Case Study: Précicad achieves lightweight, low‑cost 1,500 lb utility vehicle in six months with Siemens PLM (Simcenter)

Précicad - Customer Case Study

Précicad, a Quebec City engineering and industrial design services firm, was tasked by Aluminerie Alouette to design a fleet of aluminum electric utility vehicles with a 1,000‑pound load capacity on a six‑ to twelve‑month schedule. To perform the critical FEA and rapid design iterations required, Précicad used Siemens PLM Simcenter solutions alongside SolidWorks geometry import capabilities.

Using Siemens PLM Simcenter 3D, NX Nastran and Simcenter 3D Thermal, Précicad rapidly imported SolidWorks models, ran fast FEA pre‑processing and completed same‑day design‑analysis iterations. The result was a working prototype in six months, a 1,500‑pound carrying capacity (exceeding the 1,000‑lb requirement), a 1,500‑lb vehicle weight (about half that of the previous steel design) that extends battery run time, and 60% fewer welds—lowering production costs and enabling easier recycling; the project also won a grand prize for innovation.

Précicad

Stephane Arsenault

Head of FEA Department