AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA JANUARY 2022 by Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd

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January 2022

Upfront

COMPONENTS

INDIA Entries Now Open

The Road Ahead

VOICE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIERS

Panasonic MirAIe

Smart Factory

#Trending Defect Prediction In Automotive Plastic

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ontents

Cover Story Panasonic MirAIe Smart Factory Panasonic India has built the MirAIe ProFactory Solution for manufacturers. Sumesh Soman tours the factory to get a sense of the next-generation connected capabilities.

New Capabilities At ARAI At ARAI, research and execution feature big. Prateek Pardeshi draws attention to the new capabilities ready for use by the automotive industry.

January 2022

06 Newscast l

50,000 startups registered in India

RBI credit policy

GoI promotes MSME exports

Bharat Petroleum partners BARC for H2 production

Motherson enters DJSI

Schaeffler signs MoU with Guidance

ARAI turns 55

Sustainable measures by ZF on the shopfloor

Anti-dumping duty on axles from China

Continental Automotive ShyTech displays

Dassault Systèmes MoU with TIDCO

Uno Minda and FRIWO AG JV

Cummins H2 fuel cell innovation centre

Annual BMW order for microchips

RFID module to optimise tyre management

12 Mobilised Covestro Automotive Solutions

14 Upfront The Road Ahead

28 Trending

Defect Prediction In Automotive Plastic

32 International

l Next-Gen Auto Grade Chip

Destination Charging SunFuel Electric is gearing to rollout destination charging in India. Deepti Thore focuses on the fast catching trend to address range anxiety.

l Components At EICMA 2021

38 #Trendsmap

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Starting Afresh

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Executive Editor Ashish Bhatia Editorial Advisory Board H. S. Billimoria, Aspi Bhathena Head - Design & Production Ravi Parmar Correspondent: Deepti Thore, Prateek Pardeshi Sumesh Soman Asst Art Director Ajit Manjrekar Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Publisher Marzban Jasoomani Associate Publisher & General Manager (North & East) Ellora Dasgupta General Manager – South Girish Shet Deputy General Manager – North & East Chanchal Arora (Delhi) Regional Marketing Manager Salma Jabbar (Chennai) Regional Manager Rajesh Gogate (Mumbai) Manager Circulation - North and East Kapil Kaushik (Delhi) Subscription Supervisor Sachin Kelkar Tel +91 9321546598 Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries: help@magzter.com

otspot

With cautious optimism, let’s hope as we go about doing business, experts can consign Omicron to a relatively mild disease that’s easily prevented, and treated causing no further loss of life.

ven though our businesses are aligned to the fiscal year, when it comes to the self, starting afresh with a new calendar year is a way of life for most. As cliché as it may sound, it is indeed a good time to introspect and take the learnings of the calendar year gone by into the business end of FY2022. Guard the “learnt to live with it” gusto with all your might! It’s the only other way apart from timely vaccination to go through with the pronounced resurgence of Omicron, threatening the global economy yet again. With cautious optimism, let’s hope as we go about doing business, experts can consign Omicron to a relatively mild disease that’s easily prevented, and treated causing no further loss of life. In the first issue of 2022, we bring to you select trends, which if allowed by the ‘Variant of Concern’, could gain further momentum this year. We also draw your attention to capability enhancement at a premium R&D nodal agency you all know of. Don’t miss out on the nomination form at the end for sending in your entries in order to qualify for the sixth edition of Auto Components India Awards 2022. Ashish Bhatia Executive Editor | a.bhatia@nextgenpublishing.net

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Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other material. All material published in Auto Components India is copyright and no part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the express prior written permission of the publisher Printed by Marzban Jasoomani Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, India.. Published by Marzban Jasoomani on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, India. Printed at Spring Graphics, 215 & 238, Shah & Nahar Industrial Estate, Sun Mill Compund, Lower Parel (West), Mumbai 400013, India. Published at Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, India.

All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Auto Components India does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only. Editor Ashish Bhatia

AUTO AUGUST COMPONENTS 2021 n AUTOINDIA COMPONENTS n JANUARY INDIA 2022

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50,000 startups registered in India The cumulative startup strength indicated by registrations in the country has hit the 50,000 mark. Drawing attention to the feat, an indicator of a well-oiled ecosystem, Piyush Goyal, Minister for Commerce and Industry, Textiles and Consumer Affairs said, “We have a startup system across the length and breadth of the country. It’s the third largest ecosystem in the world.” Notably, out of the 79 unicorns in India, four are from Pune alone. Women are also known to be an important pillar of the foundation in nearly 46 per cent of these registered startups. In a city-wise bifurcation, it was revealed that Pune accounts for 3200 startups with 3274 startups registered out of Mumbai in a healthy neck to neck competition as per the minister. He called for the need of a continued collaboration between startups, industry, academia and research.

RBI credit policy The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) continues its accommodative stance. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das began by drawing attention to the Gross Domestic Produce (GDP) expansion by 13.5 per cent. He expressed satisfaction with external financing requirements remaining moderate. Informing that one must take cognisance of policy actions being mobilised at an unprecendented scale, Das cited the unity of various stakeholders brought about by the pandemic. Keeping a status quo on policy rates and statistics, the Governor admitted that private investment has been lagging and consumption remains below the pre-Covid19 levels. However, in a silver lining, both the exports and the imports are known to have surpassed pre-Covid19 levels. Headwinds continue with supply-side bottlenecks, and volatile commodity prices. The Governor also admitted to Omicron adding to the complexities.

AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n JANUARY 2022

GoI Promotes MSME exports The Government of India (GoI) is taking several steps to promote and diversify MSME exports. Out of the USD 198.26 bn worth of exports between April-September, 2021, MSME related exports accounted for ~45.80 per cent (valued at USD 90.80 bn). The GoI initiatives include the establishment of 52 Export Facilitation Centres (EFCs) with an aim to provide requisite mentoring and hand holding support to MSMEs, for exporting their products and services in turn to global markets. In addition, 102 Enterprise Development Centres (EDCs) are offering professional mentoring and hand holding support services to existing as well as aspiring entrepreneurs with a special focus on rural enterprises. Through the MSME technology centres, technical support and consultancy services are provided. Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) and Rebate of State and Central Levies and Taxes (RoSCTL) scheme launched with effect January 01, 2021 is one initiatives to push MSME exports. WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

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BPCL partners BARC for H2 production Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) collaborated with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to scale-up the alkaline electrolyser technology for green hydrogen (H2) production. It is claimed to be a first of its kind initiative to support the country’s commitment to achieve renewable energy targets and reduce greenhouse

gas emissions. Instead of refineries having to use large quantities of Hydrogen for desulfurisation to make petrol, diesel and other chemicals, the large scale electrolysers will help produce green hydrogen from water and thereby expected to decarbonise H2 production. Arun Kumar Singh, Chairman and Managing Director at Bharat Petroleum Corporation

Motherson enters DJSI

Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd. (MSSL) has entered the 2021 list of Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI). It has become the only Indian automotive component company to have made it to the list. Talking about the feat of qualification, Laksh Vaaman Sehgal, Vice Chairman, MSSL said, “Our inclusion into the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices highlights our continuous efforts to improve sustainability across all three Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) pillars.” The company has been practising sustainability in its business and has also joined the UN Global Compact in 2021 to support its development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible business practises. DJSI is known to set global sustainability benchmarks in the market. WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

Ltd. said, “We intend to scale up the Indigenous Alkaline Electrolyser Technology and look forward to commercialising it for large scale use especially in refineries.” Looked at as a step towards the journey of achieving net zero emissions by 2040, BPCL wants to expand its portfolio of renewable energy with solar, wind and biofuels.

Schaeffler signs MoU with Guidance Schaeffler India Ltd. has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Guidance, the nodal agency for the Government of Tamil Nadu (GoTN). It is focussed on investment promotion and facilitation with an investment of around INR 3000 million over a period of four years for greenfield expansion, Schaeffler is looking at expanding its footprint in the state of Tamil nadu. Through this MoU, the company will be developing a new plant at Hosur for transmission components and systems. The MoU was signed at the Tamil nadu Investment conclave in Coimbatore in the presence of M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Harsha Kadam, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Satish Patel, Chief Finance Officer and Director of Finance. GoTN, through this collaboration, will be providing infrastructural and regulatory support to Schaeffler India on a best-effort basis including the single window facilitation as per Tamil Nadu Business Facilitation Act 2018. The union will also help promote tangible economic and social benefits to the state while generating direct employment. JANUARY 2022 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA

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ARAI turns 55

Battery safety test lab at ARAI

Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) turned 55. Founded in 1966, the Pune based nodal agency has had a stellar journey since its inception as a co-operative industrial research association formed in collaboration with the Ministry of Industries, Government of India. The Association’s primary objectives are Research and Development (R&D) in automotive engineering for industry, product design and development, evaluation of automotive equipment and ancillaries, standardisation, apart from offering technical information services. On the upskilling front, it also offers advanced courses on the application of modern technology with the conduct of specific tests through both offline and online mediums.

