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Electric Drive Technology Why Multiphysics is Becoming Increasingly Important

From Monika Zwettler | Translated by AI 9 min Reading Time

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Multiphysical simulation is becoming increasingly important in the development of electric drive technology: It enables designers and developers to model, analyze, and optimize the truly complex interactions, as experts confirm in this interview.

A deep understanding and careful definition of the challenges are essential for the development of reliable and efficient electric drives. This requires the use of advanced simulation and optimization techniques.(Image: © k_viktar - stock.adobe.com / AI-generated)
A deep understanding and careful definition of the challenges are essential for the development of reliable and efficient electric drives. This requires the use of advanced simulation and optimization techniques.
(Image: © k_viktar - stock.adobe.com / AI-generated)

In the mechanical and plant engineering sector, complexity, integration levels, and the pace of product development are increasing. Single-physics simulation no longer meets the requirements. Multiphysics represents the real interactions between electromagnetics, thermics, structural mechanics, fluidics, and acoustics—not only on the component level but within the overall system consisting of motor, inverter, battery, cooling, and packaging. The result is reliable predictions, fewer prototypes, and earlier validated decisions, as five experts explain in an interview.

Coupled simulation makes target conflicts visible early, quantifies losses, strains, and emissions, and enables optimized designs with shorter development cycles.

This is crucial for electric drives: high power density often conflicts with critical thermal management; electromagnetic forces affect bearings, vibration, and noise; manufacturing tolerances and aging influence efficiency and reliability. Coupled simulation makes trade-offs visible early, quantifies losses and emissions, and enables optimized designs with shorter development cycles.

AI Complements Multiphysics

Efficiency gains are achieved through "Shift-Left," meaning earlier simulation, reduced hardware tests, automated workflows, cloud/HPC, as well as reduced-order models and surrogate models. AI accelerates variant studies and optimizations and supports model creation and parameterization; it complements physics but does not replace it. Standardized, open interfaces and user-friendly apps democratize access and embed Multiphysics where decisions are made.

Multiphysics is therefore not a "nice-to-have," but a central tool for designers and developers.

The benefit is clear: higher first-time-right rate, more precise design of efficiency, lifespan, and acoustics, faster time-to-market, and lower costs—while achieving better compliance and sustainability. Multiphysics is therefore not a "nice-to-have," but a central tool for designers and developers.

The following are the detailed answers from the multiphysics experts:

"Multiphysics is Moving Closer to the Daily Routines of Development And Design"

Dr. Phillip Oberdorfer, Technology Communication Manager at Comsol Multiphysics GmbH: "Our solution is particularly strong where physical interactions are critical, such as in electric motors, power electronics, or batteries. Multiphysics realistically represents these effects and makes them so accessible with apps that simulation can be directly utilized in decision-making processes."(Image: Comsol)
Dr. Phillip Oberdorfer, Technology Communication Manager at Comsol Multiphysics GmbH: "Our solution is particularly strong where physical interactions are critical, such as in electric motors, power electronics, or batteries. Multiphysics realistically represents these effects and makes them so accessible with apps that simulation can be directly utilized in decision-making processes."
(Image: Comsol)

Dr. Oberdorfer, why is the importance of multiphysical simulation increasing in product development?

Products are becoming increasingly complex, and requirements are rising. Simulation has long been standard, and only multiphysics takes into account the interactions that are unavoidable in the real world. This enables reliable results to be achieved and development cycles to be significantly shortened—two crucial competitive factors.

What specific challenges does the product development process in electric drive technology pose to designers?

Electric drives combine mechanics, electromagnetism, thermal management, and materials. Designers need to achieve high power density, efficiency, and reliability within the shortest possible development cycles. A major challenge lies in reconciling these sometimes conflicting requirements while mastering the different disciplines.

How does multiphysical simulation help here?

Multiphysics simulation makes it possible to view electric drives as an overall system while simultaneously considering electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical effects. This provides a basis for specifically optimizing requirements such as power density, efficiency, or lifespan, and potential conflicts of objectives become apparent at an early stage.

