Pascal Remusan - MODSIM Pioneer

In your MODSIM conference keynote, you discussed the Renaulution Virtual Twin project. Please tell us a little more about that.

Numerical simulation is key when developing new products, but over the past 30 years, it has needed to become more accurate to predict the physical behavior of vehicles. Unfortunately, simulation still tends to be perceived as a tool for specialists and this causes delays during conception loops. In my presentation, I introduced the Renault Group’s “Renaulution” strategy, particularly concerning reducing validation costs. I demonstrated how we empower our design teams with well-integrated and efficient CAE and computer aided design (CAD) software to size each component, allowing us to shorten design loops and quickly optimize technical definition.

How has MODSIM helped Renault Group to reduce the mass of its vehicle body in white – the frame of the car body?

It’s a multi-step process. The first step is to get good information about the existing parts being carried over and get data specifications and requirements from the project. Once we have that, MODSIM will help us to design faster, with biometric models that yield automatic CAE models and then we’ll make our calculations.

You have discussed how MODSIM enables Renault Group’s designers to do some very early evaluations. Do you plan to democratize more processes? What would be the key benefits?

The key benefit is monetary because if we need to increase the quality of the design or decrease mass, we need to reduce the size and optimize all the parts after the design. What we need for designers are well-integrated tools. If CAD and simulation tools are in the same environment, they will use them. If they are different tools and users need to transfer to tools they do not know, ultimately, they will not use them. So, integration of the tools is very important. Designers need to feel comfortable having the help of an assistant in the tool and to use it. With this, we will democratize usage and combine the sizing of the parts with improvements in quality and mass.

How has 3DEXPERIENCE helped you reach your sustainability goals?

3DEXPERIENCE will help us to connect. We have a single source of truth in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, where people can work together. We can share data and we have connections to the tools and workflows. This will allow each person to work with the most automated tools possible.

What are the advantages of digital continuity?

It’s about trustability. As we reduce physical testing, we need to validate using numerical simulations to give proof of security to anyone who needs it. We need to be sure about the link between the design, the requirements, the simulation models, the results and the comparison to the requirement. If we ensure this trustability, we provide proof that we have assessed the performance for the customer and that we can validate the vehicle.

Thinking about the workforce of the future, what would be the ideal profile of new engineers so they can fit into your organization?

Renault Group is a big company, so we don’t have the same person making the design and creating the simulations. We have people in all the domains who specialize in their domain. But what is very important now is that they all need the skills to understand each other. Designers need to understand the needs and the simulation solutions. Simulation engineers need to understand how to design and all of them need to understand the product they are designing and validating. So, ultimately, we are searching for multi-skilled people.

Check out the full presentation in the MODSIM Community.