The foundation stone for the Battery Safety Test Lab at ARAI was layed down recently within the ARAI Centre of Excellence (CoE) for green mobility at Chakan, in Pune. Aimed at meeting the industry’s requirements for electrical and mechanical abuse testing of electric and hybrid vehicles, going forward, additions will include the thermal runaway, a fullfledged BMS simulator, water immersion, and battery pack crush facilities. Given the increasing variety, sizes, capacities, and volumes of xEV batteries being directed to ARAI for testing, validation, and development, these facilities are expected to supplement the existing test capabilities for green mobility at the CoE. Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and JS Amit Mehta of the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India are also known to have met with industry leaders and dignitaries from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) India where indigenous technologies like Adaptive Front-Lighting System (AFLS), an autonomous vehicle development platform - Swayam Go, a hybrid technology platform for two- and threewheelers (L-category) – Dvi, an Intelligent Vehicle Controller (iVCON) for xEV, and EV charging units (AC & DC) were among those displayed.

Sustainable measures by ZF on the shopfloor Walk into a shopfloor and pallets can’t be ignored. They form the backbone of the supply chain at manufacturing shopfloors across the globe. Be it stacking, storage, transportation, or for safety of goods as a mainstay at manufacturing plants. The erstwhile wooden pallets have given way to new, sustainable materials. At ZF India, reusable pallets are driving the reduced use of wood and a higher productivity. This is claimed to have bettered cost economics at the transmission

major. The implementation of a new sustainable packaging system at the company’s Coimbatore unit demonstrates how economic efficiency and environmental protection are interlinked and can coexist in the same universe.

AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n JANUARY 2022

Anti-dumping duty on axles from China The anti-dumping duty on trailer axles were due for expiry on November 28, 2021. It entailed import from China PR and the levy is valued at USD 0.14 to USD 0.46 per kilogram on trailer axles in completely knocked down and semi knocked down form. In the latest notification from the Directorate Genreal of Trade Remedies, the Department of Commerce, the duty has been renewed. The anti-dumping duty on the product was imposed by the Ministry of Finance in November 2016. WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

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Continental Automotive ShyTech displays Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental) introduced what it calls the future of displays. Aimed at four-wheelers, the Shytech displays essential information and relays it when needed instead of cluttering the screen. The ShyTech display converts the dashboard into a screen instead of having to mount it separately on the dashboard. The latter is considered an obsolete practice which negatively impacts the aesthetic appeal. With ShyTech, the dash is divided equally between the driver and the passenger. It claims to overcome glares with multiple background options to choose from thereby enhancing driver visibility.

Dassault Systèmes MoU with TIDCO Dassault Systèmes has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) to establish The Tamil Nadu Center of Advance Manufacturing (TANCAM) at the TIDEL Park, in Chennai. The Centre of Excellence (CoE) in India, TANCAM will provide a dedicated IT engineering ecosystem to support the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), startups and students across Tamil Nadu. It is expected to fuel the growth areas as diverse as aerospace, defence, automotive and electric vehicles. As part of the MoU, signed in presence of Thiru M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and Deepak NG, Managing Director, India, Dassault Systèmes, the COE will offer an engineering digital platform to support product design, composites, simulation and digital manufacturing, along with a 3D printer- and a virtual reality-setup.

AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n JANUARY 2022

Uno Minda and FRIWO AG Joint Venture Uno Minda and FRIWO AG have signed on for a Joint Venture (JV). Timed to benefit from India’s EV revolution, the JV has FRIWO holding a 49.9 per cent minority stake. Nirmal K. Minda, Chairman and Managing Director of Uno Minda said, “The partnership has been forged at an opportune time where the EV industry is on the cusp of a growth trajectory facilitated by favouable government policy and incentives.” Uno Minda intends to invest Euro 15 mn in FRIWO AG through a capital increase aimed at strengthening the two company’s industrial partnership. The proposed transaction and capital measure are subject to regulatory approval, including approval from the RBI. Uno Minda will open up its state-of-the-art production facilities to the JV to help meet the growing client demands and push for delivery of high-quality customised e-solutions in record time. WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

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Cummins H2 fuel cell innovation centre Cummins Inc. has opened a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powertrain Integration Centre in West Sacramento, California. Aiming at scaling the green hydrogen economy in the United States, Cummins is investing in two types of hydrogen fuel cells including proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). At the facility in California which is spread across 18,000 sq. ft., the focus will be on PEM, considered to be a good solution for high-power transportation applications, like heavy-duty or long-haul trucks. When the hydrogen used to fuel a fuel cell vehicle is green, the result is zero-carbon transportation, the company mentioned in its release. Through this facility, Cummins is working towards making zero-emissions fleets a reality for customers with its PEM fuel cell technology. Designed specifically for hydrogen innovation, including safety features, the new facility will also house fuel cell integration and fuel cell powertrain development and testing, controls and electrical engineering. Talking about the new facility, Amy Davis, Vice President and

Annual BMW order for microchips Microchip developer, INOVA Semiconductors and GlobalFoundries, manufacturer of feature-rich semiconductors has secured an order from BMW for the supply of several million microchips per year. Aiming at securing semiconductor supplies for the long term, BMW will use these micro chips in the ISELED smart LED technology co-developed by the BMW Group. This technology will be first deployed in the BMW iX and rolled out in further models. Through this agreement BMW is looking at building a more resilient supply chain partnership approach to regain supply-demand balance for chips in the automotive industry as well as efforts to further accelerate technology innovation. Talking about the agreement, Dr Andreas Wendt, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network, said, “We are deepening our partnership with suppliers at key points in the supplier network and synchronising our capacity planning directly with semiconductor manufacturers and developers.” ‘This improves planning reliability and transparency around the volumes needed for everyone involved and secures our needs for the long term,” he added. WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

President of New Power at Cummins Inc., said, “Our presence in West Sacramento is important to advancing hydrogen technologies while being a central part of the decarbonisation conversation in the United States.”

RFID module to optimise tyre management Murata Manufacturing Co., has partnered with Michelin to develop a new generation of RFID modules. Embedded into the tyres, these RFID tags do not require an external power supply module and claim to deliver an extremely high mileage. Claimed to be a low cost solution with an easy tyre traceability through the lifespan, it is said to enable the management of inventory logistics, aftermarket maintenance, and recycling operations. “RFID technology is a key enabler to gain efficiency and optimise tyre operations, but also to improve the customer experience while identifying tyres and associating data. An embedded tag is the only way to identify tyres, from the cradle to the grave, consistently,” says Jerome Barrand, Michelin RFID Program Leader. “This new generation of RFID tags is already in more than four million Michelin tyres. As the technology is also available, from now on, to any other tyre manufacturer, this shall foster market adoption,” opined Barrand. JANUARY 2022 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA

M Covestro Automotive Solutions obilised

Covestro AG is creating a pull with its high-tech polymer materials. Prateek Pardeshi draws attention to the diverse automotive applications.

olymers govern the automotive industry followed by various metals and alloys. Be it the bumper, headlights, mirrors, and so on in the exterior. In case of the interior, on the dashboard, instrument cluster, and so on and so forth. Covestro AG, a German company, leads the space with its range of high-tech polymers. The company offers a wide range of polyurethane and poly carbonate-based raw materials for the automotive industry among others. Divakar Gokhale, Head of Mobility, Indian Subcontinent at Covestro AG in an exclusive chat with Auto Components India mentions, “The classic automotive industry’s development further will define the future needs of such material technologies for such niche applications,” he opined. Experts in this product stream are always willing to get into a discussion with the industry players, informed Gokhale.