How do AI and multiphysics work together?

AI and multiphysics interlock: simulation provides high-quality data for training, while AI enables fast predictions through surrogate models. Additionally, AI can support model creation and parameterization, thereby facilitating access to multiphysical simulation.

What other trends do you see in the field of multiphysics?

An important trend is the democratization of simulation. With apps and user-friendly interfaces, complex models are made accessible so that they can be used where decisions are made. This brings multiphysics closer to the daily routines of development and design, enabling its use even by individuals without simulation expertise.

"Simulation Starts Much Earlier in the Development Process"

Christian Barthel, Simulia Sales Director, Dassault Systèmes: "Industries where different disciplines work closely together particularly benefit from the solutions of Dassault Systèmes. These include, for example, electromobility with its complex requirements for motors, batteries, and thermal management, or aerospace with lightweight construction and aero-thermo-acoustics."(Image: Dassault Systèmes)
Christian Barthel, Simulia Sales Director, Dassault Systèmes: "Industries where different disciplines work closely together particularly benefit from the solutions of Dassault Systèmes. These include, for example, electromobility with its complex requirements for motors, batteries, and thermal management, or aerospace with lightweight construction and aero-thermo-acoustics."
(Image: Dassault Systèmes)

Mr. Barthel, why is the importance of multiphysical simulation increasing in product development?

Products are becoming increasingly complex; mechanics, electronics, software, and new materials interact with each other. Requirements are also rising: shorter development cycles, higher quality, and greater sustainability. Classical single-physics simulation is no longer sufficient. Multidisciplinary simulation enables more realistic predictions, fewer prototypes, and faster optimizations. With our MODSIM approach—the combination of modeling and simulation—we integrate these disciplines.

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What specific challenges does the product development process in electric drive technology pose to designers?

Electric drives face multiple areas of tension: high power density combined with critical thermal management, electromagnetic effects such as noise or vibrations, and integration into the overall system with battery, inverter, cooling, and packaging. Added to these are standards, EMC requirements, fire protection, and lifespan requirements.

How does multiphysical simulation help here?

Connected simulation approaches make it possible to consider all these disciplines simultaneously: electromagnetics, thermics, structural mechanics, and acoustics. This enables early validation and optimization of performance, efficiency, and lifespan. System simulation takes it one step further by virtually integrating motor, inverter, battery, and cooling. This accelerates development cycles and reduces hardware testing.

How do AI and multiphysics work together?

AI identifies patterns in large datasets and accelerates optimizations. Particularly effective is the combination of physical models with data-driven approaches—so-called hybrid modeling. In the MODSIM approach, CAD and CAE are associatively linked: design changes flow directly into the simulation. AI automates these processes and makes standardized workflows accessible even to non-experts.

What other trends do you see in the field of multiphysics?

A significant trend is "Shift-Left"—simulation starts much earlier in the development process. This is complemented by democratization and automation through standardized workflows and templates. Cloud and collaboration solutions support globally distributed teams and leverage high-performance computing. Based on this, digital twins are created, providing a realistic representation of operation and service and enabling continuous optimizations.

"AI Makes Multiphysics Efficiently Usable Even for Large Design Spaces"

Dr.-Ing. Jörg Neumeyer, calculation engineer, Cadfem Germany GmbH: "Our solution is based on the representation of physics in the observed space. This expands the application scope and enables the simultaneous and precise consideration of all relevant influences, while integrated optimization tools and AI further efficiently support the design."(Image: Cadfem)
Dr.-Ing. Jörg Neumeyer, calculation engineer, Cadfem Germany GmbH: "Our solution is based on the representation of physics in the observed space. This expands the application scope and enables the simultaneous and precise consideration of all relevant influences, while integrated optimization tools and AI further efficiently support the design."
(Image: Cadfem)

Dr.-Ing. Neumeyer, why is the importance of multiphysical simulation increasing in product development?

