The future of mobility requires design vehicles that combine safety, reduced weight, and a lower environmental footprint. For Denis Schmitz, an automotive engineer specializing in eco-design, achieving these goals means integrating advanced materials, light weighting strategies, crash-sensitive architectures, and holistic simulations early in the design process.
In battery electric vehicles especially, structural safety constraints are tighter than ever due to battery integration. At the same time, engineers must compare production technologies, control carbon footprint across the entire value chain, and ensure cost-efficiency from the start.
By leveraging CATIA,SIMULIA, and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Denis can explore innovative structures from metal alloys over sandwich composites to wood-based materials, while assessing production costs, environmental impact, and vehicle performance in parallel.
Holistic System Design for Battery Electric Vehicles
Denis Schmitz focuses on eco-design for mobility, covering system conception, component modeling, structural validation, and ecological evaluation. His work often revolves around integrating traction battery systems into commercial and passenger vehicles while optimizing both structural performance and occupant comfort.
Battery applications for automotive and commercial vehicles are very interesting because you have to fulfill functional goals like thermal management and electromagnetic performance while maintaining safety and serviceability.
A practical example is the development of a sandwich roof structure concept, designed in collaboration with StrongByForm. This structure balances crash performance, thermal isolation, acoustics and aesthetics, while maintaining interior space for passenger comfort in spite of the package space occupied by the underfloor battery. Holistic considerations also include assembly sequence, ensuring cost-effective maintenance throughout the vehicle lifecycle.
Comparing Materials and Production Technologies
An essential part of Denis’ eco-design approach is selecting the right material and production technology based on volume and sustainability.
It’s important to review what kind of effort is needed to produce a certain part, depending on the production volume. So for example, If you choose a technology which requires big presses, different types of tooling, because we have several forming steps, but only have a low production volume, it’s not really balanced.
Beyond traditional metals and composites, Denis explores wood-based composites for certain vehicle components. These materials offer advantages in lightweighting, carbon footprint reduction and recyclability. Using the EcoDesign application, he tracks CO₂ emissions across the supply chain, including raw materials, semi-finished goods, manufacturing, and end-of-life handling.
This comparison is not limited to mechanical performance. It includes cost of tooling, scalability, and environmental impact, ensuring that selected technologies meet both economic and sustainability objectives.
Simulation-Driven Design Decisions
Denis relies on a phased, simulation-driven workflow to validate concepts efficiently. Early-stage analyses use model-based pre-dimensioning and proxy load cases to down-select favorable solutions. Later, detailed simulations ensure compliance with safety and performance targets.
Denis primarily relies on quasi static analyses, structural stiffness evaluation, and strength related load case. Other simulation domains such as fatigue behavior, thermal management, electromagnetic compatibility can also be explored depending on the project needs.
Crash validation is particularly critical for electric vehicles. Ensuring controlled load paths that protect the battery system during side pole or small overlap impacts requires precise modeling and early verification.
To dive into the quasi-static simulations, do investigations, get first results, and take the right decisions, I think 3DEXPERIENCE platform offers very hands-on solutions.
The MODSIM approach avoids time-consuming model transfers between departments, enabling simultaneous modeling and simulation instead of sequential iterations.
Material Efficiency, Lightweighting, and Eco-Impact
Eco-design considerations are central to Denis’ workflow. Material savings and energy efficiency go hand in hand with vehicle performance. Topology optimization guides load paths, informing both material choice and structural layout. Wood-based composites and lightweight sandwich panels are evaluated not only for mechanical performance but also for their reduced carbon footprint.
Parametric design studies in the 3DEXPERIENCE environment are very effective to downselect the most efficient path to realize your lightweight goals.
Benefits of 3DEXPERIENCE, CATIA, and SIMULIA
The integrated 3DEXPERIENCE platform is central to Denis’ workflow. It connects modeling, simulation, and eco-design in one collaborative environment.
In simulation, I was used to work with team, specialist teams, so having a kind of sparring partner for the pre-imposed processing […] I think 3DEXPERIENCE offers very hands-on solutions.
And this accelerates the development time, definitely. It also helps you to be sensitive to what kind of set screws you can turn during a simulation, what can go right, what can go wrong. And, yeah, really to have a full view over the product development.
By reducing model handovers, enabling simultaneous modeling and simulation, and supporting eco-assessment, the platform accelerates development while improving both technical and environmental outcomes.
Conclusion
For eco-conscious automotive engineering, early integration of advanced materials, crash-sensitive battery architectures, multi-material assembly strategies, and full lifecycle carbon assessment is key.
CATIA, SIMULIA, and 3DEXPERIENCEenable engineers like Denis Schmitz to evaluate common materials as well as wood-based composites, production technologies, crash performance, and carbon footprint in parallel, accelerating development while improving sustainability and controlling costs.
This integrated approach makes development faster, more robust, and measurably more sustainable from first concept to end-of-life.
FAQ
- What types of materials are considered for eco-design in EVs?
Materials include metals, composites, and wood-based composites for light weighting and reduced carbon footprint.
- How does 3DEXPERIENCE support sustainability analysis?
Using the Eco-Design Assessment application under the Eco-Design Engineer role, the platform tracks CO₂ emissions across the entire value chain from raw materials and semi-finished goods to manufacturing, supply chain logistics, use phase, and end-of-life scenarios.
- How are production costs and technologies compared?
Parametric and topology optimization studies help evaluate material choices and manufacturing methods relative to production volume. Connected cost estimation is based on experience and information by supplier.
- Why is light weighting important for EVs?
Reducing vehicle weight improves efficiency, safety, and reduces environmental impact without compromising structural integrity. Relating to an EV, on the one hand part of the mass-related kinetic energy partly can be recuperated, but on the other hand less vehicle weight enables saving of battery cells and thus reducing battery`s volumetric density at same range and driving power respectively.
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Who is Meghna Seebaluck?
Meghna Seebaluck is a CATIA SIMULIA Communication Specialist, within the Communication Organization.