Interior applications

Digitalisation has taken over analog systems in the last decade. Infotainment systems are a testimony to this evolution. For example, the erstwhile transistor units have made room for sophisticated aircraft like cockpits complete with floating tabs or infotainment systems that today fire up the entire dash sans the

AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n JANUARY 2022

dials and levers. Notably, these screens and displays are made of polycarbonate where Covestro AG excels. With entry level and mid-segment vehicles equipped with such displays, the opportunity to tap the segment is huge according to Gokhale. Covestro codevelop the solution with the OEMs or ODM depending on their wish-list and concepts. It provides tailor made solutions coming from our broad product portfolio of Polycarbonate (PC) and PC blends, together with speciality films and coatings that allow for diverse applications. Every new innovation comes with a huge R&D price, yet it has to be offered at an affordable price, Gokhale quipped. With the premium experience, multifunctionality, and efficiency improvement that it brings to the table, the lowered costs are directly linked to the input materials, he explained. Covestro is also linked across the value chain with some cutting-edge technology providers who can help bring many new ideas to life. Makrolon® PC and Makrofol® films are used in touch-panel technology for example. The application necessitates high purity, clarity, dimensional stability, scratch resistance, and a few other features. Such applications for auto interiors are easily possible with electronic integration.

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Mobilised

A three-layered display unit.

On the Dashboard

A Dashboard, which houses the infotainment system, AC vents, cluster meter and so on and so forth, is conventionally made up of foam and PolyVinyl Chloride (PVC). OEMs and tier1 suppliers are turning innovative in their concepts and designs. They are offering a spectrum of features, for the entry-level to top-end variants such that for each category, user experiences, and premium functionality stand out. “At Covestro, we have demonstrated innovation by utilising our unique Makroblend® product for backlight applications utilising natural materials such as leather, wood, and stone. The dashboard design has changed substantially as a result of the EV and autonomous vehicle trends,” stated Gokhale. He drew attention to leading international OEMs incorporating long/large displays, as well as large 3D curved displays to make a case. Sensorbased driver assistance systems and ambient lighting are being integrated, he cited. All of this has resulted in changes to the dashboard’s design and appearance. Recently soft touch buttons have made inroads to the dashboard and steering wheel. These are known to be made up of thermoplastic polyurethane. When tailored for injection moulding, Desmopan® Thermoplastic PolyUrethane (TPU) grades offer a fast cycle time, high mechanical values and good processing capability. Desmopan TPU has a very soft feel as well as good abrasion resistance, claimed Gokhale. That is, no additional coating is required. WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

Makrolofl® PC films are used for haptic touch applications. These can be backlit, opaque/translucent coloured, and have a matt or gloss finish, depending on the design. A coating process can also be used to achieve a soft touch.

Exterior applications

Few decades ago, the automotive industry replaced metallic bumpers with ThermoPlastic Olefin elastomers (TPO). This was done keeping the pedestrian safety in mind, since TPO processes crushable ability and is made up of softer materials. India is known to have adopted this in 2017. The Government of India banned any kind of metal crash guard or bull bar on vehicles and made fibre bumper mandatory. Similarly, other automotive components such as wheel caps, rain-visors, fancy LEDs etc., are few examples of manufacturing similarly. Indians are obsessed with chrome finish, especially on headlights, brake lights, weather trims etc. Covestro offers special Bayblend® grades. The BayblendT45PG for such chrome finish applications is deemed apt.

A front-module using FIM technology.

Divakar Gokhale, Head of Mobility, Indian Subcontinent at Covestro AG

Covestro AG has also developed a 2k/3k moulding with an In-Mould Decoration (IMD) for premium applications with a sensor-based functionality integration. Headlights and taillights made of glass initially have switched to polycarbonate, which in cases is prone to oxidation with age and turns yellow. Covestro is claimed to have looked into it with its solutions. The company’s Bayflex® which is used to manufacture OEM applications (factory fitted) like panoramic roofs pass the mandatory international safety standards. Only after the required test and compliances are ascertained, these are commercially rolled-out. Other than that, AMECA approvals for lighting applications and ARAI approval for India are also necessary for new vehicles/vehicle systems. In India, Covestro is working on a host of products to tap the market where it is invested for the future. In the first nine months of 2021, APAC sales accounted for Euro 1700 mn in a growth of 61.3 per cent over same period last year as per its Q32021 statement. At an investor conference in 2021, the company hinted at planning an investment of Euro one billion on circular economy projects over a 10 year timeline.ACI JANUARY 2022 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA

pfront

The Road Ahead

In an upfront conversation Manav Kapur, Executive Director, Steelbird International speaks to Sumesh Soman about the road ahead for the components business. 14

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Upfront Q. How did the company cope up with the adversities caused by the Covid19 pandemic? A. We probably had the highest sales in the pandemic year. Even in the following year, we are building on the momentum. There’s a post-pandemic surge in demand. And thankfully, we were able to scale up and are adding capacity now. Q. How much has digitalisation contributed to the bottomline? A. Digitalisation contributed to the accessory space but not in the auto component space. I look primarily into the auto components segment so I can tell you that it hasn’t scaled up as much. But it does not mean that I don’t believe in its potential. As of current, Indian consumers are cautious with the exception of automotive enthusiasts. Q. How do you foresee the crossover from ICE to EV impacting the auto components segment? A. There’s going to be a significant shift in the kind of components that will be developed. There’s a drastic reduction in the number of components when it comes to EVs. Everyone will have to leverage their own strength areas and remould themselves to align with the change. Q. Your view on the FAME-II outlay and the future incentivisation of e-mobility in the new year? A. FAME-II is going to continue to support electrification. These subsidies would work as a catalyst

“The established players are well equipped to solve the problems. The PLI scheme should extend to smaller entrepreneurs in India who are known to lack the access to capital for example.” WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

“There’s a drastic reduction in the number of components when it comes to EVs. Everyone will have to leverage their own strength areas and remould themselves to align with the change.” for a period post which these need to be justified. Just to cite an analogy, if we had cell phones, that were just subsidised, they would not be enough to convince all the land line owners for a shift. Its when these cell phones became a good product the shift was justified. The costs became feasible eliminating the need for a subsidy. That’s how a switch over can happen. So, subsidies will help you create a pull initially but in the long run, the product has to prove itself.

Q. What is your expectation from the government interventions like the PLI scheme and scrappage policy to name a few? A. If you look at the requirements of PLI, a lot of SME clusters are being left out because they can’t meet these requirements. So, my request would be to try and see how we can accommodate more and more people into it instead of keeping it only for the well established big guns. The established players are well equipped to solve the problems. The PLI scheme should extend to smaller entrepreneurs in India who are known to lack the access to capital, for example. Q. Your views on the strategy of buffer stock and mapping of tier two and three suppliers? A. I’m a big fan of the theory of constraints. And what I understand from the theory of constraints is the buffer stocks are dependent on how quickly we can procure materials. I am referring to the replenishment cycle. So, looking at the current changes in the infrastructure, for good, the replenishment cycles are getting shorter. So, your access to probably a tier2-3 city is now faster. With buffer stocks lowering I expect an increase in RoI for the entire chain. So, this is in a way going to be very efficient. Q. Are majority of the capacities under utilised speaking of the industry as a whole? A. Yes, a lot of it is under utilised.

“So, looking at the current changes in the infrastructure, for good, the replenishment cycles are getting shorter. So, your access to probably a tier2-3 city is now faster.” JANUARY 2022 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA

pfront

“The payback for any investment is about five years or even longer. So one needs to have that risk-taking ability localise to a higher degree.” This can be attributed to the chip shortage rendering the company’s incapable of delivering despite a demand. There is uncertainty for sure! I don’t know a lot of people who are adding capacity at this point of time, even though there is a surge in demand. Sustainability is a big question if they did. Q. How far are we from 100 per cent localisation in the auto components and ancillary space? A. On the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) side of the business, I think we are probably more localised than any other country barring few components which are imported. And I think as a country we are 99 per cent localised for ICE. In the case of EVs, we are not able to localise because the technology is

so new and there’s further scope for R&D. As technology is evolving, its hard to say whether the limitation is with respect to the localisation or with respect to technology. The investments are held back again due to a clear picture of the evolution in the next decade. The payback for any investment is about five years or even longer. So one needs to have the that risk-taking ability to be able to localise to a higher degree. Q. How do you see exports faring? A. The exports are doing well. There’s a lot of interest in the Indian suppliers. We’ve been focussing a lot on exports even with the travel restrictions. Still, we are loaded with a lot of Request For Quotes (RFQ). And we are working on some. The sentiment in the overall market across the globe is that they are looking for an alternative China+1 strategy which India suppliers must capitalise on. A lot of businesses have gone to other countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Bangladesh to name a few. But not much has come into India as yet. However, we are still bullish on that front and hope to tap new accounts.