Due to the increasing power densities and complexity levels in product development, physical interactions between mechanics, electromagnetics, thermal dynamics, and fluid dynamics are becoming more pronounced, making separate simulations of subdomains insufficient. Multiphysical simulations capture all effects, allow for more precise predictions, and thus accelerate development cycles.

What specific challenges does the product development process in electric drive technology pose to designers?

Today, development no longer occurs on a component-by-component basis but within the overall drive concept. Thermal processes in the electric machine influence efficiency, magnetic forces affect the bearings... Even at the material selection stage, electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical properties must be evaluated together. Analyzing all these effects simultaneously is a core challenge for designers.

How does multiphysical simulation help here?

Multiphysical simulations enable the simultaneous consideration of all relevant physical domains. For example, thermally induced deformations, magnetic power losses, or acoustic emissions can be realistically analyzed. This is the only way to reliably quantify and specifically optimize complex interactions—far beyond what would be possible analytically.

How do AI and multiphysics work together?

AI can learn from simulation results and interpret complex field patterns. In combination with parametric models, extremely fast optimizations are possible. After training an AI model, variants can be evaluated within seconds—with up to 99 percent agreement with traditional methods. This makes multiphysics efficiently usable even for large design spaces.

What other trends do you see in the field of multiphysics?

The energy transition is bringing electric systems closer to people—whether a heat pump in the front yard or a fan in the basement. Acoustics is becoming a critical factor because the neighbor can hear it. Moisture diffusion, thermally induced material changes, and electrical heating effects in plug contacts are also gaining focus. Multiphysics is becoming a key technology in product development.

"AI Complements Multiphysics Simulation But Does Not Replace it"

Christian Kehrer, Director Account Technical Team, Altair Engineering GmbH: "Altair's solvers are leading in many disciplines and are easily accessible through unified user interfaces like Simlab and our patented licensing system. Integration into heterogeneous toolchains via open interfaces remains crucial. Applications range from drive optimization to agricultural and construction machinery, where, in addition to the coupling of hydraulics, mechanics, and electrics, interaction with the ground must also be captured."(Image: Altair)
Christian Kehrer, Director Account Technical Team, Altair Engineering GmbH: "Altair's solvers are leading in many disciplines and are easily accessible through unified user interfaces like Simlab and our patented licensing system. Integration into heterogeneous toolchains via open interfaces remains crucial. Applications range from drive optimization to agricultural and construction machinery, where, in addition to the coupling of hydraulics, mechanics, and electrics, interaction with the ground must also be captured."
(Image: Altair)

Mr. Kehrer, why is the importance of multiphysical simulation increasing in product development?

Products are becoming increasingly complex and require a multiphysical approach more than ever. Mechanics, electricity, thermodynamics, and controls are often closely interconnected, and their interaction often determines the success of a product, such as in agricultural machinery, where, in addition to the coupling of hydraulics, mechanics, and electrics, the interaction between the machine and the ground must be captured.

What specific challenges does the product development process in electric drive technology pose to designers?

Subsystems such as the motor, actuator, and inverter are tightly coupled—overly strong simplifications therefore lead to incorrect design decisions. Designs are often mechanics-focused, but optimization potential lies in electromagnetics and electronics. For efficiency and reliability, drives must be developed with a focus on usage and manufacturing, as manufacturing defects can also cause failures.

How does multiphysical simulation help here?

Multiphysical simulation efficiently evaluates domain interactions and adjusts the modeling depth depending on the task. For effects such as acoustics or thermal losses, coupling specialized solvers is useful, while reduced-order models, or ROMs, are used for nonlinear influences. The foundation is suitable, ideally tool-independent, interfaces.

How do AI and multiphysics work together?

AI complements multiphysics simulation but does not replace it. It enables the evaluation of larger parameter spaces with less effort and must remain comprehensible for experts. Additionally, AI can generate behavioral models from measurement data, such as for battery aging, which is difficult to describe analytically, and integrate them into overall system models.

