Innovative Design Optimization for Efficient Automotive Powertrains: A Renault Case Study

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Renault, one of Europe's largest automotive manufacturers, was faced with the challenge of developing a new, efficient, and lightweight vehicle powertrain. The company aimed to further decrease the weight and increase the performance of existing and in-development engines by redesigning key components to use a minimum amount of material. The challenge was compounded by the need to meet tighter regulations across Europe, US, and Asia, and a shift in consumer demand for more fuel-efficient vehicles. The company also wanted to use design optimization techniques from the start of the development process, rather than as a tactical tool to combat weight problems in the detailed design phase. However, the complexity and time-consuming nature of creating powertrain models posed a potential barrier to this approach.

Renault is one of Europe’s largest automotive manufacturers, producing a wide range of passenger cars and commercial vehicles from its facilities located around the world. The company has been pushing the development of high performance, fuel-efficient engines for many years. In 2009, Renault figured among Europe's three best-performing car manufacturers for average CO2 emissions. The company is now aiming to move to the top of the order by further decreasing the weight and increasing the performance of its engines. Renault is investing heavily in the development of lighter vehicles and more economical engines that can go further on less fuel, in response to tighter regulations and a shift in consumer demand.

Renault collaborated with Altair, a provider of simulation solutions, to develop the required optimization design methods and processes for use at component and sub-system levels. Altair supplied Renault with extensive support for the design optimization technology within its HyperWorks simulation suite and provided engineering expertise through its product development division, Altair ProductDesign. The collaboration involved conducting a simulation 'Grand Challenge' to demonstrate the potential impact of optimization technology on the performance of the powertrains. Altair used new design methods and processes to rapidly develop an innovative solution to the defined engineering challenge. The solution involved using Altair’s SimLab finite element modeling environment to automate the build of complex structures based on the concept CAD models, and OptiStruct to perform topology optimization on the external rib network for the global powertrain assembly.

• The use of optimization technology early in the development process proved to be extremely effective for Renault. It allowed the powertrain team to rapidly experiment with hundreds of design variables that an engineer would not typically consider, while still allowing the team to use their judgment in choosing the best solution. The process freed the team to concentrate on added value tasks rather than time-consuming modeling activities. The final design of the new powertrain not only achieved an 8% reduction in weight but also improved in-house NVH and fatigue cumulated performance indicators by 30%, making the performance of the new Renault engine the best in its class. The grand challenge activity demonstrated that using optimization technology early in the development process can help to reduce the development time by shortening costly design loops and minimizing the effort required for product validation.

• Weight of the new powertrain was reduced by 8%
• NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) & fatigue improved by 30%
• Modeling efficiency improved by 60%