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“So, whatever vehicle is sold in the market, on an average, to service it will rely on the aftermarket for atleast 10-15 years. If you look at the OEM space, about 99.99 per cent of the market is captured by ICE.” Q. Could you comment on the added efficiencies in manufacturing? A. Efficiency in Indian manufacturing is significant. We are second to none! The kind of efficiencies that we drive our systems with leaves no scope of doubt on fronts like quality, costs or delivery. There’s a lot of effort that has to be put in to be able to move the supplier interest from the other parts of the world into India. Q. How has the reduction of mechanical parts impacted the lubes business? A. We are focussing more on the aftermarket. A lot of people are talking about how the mechanical parts are going to get reduced in the EV space, and the utility of the lubricants will get reduced. But what we understood is that the market and the aftermarket will withstand the change for the next 15 years. So, whatever vehicle is sold in the market, on an average, to service it will rely on the aftermarket for atleast 10-15 years. If you look at the OEM space, about 99.99 per cent of the market is captured by ICE. It’s not electric as yet. I don’t see an overnight change. So, even if we have a 30 per cent penetration and that’s what most of the industry experts and most of the surveys tell us to be the case by 2030. We still have a 70 per cent market share for ICE as a lubes business. So, we have a horizon of 15 years. Over the next 15 years, we see our market size growing instead. ACI WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

Jammu Udhampur Highway, Jammu, India Jammu Udhampur Highway, Jammu, India Jammu Udhampur Highway, Jammu, India

c Panasonic MirAIe Smart Factory over Story

Panasonic India has built the MirAIe Pro Factory solution for Indian manufacturers. Sumesh Soman tours the factory to get a sense of the next-generation connected capabilities.

anasonic India showcased the MirAIe (Miraie) Pro factory platform, an Industrial IoT/ smart factory solution developed indigenously at the company’s India Innovation Centre. Miraei is compatible with different types of machines, models and brands in the automotive manufacturing space. The nextgeneration solution is aimed at facilitating Indian manufacturers to in turn digitise their operations and allow enterprises to realise the true potential of Industry 4.0. Manish Sharma, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Panasonic India mentioned, “Smart factories are strategic business investments.

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They are helping manufacturers jump start their digital journey, offer a competitive edge, innovate and improve the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) while saving major costs.” Miraie uses new-age technologies such as Cloud, Internet of Things (IoT), analytics and a mobile app., to name a few. Through Miraie, manufacturers can look forward to managing end-to-end operations that are claimed to result in enhanced production efficiencies and quality levels along with helping Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) identify inherent issues. This is expected to result

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Cover Story Feature

Function

Asset management

Remotely manage machines and networking

Machine monitoring

Relay machine schematics to help assess improvement areas

Real-time machine condition

Monitor machine parameters for necessary intervention

KPI Dashboards

Relay machine status and production efficiency in an easy GUI

Operator view

Add human-context to machine data with a portable tablet app.

Alerts and notifications

Customisable notifications and audit trackable, flexible workflows

Production planning

Production planner at the machine level

in lower downtime occurrences. On helping manufacturers break even, it is also said to be a good starting point to attain economies of scale. The solution is currently available in four variants and is customisable. From basic to advanced, depending on the requirement with bundled, valueadded features.

The building blocks

Ahead of the showcase, Panasonic India conducted several pilot projects. Claimed Sharma that the use of Miraie had resulted in an increase of about eight to 15 per cent in productivity at the manufacturing facility where Miraie was tested. The Miraie platform aims

Manish Sharma, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Panasonic India

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at empowering enterprises especially those looking at making the switch to digital. Developed indigenously at the company’s India Innovation Centre, to make it appealing for manufacturers, the company has priced it competitively as per Sharma. “It’s competitive in terms of pricing, and since it’s a solution the price varies from the demand and features added to the platform,” he explained on being asked to pin point a ballpark estimate on its acquisition. Sharma drew attention to Miraie as an outcome of Panasonic’s strong industrial know-how and expertise in manufacturing.

Key USPs

Miraie aids in data collection from any machine by connecting to the gateway. The software on the gateway processes data from the machine in real-time

and streams this data securely on to the cloud. One can visualise machine performances remotely and enable operators to meet the production goals by foreseeing potential hindrances thereby making production seamless. Asset management, machine monitoring, real-time machine condition relay, KPI dashboards, operator view, alerts and notification, and production planning are among the key USPs of the smart factory. Sharma mentioned that the platform’s key USPs include quick deployment, an easy to use interface and offers scalability. The data is made available in real-time and eliminates time-consuming data tag mapping. He added that the solution drives immediate value with an out of the box approach and does not require any initial set up making it a near

Colour coded data analytics make it easy for operators to function on the shop floor.

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plug and play platform. This helps the operator free resources to focus on better decision-making for a particular point in time. The information provided by the platform comes from an internal assessment of the digital factory. Masafumi Himeno, Divisional Managing Director, Panasonic Smart Factory Solutions India averred, “Panasonic Smart Factory Solutions India (PSFSIN) facility in Haryana is strategically aligned with the Government’s ‘Make-In-India’ and ‘Skill India’ initiatives.” Further, he explained that the advancement in wireless technology (for example with 5G) will drive greater adoption

of cutting-edge technology at manufacturing facilities across the country, in the future. Panasonic India, as per Himeno, is aiming to empower Indian origin as well as global manufacturers looking for a connected shop floor and an ecosystem powered by new-age technologies that help manage end-to-end operations with the help of a better shopfloor visualisation. It is claimed to ensure a viable blend of enhanced production efficiency, quality, and reduced downtime to help build on the economies of scale.

Addressing pain points

Plant managers have had it tough in the pandemic! A few challenges faced by plant managers while

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implementing strategies for successful maintenance of production equipment include being unable to scout glitches or tackle unreported downtimes. Difficulty in gauging historical data and manual bias apart from the lack of ability to monitor overall equipment efficiency add to the layers of complexity. Now, these challenges can be eradicated by adopting digital solutions, but they come with their own set of collateral. To start with, it is a high upfront investment along with customisation requirements as mentioned before. There is a need to create small in-house IT departments and with it comes the prerequisites of energy and resource required for a phased modular approach. Miraie assists manufacturers and OEMs in being more efficient while making the

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Cover Story shopfloor paperless. It aids in gathering machine comparisons across the shop floor, diagnosing error patterns and coming up with suggestions to solve the problem. It increases machine effectiveness along with offering predictive maintenance warnings for the equipment used in the factory and is claimed to maximise the overall plant or factory output. The integrated view can be relayed from any system to smartphones and tablets. It also has a provision of segregated log ins and an operating interface for levels of staff on the shopfloor. This differentiates how a problem is approached and how only the concerned authorities are notified. Manish Misra, Chief Technology Officer, Panasonic India Innovation Centre said, “Miraie Pro Factory is a one-stop solution for deployment, service and business intelligence needs. It empowers manufacturers to design paperless digitised shop floors, drives machine effectiveness, maximises plant operations i.e., monitor production efficiencies right from procurement to finished assembly.” He explained how the IIoT solution from Panasonic enhances the capabilities through vertical integration i.e. hardware

and software to converge Operation Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) to offer a single comprehensive view. Data analytics further enhances the OEE by providing real-time insights allowing enterprises to optimise assembly units faster and efficiently through predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and quality management processes. Remote monitoring through mobile, one dashboard for all operations with a unique UI are some of the additional features that aid in automation and ensuring contact less management.” Miraie was made to cater to the needs of India’s manufacturing industry offering the best blend of Japanese technologies. Manufacture of welding machines, digital solutions, or solutions like robotic welding thus driving the nation towards self-reliance. Further, the PSFSIN division at Panasonic India’s manufacturing facility is one of the largest producers of manual welding equipment in India catering to the demand arising from automobiles among other sectors. Ever since the pandemic in 2020, SMEs along with big-time players have been pushed to the corner and compelled to adapt to the new normal of digitalisation.

