. (2012, December 4). 54.5 MPG and Beyond: Materials
what-a-teardown-of-the-latest-electric-vehicles-reveals-about-the- Lighten the Load for Fuel Economy. Department of Energy. Retrieved
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turing-153665/

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Siemens Digital Industries Software About Siemens Digital Industries Software
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