ESI Group (Paris:ESI), leading innovator in Virtual Prototyping
software and services for manufacturing industries, helped Farasis
Energy, a Chinese-American battery provider, win in record-breaking
time, a call for tenders made by a premium German automotive OEM. Thanks
to ESI’s expertise, the reliability of the virtual prototype of the new
Farasis battery model was decisive in a “zero real prototype” procedure,
stipulating the elimination of any physical prototype.
The move of the automotive industry toward electrification is seemingly
unstoppable. Manufacturers are announcing aggressive plans for Electric
Vehicle (EV) production, and the International Energy Agency says the
number of EVs will grow from 3 to 125 million by 2030. So, it’s no
wonder that new players are entering the market, breaking the
traditional rules of product design – new players like lithium-ion
battery maker Farasis Energy. Looking to collect wins in this
fast-growing market, the team at Farasis relied on ESI’s expertise to
prove to a major German car maker that they were the best supplier –
based solely on a virtual prototype. This collaboration around ESI’s
Virtual Performance Solution (VPS) allowed to virtualize and secure the
behavior of the battery in vibration or vehicle crash situations.
Dr. Matt Klein, Advanced R&D Director at Farasis Energy, emphasized the
key role ESI played in this project: “Half-way through the bidding
process, the manufacturer actually decided to remove the physical
prototype step – they would make their decision based on the virtual
prototype. In just 8 months, we went from limited Virtual Prototyping
capability to winning those bids. The head of the whole program
conducting the bidding process went out of his way to tell us that the
mechanical simulation was an instrumental part in helping us get the
design approved. We could not have done that without ESI. Our
partnership with ESI is truly strategic in bringing our simulation
capabilities to a global leading standard.”
Two fundamental elements differentiated ESI’s VPS in this project:
-
The reliability of the results, eliminating the need for a real
prototype verification, as a result of the consideration of complex
physical phenomenon inside the battery. -
The integration level of different virtual vibration and crash tests
in one solution, allowing iteration loops and quick decisions.
Farasis relied on ESI’s proven knowledge of the automotive industry and
ability to provide real results, virtually, thanks to virtual
prototyping. The capability to build a global model, covering several
engineering disciplines, led to a highly efficient workflow and
ultimately a cost-effective solution for Farasis.
Since their win, Farasis has opened a new factory on-site in Germany,
dedicated to the research & development of their batteries for the
German car maker. ESI is now putting in place a platform for Farasis’
international team of simulation engineers, one that is fully automated
and customized to their way of working. Thanks to this Platform, the
Farasis team will work together – regardless of what continent they are
on – with great efficiency and transparency, on common Virtual
Prototyping models. And what began as a bi-lateral partnership has
quickly evolved into an ecosystem comprised of three major players –
Farasis, ESI Group, and the automotive manufacturer – all hungry to tap
into the EV market.
About Farasis
Farasis Energy, Inc. created in California in 2002 is a company
specialized in the conception and distribution of batteries. Present in
China (headquarters), in the Silicon Valley (R&D center), and in Europe,
the Group is one of the world leaders in his sector. Farasis’ ambition
is to position itself as a pivot to better meet the challenges of its
industrial clients: saving time to market and the costs of production
while maintaining a high level of reliability and safety.
ESI and Farasis will jointly showcase their expertise and partnership
at the CES 2020 in Las Vegas. Meet them in ESI Booth: LVCC, Automotive
Section – North Hall, booth #9020
About ESI Group
ESI Group is a leading innovator in Virtual Prototyping software and
services. Specialist in material physics, ESI has developed a unique
proficiency in helping industrial manufacturers replace physical
prototypes by virtual prototypes, allowing them to virtually
manufacture, assemble, test and pre-certify their future products.
Coupled with the latest technologies, Virtual Prototyping is now
anchored in the wider concept of the Product Performance Lifecycle™,
which addresses the operational performance of a product during its
entire lifecycle, from launch to disposal. The creation of a Hybrid
Twin™, leveraging simulation, physics and data analytics, enables
manufacturers to deliver smarter and connected products, to predict
product performance and to anticipate maintenance needs.
ESI is a French company listed in compartment B of NYSE Euronext Paris.
Present in more than 40 countries, and addressing every major industrial
sector, ESI Group employs about 1200 high-level specialists around the
world and reported annual sales of €139 million in 2018. For more
information, please visit www.esi-group.com.
Follow ESI
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200106005895/en/