Key automobile manufacturers took it in their stride and launched digital platforms to conduct sales and service of their products. These platforms were also used to offer lucrative schemes to create a pull. While the front end was quicker to digitise, the back end and the shopfloor awaited their transformation. It gave birth to digital solutions like Dassault’s DW Suite and MirAIe to name a few. The application of such platforms is to curb the presence of people on the shop floor or offer tools for humanmachine collaboration to in turn help manufacturers turn more efficient and attain their objectives. Not that these were far away from being integrated into the systems, Covid19 accelerated the switch. Solutions like Miraie are expected to continue to play a pivotal role in manufacturing especially with viruses giving rise to mutations that could stall the global economy. Supply chains continue to be weighed down by challenges with recurring crests and troughs making it a volatile environment for automotive suppliers. Miraie looks promising with its next-generation capabilities. ACI

Team Panasonic at the launch of the Mirae Pro Factory.

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c New Capabilities At ARAI over Story

At ARAI research and execution continue. Prateek Pardeshi draws attention to the recent additions expected to benefit the automotive industry.

evelopments and capacity expansion at the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) are a leading indicator of changes ensuing in the automotive industry with manufacturers working closely with the leading automotive R&D organisation. As ARAI prepares its 2030 roadmap, it continues to overcome the volatility induced by external disruptive forces with constant addition to its capabilities. For example, Electric Vehicles (EVs) have gained a lot of traction in the last two years. Batteries used in recent EV’s are generally out sourced and coupled with many different motors, and controllers. Often, due to overcharging or damaged battery, EV’s tend to malfunction and pose a safety hazard. To standardise this process, ARAI has worked to standardise battery safety regulations comprehensively. Averred Dr Reji Mathai, Director at ARAI, “The focus at ARAI is on meeting customer expectations; collaborative R&D to develop better solutions and technologies. ARAI defines the roadmap for 2030 and charters an implementation plan, until then execution and research at ARAI continues.” A motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying passengers is categorised as ‘M’. A motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying goods, which may also carry persons in addition to goods fall under category N. The regulation is known

to remain standard for the M and N category with the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 038 Revision 2 (part 2) and aligned to the UN GTR (Global Technical Regulation) 20 Phase I and finalised UN R 100 (Rev 3). On the other end AIS 156 is aligned with ECE R-136 for L (L-category vehicles are a classification of road transport vehicles that range from powered two/three-wheelers including motorbikes, category vehicles.) The AIS 156 and AIS 038 Revision 2 standards that are known to focus on system level testing of the entire battery pack cover functional safety, risk reduction and mitigation analysis, and thermal safety with explicit mentions. At the test laboratory, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) can look forward to tests in the realm of vibration, thermal shock and cycling, mechanical shock, fire resistance, external short circuit and over current protection (refer Table 1 and Table 2 below for details). The new facilities at the proposed ‘Battery Safety Test’ lab are expected to serve the industry’s needs of electrical abuse test and mechanical abuse test of electric and hybrid vehicles. The facility will also host thermal runaway, full-fledged BMS simulator, water immersion and battery pack crush facilities in days to come. ARAI is also known to augment existing battery testing capabilities by setting up the new laboratory in the view of increasing variety, sizes, capacities and volumes of xEV batteries coming in for testing, validation and development.

The humming tyre

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are known to be silent to the extent of OEMs having to consider introducing an ambient sound. Synonymous to low NVH levels, the humming tyre continues to be a challenge though. To address this phenomenon known to occur especially with the tyre rolling at higher speeds, ARAI is offering its state-of-the-art test facility. It is aimed at providing tyre manufacturers with comprehensive certification services for the C1, C2, and C3 class of automotive tyres. In addition, the workshop is claimed to house all other vehicle evaluation and tyre handling support facilities. The nodal agency is currently conducting correlation trials in collaboration with the tyre industry. Standard Reference Test Tyres (SRTT) of relevant

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Cover Story Table 1 AIS 038 Revision 2 Part 2 (M, N category)

Dr Reji Mathai, Director at ARAI sizes will be conducted in a controlled environment as per reports. In addition, ARAI is in the process of obtaining the NABL accreditation and offer support for all export homologation requirements in the future. For example, the noise test is performed using the vehicle coast down method with candidate tyres mounted on the test vehicle with a specified payload based on the tyre load index. To conduct the test, an instrumented vehicle carrying a payload enters a specific measurement area on an ISO: 10844 certified noise test track at a predetermined reference speed, and maximum noise is recorded using a microphone. With the ‘Tyre Rolling Sound Emission Test’ facility, ARAI also facilitates testing of tyre adhesion over wet surfaces. The wet grip test is divided into two methods: vehicle method and trailer method. ARAI is in the process of acquiring a skid trailer system to cater to C1 and C2 class tyres in order to facilitate the trailer method and meet volumes. Furthermore, ARAI is in the process of acquiring a high-powered test vehicle for C3 tyres. The test lab offers a TUV certified test track, standard vehicles, a dedicated noise measurement system complete with required instrumentation besides a tyre changing facility.

Durability evaluation using six DOF In order to evaluate the entire vehicle WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

Test

Parameter

Vibration

Overcharge protection

Thermal shock and cycling

Over-discharge protection

Mechanical shock

Over-temperature protection

Fire resistance

Hydrogen emission test

Overcurrent protection

Thermal propagatio

Table 2 AIS 156 Part 2 (‘L’ category) Test

Parameter

Vibration

Overcharge protection

Thermal shock and cycling

Over-discharge protection

Mechanical shock

Over-temperature protection

Fire resistance

Hydrogen emission test

External short-circuit

Mechanical drop (for removable)

and reduce the Product Validation (PV) cycle, ARAI offers real-world simulation in a controlled environment. Using multi-Degree-Of-Freedom (DOF) testing complex components or structures are characterised. The full-car road simulator is deemed as the ultimate complete vehicle and component testing rig for both the front- and rear-axle fatigue testing, full-car stiffness testing, and suspension subsystem analysis. In its 12-channel version, the six DOF Road Simulator System (RSS) provides greater control over forces and involved motions. This includes translation in the vertical, to the side, along a longitudinal axis and control over torque of the brakes and the drive. Three lateral struts, each with an own actuator, are known to operate together to control the lateral force as

well as the steer and camber moments. The six DOF RSS is claimed to enable an accurate replication of the true multiaxial stress state of vehicle subsystems and components at any given point and time. These help simulate complex nonlinear events required for meaningful durability road simulation using oproven linkage-coupled technology with an independent actuation. The most frequent mode of operation for this system is an inertially responded whole floating body, in which all of the inputs are reacted on by the vehicle’s inertia. This setup is deemed ideal for testing the entire vehicle’s durability, including the body, body-mounted components, and the suspension.

Engine check

ARAI has a ‘Transient Test’ facility with JANUARY 2022 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA

over Story q Floating Body (20 channel)

For non-manoeuvering events, this full-vehicle test delivers the most accurate total stress distribution in the entire vehicle structure. All weights are reacted on by the vehicle body’s inertia, which is permitted to float.

q Fixed Body (12 channel) This single-axle test generates correct loads in the vehicle suspension and tests for manoeuvring events (braking and cornering) as well as rough road simulation.

q Semi-Floating Body (12+1 channel) This single-axle test generates precise loads in the vehicle suspension as well as a piece of the vehicle body. The body is permitted to float while one axle is grounded through a yaw or yaw-twist fastening. This arrangement also allows for the simulation of braking occurrences.

an up to 600 kW at 1507-3381 rpm and a nominal torque of 3800 Nm at 1507 rpm with a maximum speed of 4500 rpm. It has a capacity to measure emissions and performance of both automotive and non-automotive engines (BSVI / EuroVI and BSIV & BSV CEV/Tractor Engines). This facility built with a vision to double up as a global R&D and testing facility is said to meet the requirements of upcoming emission criteria for non-road engines (BS-IV / BS-V CEV / Tractor) and automotive engines. This test facility is now undergoing commissioning and will soon be offered to the industry for automotive, CEV, genset, and other engine development work. It is LCV and HCV engine compliant to BSIV, BSVI emission standards. For Nonautomotive (CEV, Tractor, Genset, etc.) engines compliant to Stage IIIA, BSIV, BSV emission standards. It is suitable for engines operating on fuel types like diesel, gasoline, CNG, bio-fuels (biodiesel), flexengines (ethanol ED95 and methanol). The pre- and post-emission measurement system is compliant with UN ECE R49 Rev. 6, 40 CFR-part 1065, AIS 137 PART 4 & PART 7. Other USPs include calibration capabilities like FTIR, PM system, particle counter, fuel metre, water conditioning, temperature sensors, smoke metre and opacimeter among others.

