Case Study: Valeo Lighting Systems achieves accurate, cost‑effective glass‑fiber composite development with Altair (CONVERSE via Altair Partner Alliance)

Valeo Lighting Systems - Customer Case Study

Valeo Lighting Systems, part of global automotive supplier Valeo, needed to improve simulation of short-fiber reinforced glass‑fiber composite lamp parts to support lightweight design and CO2 reduction goals. Engineers had to include anisotropic fiber orientations from molding in their FE models for accurate vibration and structural analysis, but the specialized tool was only needed sporadically (about ten hours per month), making a standalone purchase uneconomical. As an existing HyperWorks customer, Valeo Lighting Systems turned to Altair and the Altair Partner Alliance to access CONVERSE (by Part Engineering).

Using Altair’s approach—accessing CONVERSE via the Altair Partner Alliance alongside the HyperWorks CAE Suite—Valeo integrated molding results into FE models (Moldflow → CONVERSE mapping → Ansys) to include fiber-induced anisotropy in simulations. Altair’s solution delivered markedly better correlation to experimental modal analysis and improved frequency prediction compared with the previous isotropic workflow, while the APA licensing model provided cost savings, flexible access and risk‑free validation without purchasing an additional standalone license.

Valeo Lighting Systems

Nicolas Pluy

Simulation Expert