The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is fundamentally disrupting the automotive industry, forcing manufacturing engineering to digitally transform. Given this: 

• How can automotive companies leverage digital manufacturing best practices to launch and scale EV programs faster? 
• How can they set the stage for greater agility to drive innovation and improvements of all kinds into production?

Read our eBook to see how automotive companies can take advantage of disruption and transform to meet today’s challenges and set a foundation for greater success by further leveraging 3D manufacturing process modeling and simulation. Please enjoy the summary below or download the full eBook courtesy of our sponsor, Siemens.

Please visit our sponsor, Siemens, to learn more about how they are helping manufacturers manage complexity and leverage data for a competitive advantage in the EV industry.

Table of Contents

• The EV Revolution Demands Change
• Adopt Best Practices in Production Planning
• Digitally Transformation Manufacturing Planning
• Increase use of 3D Modeling
• Simulate, Validate, and Optimize Production
• Conclusions and Next Steps
• Acknowledgments

EVs are a Disruptive Force

Electrification is Disrupting the Transportation Industry

Our data shows that risk and disruption increased for about two-thirds of automotive and transportation companies over the last five years, and for roughly one-third, it “significantly” increased.1 The electric vehicles (EV) transition is causing upheaval and is undoubtedly a big contributor to the problem. The impact is significant on both pure EV manufacturers and traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) driven vehicle producers combatting new entrants. Today’s rapid pace of innovation has disrupted the status quo, resulting in the need for speed, innovation, and agility. Leading automotive companies are taking the opportunity to turn disruption to their advantage, creating a chance to innovate and differentiate themselves.

Driving Change through Better Manufacturing Planning

The EV-driven disruption demands digital transformation across the business. One area that can make a strategic difference is manufacturing engineering. Companies need to improve production planning to drive faster, more agile introduction of innovation in EV and ICE programs alike. And they have to do this despite increased complexity and without disrupting quality. Fortunately, the automotive industry is accustomed to change, and best practices already exist. Our research shows that top-performing automotive companies are more likely to leverage proven practices for manufacturing engineering, specifically 3D modeling, simulation, and collaboration.

This eBook explores:

• How can automotive companies leverage digital manufacturing best practices to launch and scale EV programs faster?
• How can they set the stage for greater agility to drive innovation and improvements of all kinds into production?

The EV Revolution Demands Change

Transformation is Mandatory

The move toward electric vehicles is picking up pace. New entrants paved the way and created a market that demands alternative fuel source transportation. In many cases, these companies have innovated in manufacturing processes in addition to vehicle designs. Some changes have been necessary because of new processes like battery assembly and fundamental powertrain differences. But these companies have also pushed the limits on new materials and new production processes like additive manufacturing and Tesla’s Giga Press.

Don’t Forget Lessons Learned

Some manufacturing methods have to be revised, reinvented, or invented in the first place to bring EVs to full-scale production effectively. However, traditional manufacturers have decades of experience and knowhow on effectively planning and launching vehicle programs at scale. Many of the basics still apply, and manufacturers shouldn’t discount decades of learning. That knowledge must continue to be captured, reused, and continuously improved. At the same time, new materials and methods from EV programs can be evaluated for ICE production. Of course, it’s important to remember that even “traditional” vehicle production needs to transform to accommodate increasingly software- and systems-oriented vehicles, shorter vehicle lifecycles, and greater vehicle personalization.