Vehicle air-drag determination

A well-established and proven technology in EU for simulation based fuel consumption calculation and certification, at ARAI, the constant speed test aids in calculation of air drag of heavy commercial vehicles by determining the forces at the wheels especially when the vehicle moves at a defined constant velocity. It is known to require precise instrumentation for acquiring the data within the defined test boundary conditions. Its the resultant measured output values from this test that aid in the

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determination of the air drag using an air drag tool. It makes use of the Wheel Force Transducer (WFT), differential GPS and mobile anemometer with phase-wise instrument calibration, vehicle warm-up phase, and a series of low speed and high speed tests. It helps ascertain an accurate airdrag given that the resultant values are independent of vehicle rolling resistance and other drivetrain losses. Specialised methods like CST aid in airdrag calculation for CVs. At ARAI, the exercise of air-drag determination also encompasses fuel efficiency and energy audit programs. ACI

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c Destination Charging

over Story

SunFuel Electric is hoping to draw in affluent EV owners and aspirants alike into destination charging. Deepti Thore focuses on the fast catching trend and its ability to address range anxiety.

unFuel Electric (SunFuel) is the latest to join the EV ecosystem bandwagon. The company recently announced a niche offering of destination chargers. It is aimed at drawing in affluent EV owners and aspirants alike by addressing their range anxiety which is known to kick in especially beyond city limits. The niche destination charging segment goes beyond public

charging infrastructure and is in its nascent stages. SunFuel is charting its own course here by targeting the demand at destination luxury hotels pan India. According to Sudhir Nayak, Chief Driver at SunFuel Electric, responsible for driving the company’s EV strategy, “Destination charging is key to catalyse the adoption of highend EVs in India. We believe this will encourage

(L to R) Rishabh S Mehta, Co-Founder, Sudhir Nayak, Chief Driver, Gul Panag, Co-Founder & Head of Partnerships and Community and Mathew Koshy Co-Founder & Managing Director at SunFuel Electric at the tie up ceremony with IHG Hotels & Resorts.

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adoption of electric cars amongst people and make electric mobility cool and aspirational.” Over the next year, the company is aiming to install up to 400 destination charging stations across select luxury hot spots of the country. Over the next five years, it aspires to install one lakh charging units. These will include both the level 2 and fast charging units. The company will look to build the momentum gained from the domestic market to scale up globally in a bid to enhance its Return on Investment (RoI) and at the same help it do its bit in reversing climate change through the encouragement of green mobility solutions like Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). According to Gul Panag, CoFounder and Head of Partnerships and Community, destination charging is key for the spread of ‘Electric Thinking’. “The more people see and witness accessibility and availability, the lesser will be their hesitancy in adopting EVs. We hope this will invite more and more people into the EV fraternity for a better future,” she opined. Panag drew attention to climate change being a reversible phenomenon with 40 per cent of it being attributed to transport tailpipe emissions. “Reversing it will have a huge impact!,” Panag exclaimed. Of the opinion that while the city charging infrastructure continues to pick up courtesy an easier accessibility, be it residential or commercial spaces, destination charging will address an untouched segment’s EV hesitancy.

designed keeping in mind the needs of public charging infrastructure for luxury and high-end private electric vehicles. On the sidelines of the virtual launch, the company revealed plans to eventually extend the charging suite to meet the needs of electric commercial vehicles

Charge ability

The charging suite

The SunFuel charging suite is claimed to have been indigenously designed with support from academia at the Department of Design, IIT Delhi. The destination chargers are manufactured in India wherein the part’s mix constitute of both local and global sub-assemblies. The chargers are said to be localised at an estimated 70 per cent and

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with specially designed heavy-duty chargers claimed to be made from high-quality parts and consumables. SunFuel will offer a charging suite for the city limits, on highways apart from the destination suite. Both the city and destination chargers are AC units with an output ranging from 7-22 kWh, depending upon the client’s requirement and the duty cycle. To meet the requirements of the highway ecosystem, the company will offer DC charging stations with 50 kWh capacity.

The Monolith

The Monolith charging unit fits in well as a destination charger. Beyond luxury hotels, it can also be deployed at residential and commercial spaces and schools too among other private spaces. This 7.7 kW, level 2 AC charger boasts of a sturdy, all metal design. The charger is alwayson (24x7) or in connected mode, and enabled for digital payments like being QR code enabled. The Monolith is made available with a pillar for floor mounting and without the pillar for wall mounts. It is claimed to fully charge an EV in four to nine hours basis the battery size and the C-rating. For city charging, SunFuel is offering the AdPod. Expected to be launched in January 2022, the Adpod is designed for places with high footfalls like public spaces. Equipped with all features similar to that of the Monolith, it stands out with the added feature of Over The Air (OTA) updates. It is made available with a Full High-Definition (HD), and a high backlit portrait display. Flaunting an upmarket, all glass and metal design, the charger has a dual nozzle again with a 7.7 kW, level 2 AC Charging capability. The Expressmiles unit is a superfast charger designed for the highways. Targeted at fleet owners, the charger whilst in the development stage will be launched in the near future. The charger is priced northwards of nine WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

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lakh (for 50 kW variant ) and 50 Lakh (for 350 kW variant). Made available with or sans the display, the charger will be installed and commissioned by SunFuel end-to-end.

Opportunities and challenges

SunFuel is banking on its design, communityappeal and seamless offering to stand out in an ecosystem largely dominated by 30 EV infra players. As a niche luxury EV charging solution provider, the company is looking to tap the potential of community travel and catering to their requirements beyond city limits. The company is taking its WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

vision forward by signing up with luxury hotel chains. The company recently signed MoUs with the India Hotels Group (IHG) and Radisson Hotels in India for installation of its Level 2 AC chargers. The chargers will be installed in a phased manner and will be leased to the chain of hotels as fixed assets of the company. The responsibility to operate and maintain these chargers will rest entirely with SunFuel. SunFuel is also looking to partner other hotels similarly and expects the government intervention to support extended charging infrastructure. The company is also looking to extend the destination charging concept to industrial installations besides high-end residential complexes, premium office buildings and Special Economic Zones (SEZs). ACI JANUARY 2022 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA

T Defect Prediction In Automotive Plastic rending

A recent webinar on ‘Defect Prediction in Automotive Plastics Injection Moulded Components using a simulation tool. Deepti Thore looks at its broad-based application.

njection moulding, one of the most widely used production processes for plastics, enables mass production of high-quality injection automotive parts from a broad range of polymers. The automotive plastic injection moulding for components is an important manufacturing process. It is crucial for defect prediction in components. 3DTIMONTM through its simulation software has a broad-based application. DesignTech Systems, India, an exclusive Business Partner of Toray Engineering Solutions Co. Ltd. in India for 3DTIMONTM hosted the webinar on ‘Defect Prediction in Automotive Plastics Injection Moulded Components Using 3DTIMON’ in collaboration with ACMA to generate an awareness on the subject. Claimed to get a majority of its traction from the automotive industry (almost 40 per cent customer base), the CAE tool is being used by the likes of Honda

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and Nissan among others. Some of the key applications of 3DTIMONTM include insert or multicoloured moulding analysis, compression moulding analysis, composite material moulding analysis, additive moulding analysis, thermoset moulding analysis, evaluation of quality for moulded product and reliability, urethane foam moulding analysis and an evaluation of strength.