What other trends do you see in the field of multiphysics?

Important trends include, firstly, better coupling of simulation disciplines such as DEM (Discrete Element Method) with CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and the exchange via standardized formats. Secondly, the focus is shifting towards acceleration: through high-performance computing or AI technologies like Altair RomAI or Altair PhysicsAI, which make simulation faster and accessible even to non-experts.

"Digitalization through Multiphysics Simulation is An Important Enabler"

Benoît Magneville, Senior Product Manager, Simcenter Electrification, Siemens Digital Industries Software: "The combined portfolio of Siemens and Altair offers numerous advantages. It integrates simulations with physical test technologies, thereby connecting related expert communities. Test results can be incorporated into simulations—for example, for characterization or model correlation—and conversely, simulation results can be integrated into test processes, such as in xIL development. The portfolio supports user-specific multiphysics workflows that can be applied to various scenarios."(Image: Siemens)
Benoît Magneville, Senior Product Manager, Simcenter Electrification, Siemens Digital Industries Software: "The combined portfolio of Siemens and Altair offers numerous advantages. It integrates simulations with physical test technologies, thereby connecting related expert communities. Test results can be incorporated into simulations—for example, for characterization or model correlation—and conversely, simulation results can be integrated into test processes, such as in xIL development. The portfolio supports user-specific multiphysics workflows that can be applied to various scenarios."
(Image: Siemens)

Why is the importance of multiphysical simulation increasing in product development?

Modern products and systems are more complex, highly integrated, and performance-oriented than ever before. Most real systems involve several interconnected physical processes, such as electromagnetic with thermal, fluid with structural, or thermal with structural processes, among others. Additionally, companies face the pressure to drive innovation faster while reducing costs and time-to-market. Digitalization through multiphysics simulation is a key enabler to accelerate innovation and shorten development cycles.

What specific challenges does the product development process in electric drive technology pose to designers?

The key challenges in the development of electric drives lie less in technological limitations and more in cost control, meeting deadlines, and the effective coordination of various engineering disciplines. Electric drives are compact systems whose development requires collaboration among specialists from different fields and organizations. Successful and efficient electric drive development demands close cooperation among all stakeholders. Simcenter supports this process by not only providing advanced tools for individual employees but also offering comprehensive collaborative multiphysics workflows specifically designed for the complex challenges of electric drive projects.

How does multiphysical simulation help here?

Multiphysics simulations are essential for the development of electric drives. Analyzing the thermal behavior of an electric machine requires the integration of thermal, CFD, and electromagnetic analyses. Mechanical or acoustic analyses rely on connections between electromagnetic, structural, multibody, and acoustic tools. Assessing the reliability of inverters requires a combined thermal and structural analysis. The goal is not to pursue arbitrary multiphysics scenarios but to design targeted workflows that address key challenges in the industry.

How do AI and multiphysics work together?

There are several approaches to integrating AI with multiphysics simulations. For example, multiphysics simulation enables the generation of reliable data. AI can then analyze these datasets to create predictive models that operate independently of the underlying physical principles, thereby supporting accelerated exploration of the design space and real-time resolution of complex multiphysics challenges. This allows companies to efficiently determine optimal electric drive architectures tailored to specific performance goals.

What other trends do you see in the field of multiphysics?

In the field of e-drive engineering, the focus is on making multiphysics simulations more accessible to a broader group of professionals involved in electric drive development. Artificial intelligence supports this goal, as do automation and workflow integration. The industry aims for stronger collaboration between experts to break down silos between teams and enable transparent sharing of results, models, configurations, and processes through the use of product lifecycle management (PLM) platforms and cloud-based solutions. Additionally, improving process efficiency is a priority, as long wait times for results are increasingly seen as unacceptable for CAE analysts. Thus, approaches that reduce turnaround time and optimize HPC usage are in greater demand.

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