Customer Case Study

ODIN
Client
European collaborative project ODIN
(Optimised electric Drivetrain by
INtegration) co-funded by the European
Union (FP7), consortium partners include
Bosch, GKN, Renault, Fuchs, Romax,
CIE Automotive, ISEA (RWTC Aachen
University).
Challenge
Reduce cost of electric vehicles (EVs) and
enable sustainable manufacturing while
ensuring high performance and meeting
automotive quality standards.
Solution
Detailed system level engineering of the
electro-mechanical package to control key
attributes of cost, efficiency and NVH by
using Romax technical consulting services,
CONCEPT and RomaxDESIGNER
software tools throughout the design cycle.
Benefits
Speeding development towards an optimal
solution - a 50% cost reduction and a
2% improvement in overall efficiency was
achieved, when compared to reference
powertrains. The goal is to stimulate the EV
marketplace and enable mass production
in the EU of cheap, durable, high-speed
vehicles.
Optimised Electric Drivetrains
Powering the electric car market through
innovative integrated powertrains
The three-year ODIN project aims to develop a compact and
cost effective powertrain for electric vehicles (EVs). Co-funded
by the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and
Technological Development (FP7), which brings all research-
related EU initiatives together under a single umbrella,
consortium partners including Bosch, GKN, Renault and
Romax are working to optimise integration of mechanical and
electrical components within the drivetrain.
The project emerged because the EU wants very structured manner” and, crucially, it
to stimulate growth in the EV market by requires solving “fundamental engineering
reducing overall vehicle costs, achieved via problems at the earliest stage” through
the smarter integration of gearbox, motor a “well-structured design process and
and electronics, and avoiding permanent innovative design techniques.” Romax plays
magnets. Through its innovative software a key role, including RomaxDESIGNER
and consulting expertise, Romax is – the industry-leading gear, driveline and
accelerating development, pushing designs bearing system design software, currently
in the right direction and helping towards licensed by 14 of the world’s top 15
the goal of creating a compact but energy- automakers.
and cost-efficient powertrain to enable the
mass production of fully electric cars “Properly integrated powertrains have
in the EU. a high potential to reduce costs, using
high-speed electric motors to reduce
Feedback from the FP7/EU is already space requirements and weight,” says Barry
highly positive: “Deliverables for the period James, Chief Technology Officer, Romax.
under analysis were received on time and “The objective is to create a compact drive
they are all at a high level of quality and without compromising on torque capability.
clarity. The expected outcomes will provide To achieve this, as things become smaller
significant innovation in the domain of and more power dense, it’s essential you
EVs and related fully-integrated complex can address component integration issues
systems… and more generally to the from the very first stages, and validate your
automotive community.” high-speed concepts.”

Ensuring innovative concepts and faster
design
The EU went on to focus on the simulation
aspects, describing the ODIN project
as “addressing multiple disciplines in a
He says the key is bringing powerful
simulation early in the design process,
backed by industry and engineering
expertise, to avoid problems and so
optimise designs.

With ODIN targeting a 50% cost reduction
compared to reference powertains, the
resulting technology should enable an EV
mass market to develop and help expand
that market. The development strategy,
founded on concept iteration with early
stage simulations and analysis to arrive at
optimal designs faster, covers:
• H
igh speed switched reluctance
motor (SRM) - cost efficient, robust,
optimised for electronics
• G
earbox and motor - highly
integrated, high speed motor and
quiet, efficient gearbox
• P
ower electronics - high switching
frequency, innovative topology
• C
ooling and lubrication - one
combined circuit (oil) for all
components
• S ystem simulations - a “whole
system approach” for all
components, and combinations
Integrating all sub-components while
recognising practical requirements for
industrialisation is critical, and should
result in a genuinely cost-efficient mass-
production compatible design. However,
the consortium was initially baffled by the
range of options.
“Identifying the right calculations and
including appropriate simulations in the
initial stages mean you can see what works
and highlight potential problems earlier,”
James says. Romax has supported gearbox
design by simulating various configurations
and multi-speed gearboxes, different types
of gear sets and different ratios, helping
whittle possible designs down to the three
most promising designs.
© Copyright Romax Technology Limited 2013. This document is for information only & is subject to change without notice.
“Identifying the right calculations and including
appropriate simulations in the initial stages mean
you can see what works and highlight potential
problems earlier”
Barry James
Chief Technology Officer
Romax Technology
The team also simulated different phases, that, and instead do the right simulation
pole pairs and speed/torque ratings for the to get the best design guidance at each
motor, enabling designers to focus on the point.” This concept of parsimony means
four most promising designs. you work as efficiently as possible, only
doing what you actually need to do – and
Dealing with noise and vibration no more. “Working this way brings noise
simulation early in the design process
Regarding noise, vibration and harshness
so you can actually make an informed
(NVH), concerns included whether torque
design change at a point where it makes
ripple would cause noise and drive-ability
a difference and before the cost of rework
issues, problems due to high speeds,
becomes prohibitive.”
identifying if gear noise or motor noise was
the greater problem, finding the quietest
With ODIN, noise minimisation simulations
design, and more. Simulations looked
informed design actions such as changing
at the entire e-powertrain, not only the
a mount position, and introducing ribs on
individual sub-systems of the gearbox
specific gearbox panel locations to reduce
and motor, and excited the complete
radiated noise. Other issues examined in
system from various sources including
the project included the impact of using a
gear transmission error, and torque ripple,
single cooling circuit with the same fluid,
electro-magnetic forces and unbalance
oil, for cooling and lubrication, and high
from the motor. “Our simulation has been
switching frequencies in power electronics.
correlated against test data from GKN
These results are enabling design of a
Driveline and we also drew on our field
new e-powertrain for the Renault Zoe,
experience,” James adds.
the first car designed for mass production
solely as an EV - so the future looks
“You can’t predict everything early in
bright for ODIN. As the EU’s FP7 recently
the design process when the design is
reported, the project’s progress has
changing, and trying to include every
already convinced reviewers that “the
last detail can simply lead to ‘paralysis by
main objective of a compact, cost effective
analysis’. So we’re very careful to avoid
e-powertrain for EVs is indeed achievable.”
To find out more
contact us via sales@romaxtech.com
or visit www.romaxtech.com
or www.fp7-odin.eu
CS-DT-ODIN-R1