The capabilities

Some of the common challenges faced by the automobile segment includes reducing warpage wherein the shape of the final product deviates from the shape of the tool cavity. This requires an analysis and modification, fixing appearance failure due to weld line control, cooling circuit design for high cycle, light weighting by using thin wall and alteration to resin. After the moulding process like amealing and re-

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Trending flow, and use of special materials like LCP. Injection process and phenomenon like insert heat and cool and birefringence can also be addressed using this tool. There are many who convert metal part into plastics to meet the light weighting requirements. There are claimed to be some of the key advantages of 3DTIMONTM for defect prediction in automotive plastics injection moulded components. The unique tetra mesher tool offered by 3DTIMONTM is a patented meshing preprocessor, built-in tetra mesh generator. It uses bubble mesh generation theory for optimum meshing. The CAE tool also measures against cosmetic defects. Some of the common cosmetic defects found on automotive components are weld line and sink mark. The tool develops measures to review gate position and product thickness to reduce the number of mould modifications and trials. Warpage reduction is another crucial benefit as it analyses main factors of warpage and develops counter measures. The tool derives product shape and gate location to reduce the warpage. The tool also enables optimisation for lightweight design. Moulding conditions are known to be optimised with existing machines making use of results from filling patterns and pressure. Cycle time optimisation predicts product temperature and mould temperature with three-dimensional cooling channel and checks on temperature distribution. It considers the appropriate cooling channel layout and product thickness. The tool also enables evaluation of quality and reliability for moulded product by predicting deformation due to residual stress and thermal influence. It also evaluates product quality through heating techniques such as annealing, painting, heat cycle testing. Some of the other optimisation functions include proposing parameters such as optimum gate position and product WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

JANUARY 2022 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA

rending wall thickness for improved efficiency of analysis work. To evaluate the strength of the parts, the tool helps predict nonlinear properties from analysis results of fibre orientation. It also challenges marginal design by conducting highly accurate strength evaluation in combination with structure analysis. Direct Fiber Simulations (DFS) helps forecasts bending and breaking of reinforcing fibre, fibre length, density distribution and performs high accuracy and strength evaluation of warp ageinduced deformation analysis. Some of the unique extensional functions of 3DTIMONTM include AMDESS which aids in an automatic design optimisation. For example, it can find out optimum shape and thickness to reduce warpage, optimum gate position to shift the weld position etc. Ejector Pin Evaluation Tools – Buckling Risk / Buckling Load is another such feature which allows the system, based on the concept of fast and quick check analysis result by setting analysis conditions according to the workflow. Thermosetting resin analysis through ReactiveMould feature corresponds to injection moulding and transfer moulding to predict filling, fibre orientation, and warping for use in automotive electronics. Compression moulding analysis - through CompositePRESS predicts filling, fibre orientation, and warp deformation in thermosetting SMC and BMC moulding, as well as thermoplastic stamping moulding. It can be utilised for studying weight reduction by replacing metal parts. Geometry cannot be directly analysed hence 3DTIMON has a patented machine technology at the backend. It has 3D (Hybrid) technology for multilayered mesh and Light3D technology for singlelayered mesh (Tetra/Hexa) elements with all surface nodes. Light3D is faster than 3D technology and much more accurate. 3DTIMON -TetMesh can generate single

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Trending layer tetra mesh instantly. In the automotive components segment, the interpretation of the defects of the engine cover or the car audio panel can be done in a few hours through the TetMESH or the Light3D technology. 3DTIMON simulation results in detailed result summary to predict injection moulding defects, viewing and syncing options, optimise simulation results, compare part or project results and result can be exported in .CSV format as an add-on. Multiple results can also be synced for better understanding. Staggered flow mark caused due to flow disturbance can also be captured using the software. Insert Moulding is another such feature of 3DTIMON. Opposite warpage analysis is another characteristic function of 3DTIMON used for calculating warpageless shape against the target and outputs the mesh file for applying mould compensation (Windage). The result is the mirror replica of the shape or mesh model.

Modules

3DTIMON-Multimould can estimate appearance defect caused by remelting with two color injection moulding and provide counter measures. StructVE, on the other hand, can estimate stress relaxation after solidification and annealing, reflow and heat and cool process by considering visco elastic properties. For example, rapid heating can be addressed with this tool. Apart from this there are different modules which include Pre / Post module, flow, pack, Fiber, MCool, Warp, Insert, Optics, Awarp, SuperThin, Press and Amdess, ReactiveMould, nStruct and Translator used for various moulding predictions. Timon Mould Designer is the entry level mould designer used for entry level injection simulation. CompositePress, AMSolutions and PD advisor are other solutions offered by the tool for defect prediction.

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Case studies

Facing the challenge of predicting the deformation of the resin parts after moulding, in another word, the warpage has automotive components manufacturers working on resin warpage analysis by CAE. This is known to ensure the manufacturing quality of resin parts and to reduce the design lead time. Continuing to face the difficulty with resin moulding due to limited spacing for resin parts caused by increase of in-vehicle systems, the need is for acquiring new technologies and knowledge through CAE to meet these demands. The high independent development ability to implement improvements offered by 3DTIMON has been the reading for the company to choose the software over others. When analysing with new materials, it is necessary to investigate the characteristics of the materials. Having expertise in various plastics materials and possessing highly accurate data, Toray is therefore reliable and it helps test quickly and accurately by referring to the data. The analysis accuracy of simulations is continuously improving at the company. As a result, rework due to moulding defects has been reduced saving both man-hours and costs used in various activities aimed at further improvement of manufacturing quality. To improve the analysis accuracy of CAE, it is essential that the user masters the use of software.

In one of the case studies at the OEM, the objective was to establish vibration characteristic prediction technology in CF-SMC moulding considering fibre orientation. CFSMC moulding develops anisotropic mechanical properties depending on moulding conditions. Therefore, in order to accurately evaluate the quality of moulded products such as vibration characteristics, establishment of techniques for predicting the orientation state of CF long fibres that exhibits anisotropy is necessary. Methods involved were Prediction of fiber strand orientation by 3DTIMONCompositePRESS considering SMC moulding process, prediction of the anisotropic property as a fibre strand and lastly, predicting vibration characteristics by structural analysis, considering anisotropic characteristics. As per the results obtained, the vibration characteristics can be evaluated with high accuracy by defining the mechanical characteristics as a fibre strand from the fibre orientation results of 3DTIMON-CompositePRESS and use thereafter for vibration analysis. Toray Engineering is currently also looking at implementing AI functions in 3DTIMONTM in collaboration with TDS. Customisation of 3DTIMON is therefore expected to continue in the future and find relevance in broad-based applications. ACI

JANUARY 2022 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA

I Next-Gen Auto Grade Chip nternational

Startup company Kneron Inc. has launched the KL530. Prateek Pardeshi finds out how the next generation auto grade chip standsout.

ehicles can look forward to attain L1 and L2 level of autonomy in new vehicles as well as through aftermarket solutions from San Diego based full stack edge AI solutions provider Kneron Inc. The startup company has launched the KL530 AI chip, its first chip built on the open source RISC-V instruction set. RISC-V being a free and open source ISA that has brought about a change in processor innovation by way of open standard collaboration. Through it, Kneron Inc has freed the architecture from software and the hardware leveraging the latter’s IP. It’s deemed as a testimony to how entry barriers can be broken in the semiconductor industry working to meet the supply side challenges faced by the automotive industry. Add to it, the KL530, is said to introduce L1 and L2 level of autonomy in factory fitted as well as older vehicles as an aftermarket solution. Here L1 is referred to as, vehicle that features a single automated system for driver assistance, such as cruise control, Adaptive Cruise Control, etc. When the driver monitors the other aspects of driving such as steering and braking, Level 2 (L2) is referred to as Partial Driving Automation, where the vehicle takes over accelerating and braking. The KL530 builds on its predecessor KL520. It is claimed to offer a 2X Tera Operations Per second per Watt as one of the most energy efficient edge AI chips offered in the market. It offers 10X the performance of KL520 in AI models like Mobilenet and Resnet. While Mobilenet boasts of a streamlined architecture that use depthwise separatable convolutions for light weight neural networks, the Resnet, a residual neural network, is a kind of an artificial neural

AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n JANUARY 2022

network that is known to form the backbone of computer vision tasks. Kneron credits the achievement to the use of INT4 data support claimed to reduce processing time by 66 per cent in turn doubling the frame rate. It also reduces boot time by 33 per cent. In addition, it enhances the object recognition capability from three objects at a time to eight items in the same cycle.

