Multi-material assemblies are key to producing vehicle bodies with the most efficient cost/lightweight ratio. However, it is a challenge to find the right material mix and apply it to the appropriate location, optimize geometries & thicknesses, engineer robust manufacturing processes, and select the optimal joining technologies. Due to an almost infinite number of combinations, single-point numerical simulations aren’t enough to get the job done.  

Instead, automakers have started to shift towards tightly coupling the engineering and manufacturing worlds to make the right decisions as early as possible in the development cycle and avoid late correction loops with costly physical prototypes. 

For most steel-based body structures, end-to-end virtual prototyping is an established approach for OEMs – from connecting the product design, performance, and manufacturing engineering workflows. Some key benefits are:  

• Confidence in the best design earlier by predicting manufacturing, assembly and performance through accurate representation of physics and applied processes  
• Accurate manufacturing and performance validation of all lightweight materials (standard steel, high-strength steels, aluminum, composites) regardless of what process they have been manufactured through (standard stamping, hotforming, casting) 
• Unlimited virtual try-out to find the most efficient manufacturing processes to achieve assemblies with optimal cost/quality ratio ensuring correct performance 
• Reduction (and eventually complete elimination) of expensive physical prototypes and time-consuming try-out iterations 

Ultimately, end-to-end virtual prototyping is the best way to reduce your overall product development cycle, cost, and time to the start of production (SOP) by getting your sustainable vehicle engineering, manufacturing, and assembly processes right.