Edge AI hardware architecture

The Edge AI hardware is claimed to supercede cloud-based AI as it eliminates the to and fro flow of data. The architecture will see the KL530 being offered in two variants. The first of the two variants is known to be designed for the aftermarket. It will help L0 vehicles gain L1 and L2 autonomy. The second variant is an auto grade by design and will be directly built into the vehicles. The hardware is claimed to be lowest on energy consumption among the auto grade chips on the market according to Albert Liu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kneron. Commenting on the L1 and L2 opined Liu, “KL530 is a major leap for low-power, highefficiency edge AI. L1 and L2 applications will dominate the autonomous driving sector for the next decade, and Kneron is already serving this market through ADAS in Toyota vehicles. KL530 is the central part of that strategy.” Apart from the RISC-V CPU, the architectures offers an intelligent Image Signalling Processor (ISP) with an integrated AI AEC/AWB control and AI based tuning as a USP. The ISP in turn offers a 1080p image processing capability in High Dynamic Range (HDR). The AI tuning helps optimise images captured for machine learning applications. The 3D recognition aids in blind spot detection, object/hazard recognition and classification, and distance measurement. The chip also features a reconfigurable Neural Processor (NP) with either of CNN, RNN, LSTM or transformer. The support from Int 4 is claimed to offer higher computer efficiency and the transformer network aids the computer accuracy of the chip. The chip boasts of WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

International boost its product pipeline the company also partnered camera solutions provider Otus. In this case the latters 360 degree dash cam was equipped with AI by coupling it with Kneron’s KL520. The company further expects the 5G rollout to boost its prospects. 5G is crucial to autonomous vehicles succeeding as

they require a consistent high-speed bandwidth to function as intended. Backed by other investors Horizons Ventures, Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Qualcomm, Sequoia Capital, CDIB and Himax Technologies, the company has raised a cumulative funding of USD 100 million. ACI

Albert Liu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kneron Inc.

efficienct model and data encryption too. These features are backed by the added advantage of an ultra low consumption of upto 500 mW.

Software and AI

Expected to be a significant contributor to Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT), the Kneo, Kneron’s private and secure edge AI network will aid devices in communicating. The devices will be equipped to support each other, and enhance their capabilities. For instance, vehicles will be able to communicate securely with roadside traffic management units. New AI applications are also made available to further enhance their capabilities as add-ons.

Invested in autonomy

Kneron turned attention to autonomy earlier in the year given that the market is is expected to reach a valuation of USD 12 billion by 2026. In January 2021, the company partnered Foxconn wherein Foxconn is known to have invested in the company. The partnership entailed working on Kneron’s implementation of low-power, low-cost AI solutions with a focus on both driver and passenger efficiency. In May 2021, the company announced this intent and backed it up with numerous collaborations. The company partnered with semiconductor company Weltrend wherein the latter invested in the company. Kneron also partnered with human interface solutions provider Elan/Avisonic. To WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

JANUARY 2022 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA

nternational

Components At EICMA 2021 The EICMA 2021 International trade fair drew attention to the progress made in two-wheeler components. Deepti Thore highlights the mix expected to shape up next generation products.

he 78th edition of the International Bicycle and Motorcycle exhibition, EICMA 2021 was held between November 23-28, 2021.It was testimony to the distinct competitive edge of component suppliers in the two-wheeler industry. Hosted at Fiera Milano Rho at Milan, in Italy, the show was a resounding success. m A total of 342,644 footfalls were registered in the five halls occupied this year apart from outdoor showcases. Over 820 brands from 36 countries in five pavilions are known to have displayed their new products,shared previews and give a glimpse into the future of mobility. The show saw 15 startup companies exhibit their products and holding their own in comparison to the big league. In all, the component manufacturers took centre stage by showcasing crankshafts, battery packs, chargers, lights and headlights, air and oil filters, brakes and brakes levers, disc brakes,ignition systems, engines, tyres, radiators, suspensions, transmissions to name a few. The exhibition also turned out to be a good platform for young entrepreneurs from startup in a dedicated section this year. In his opening address, President of EICMA S.p.A Pietro Meda exclaimed, “Welcome back, EICMA, today the future opens again!” During the opening ceremony, which was attended by the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, the President of the Lombardy Regional Council, Attilio Fontana, the Minister for Economic Development, Giancarlo Giorgetti, the Chairman of Confindustria ANCMA (National Association for Bicycles, Motorcycles and Accessories) Paolo Magri and the Managing Director of Fiera Milano Luca Palermo, the President addressed the return of EICMA as ‘a tribute to the passion and determination of the sector’. “Today we are back in presence and once again we are making Milan the world capital of two wheels,”he stated.

systems, showcased the new Zūmo XT satellite navigator designed for the most adventurous motorcyclists. Their 5.5” touchscreen display with HD resolution offers a clear road map coverage and is deemed easy to use. With functions like ‘Adventurous Routing’, it is capable of signalling roads based on the presence of curves and slopes. On the safety front, Garmin guarantees real-time warnings in the event of tight curves or where there are speed cameras, signalling sections with reduced speed limits. In addition, the bluetooth module allows the user to make and receive calls while driving. Tosi S.N.C, specialising in equipment for tyre specialists and workshops showcased their new semi-automatic tyre changer equipment

The components exhibitors

Temporary Bikers Shop drew the attention of enthusiasts and saw many two-wheeler components manufacturers showcasing their products. Garmin, specialised in navigations

AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n JANUARY 2022

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International for motorcycles called SA30B. Designed for use in the workshop, on vans and race fields, SA30B allows users to tighten rims from five inches to 23 inches with the help of its self-centering plate. It also helps in adapting to each tyre with the help of specific blades for motorcycles. The SBK locking system, equipped with five adjustment holes, allows users to use the tool with precision, preventing operator errors. Available options allow quick change of the turret and the mounting of harder tyres with low shoulders. SA30 B is thus able to operate on motorcycles, scooters, go-karts and gardening machines. Exeon, the interdisciplinary design and engineering studio develops innovative and comprehensive solutions for intelligent mobility. It showcased the concept of a unique tool called EDS, for quick design process planning and automated 3D configuration of the vehicle architecture and its components. At the stall, Exeon introduced the visitors to the process of product development: from the starting sketches, through detailed design and engineering to market implementation. Furthermore, visitors were encouraged to look inside the vehicle and discover the hidden details behind the respective product’s commercial success. Exeons unique tool, EDS for designing

Vitesco Technologies showcased a broad range of innovations for two-wheeled vehicles starting from all-electric drives for light motorcycles and scooters to the demo version of a hybrid motorcycle and other electrification solutions. The display also encompassed emission-reducing systems for a wide range of twowheeled and powersports applications. Focussed on the electrification of the two-wheel sector, the company WWW.AUTOCOMPONENTSINDIA.COM

The Electronics Motor Reducer 3rd Generation (EMR3) by Vitesco Technologies

introduced the 48V drive for a performance range of three- to-seven kW. It’s hybrid, on the other hand, enables all-electric driving and enhances driving pleasure. It’s smart transmission actuator helps switch the transmission independently and without actuating the clutch. The Vitesco electrification range included an Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) control unit and the Electronics Motor Reducer 3rd Generation (EMR3), an integrated axle drive. TVS Srichakra Limited, manufacturer and exporter of two-wheelers and three-wheeler tyres, were among the few Asian origin companies at EICMA. The company displayed its range of two-wheeler tyres under the Eurogrip and TVS Eurogrip brands. These included the Eurogrip Bee Connect range of scooter tyres. The new products from the Bee tyre family – Bee Sport and Bee

Eurogrip Bee Connect range of scooter tyres

JANUARY 2022 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA

nternational BRaking system designed for the Sportster S by Brembo

The startups

Sustainable and innovative solutions were the highlights at the startup arena. Fifteen young international companies showcased products ranging from transport to innovative components. These included the first telemetry system for MTB and MX of the company BYB to compatible batteries for HYBA electric vehicles.

City were also exhibited. Climber XC, Jumbo GT and XT tyres and Protorq Extreme Roadhound radial tyres also gained interest from show visitors. Brembo S.p.A presented a braking system designed for the Sportster S, recently launched by Harley-Davidson. Aiming to replace the entire range of aftermarket brake pads by 2024, the company introduced the new GP4-MINI caliper for young riders. It also displayed a physical version of its new brake caliper concept called the New G Sessanta. Hitachi Astemk Ltd., showcased next-generation products and technologies for motorcycles which included a cutting edge integrated control for suspension and brakes, powertrain systems with advanced environmental technologies, brake systems claimed to improve vehicle safety performance and a suspension that improves both the steering stability and riding comfort. Powertrain, suspension and brake systems for motorcycles by Hitachi Astemo, Ltd. BYB telemetery system for MTB

There was ample showcase of services and technological support systems such as the Pegase GPS tracker by SMT Performances, the innovative assistance and repair service at home for bikes Bikeflix, the system presented by Evovlo Mobility Solutions including charging stations and integrated solutions for e-bikes. ACI ---------------------------------------EICMA 2021 is the first trade fair event in the world in its sector to be certified ISO 20121 by TÜV NORD Italia. The next edition of EICMA will be held from 08 to 13 November, 2022 at Fiera Milano in Rho, Milan, Italy.

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