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www.autocomponentsindia.com Vol 6 Issue 08
October 2019
COMPONENTS
Shree Harsha, India Marketing Director, and Xavier Silhouette, VP Sales T&M Industry, Dassault Systèmes
INDIA
Voice of the AutomotiVe SupplierS
automotive
Safety & braking /autocomponentsindiaofficial
@ACImagazine
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CONTENT
OCTOBER 2019 COVER STORY
y r o t s ver
22 Automotive safety and brakes dynamics
Co
26 59th ACMA Annual Session: Embracing the discontinuity in growth 30 59th SIAM Annual Convention: Looking beyond the slowdown
06 | NEWS
Hero MotoCorp extends CPL title sponsorship Nu-Vu Conairs’ new fabrication facility JCB India appoints new MD and CEO Tata Harrier Dark Edition
13th National Productivity Summit SOTL associates with Swaraj Tractors
14 | CORPORATE
Eberspaecher expands production facility Meritor expansion and new R&D centre
18| Q & A
Dassault Systèmes drives experiential learnings
Slowing demand takes the sheen off steel New Schaeffler India HQ
34 | SPECIAL REPORT Prawaas 2.0: Bigger and better Delhi Machine Tool Expo 2019
showcases the latest in manufacturing technology
44 | ACI INITIATIVE
Automotive aluminium in cars and CVs Bollhoff Fastenings approach to Asia
50| ALLIED INDUSTRIES
Brabo Robotics showcases TR12 and TR20 Dürr EcoPaintJet system Customised solutions from Shell Lubricants India
57 | INTERNATIONAL BYD India launches T3 e-van
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EDITOR KEYS IN
#HowDareYou
AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
Unit No 5&6, 1st Floor, B Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai -400013. Tel +91 22 43525252, Email us at a.bhatia@nextgenpublishing.net Executive Editor Ashish Bhatia Editorial Advisory Board H. S. Billimoria, Aspi Bhathena Correspondent Sricharan R (Chennai) Head - Design & Production Ravi Parmar Asst Art Director Ajit Manjrekar Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Publisher Marzban Jasoomani 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) Marketing Manager Minocher Parakh (Mumbai) Manager Circulation - North and East Kapil Kaushik (Delhi) Subscription Supervisor Sachin Kelkar Tel +91 22 43525220 Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries: help@magzter.com Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Srinivas Gangula (Hyderabad) Cell +91 09000555756 Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Vidyasagar Gupta (Kolkata) Mob: 09804085683 REGIONAL MARKETING OFFICES Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Unit No 5&6, 1st Floor, B Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai -400013. Tel +91 22 43525252 26 B, First Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Okhla Phase III, New Delhi - 110020, India Tel +91 11 42346600/78, Fax +91 11 42346679 Unit No:509, 5th Floor, ‘B’ wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bengaluru - 560001, India Tel +91 080 66110116/17, Fax +91 80 41472574 Cenetoph Elite, No.5, Cenetoph 1st street, Teynampet, Chennai - 600018, India Tel +91 044 421-08-421/044 421-75-421 Devendra Mehta - Mob No.- 09714913234 Ahmedabad 201 Gera Serenity, North Main road, Koregaon Park, Pune - 411001. Tel + 91 20 26830465
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I
have made a conscious decision to leave aside all issues faced by the auto components industry. Instead, I will focus on the crucial contribution that could help in containing the menace of the global climate crisis as my bit to help force the change. The week has been nothing short of historic. A click on a trending picture of the teenage Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was like opening the pandora’s box. I found #GlobalClimateStrike to be trending on social media, in turn, discovering how the face of the unprecedented movement, Greta, in August 2018, started a school strike - ‘Fridays For Future’ for the climate outside the Swedish Parliament. The movement since then has spread like wildfire to the rest of the world. More heartening was to learn that the movement now involves over 100,000 school children. Greta and 15 other young people are known to have filed a legal complaint with the U.N. Committee on the ‘Rights of the Child’ alleging that major countries - Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany and Turkey - have known about the risks of climate change for decades yet they failed to take sufficient actions to curb their emissions. It is hard to believe that the petitioners fall in the age bracket of eight to 17 and hail from Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, India, the Marshall Islands, Nigeria, Palau, South Africa, Sweden, Tunisia and the United States. At eight, I was a crusader alright albeit a tad overdressed for the cause in my one-man mission ‘Rambo’ avatar. Starting early and how aren’t these great signs for the world’s future? “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,’ Greta blamed world leaders at the 2019 UN climate action summit in New York. In a visibly emotional and charged speech, she alleged the ignorance of the science behind the climate crisis. “‘We are at the beginning of mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth - how dare you, she questioned, sparking a furore. Imagine, in over 150 countries, people are stepping up to support young climate strikers like Greta to demand an end to the age of fossil fuels. Of the firm belief that the climate crisis won’t wait and so neither will they! The young crusaders have compelled the world to take notice of the deepening crisis with their powerful strikes. As if that in itself did not make for a global spectacle, adults joining by the millions only strengthens it to a hurricane urging a renewed action all over the world. It is up to us now, the stakeholders of the auto components industry, to come together and force a change, renewed approach with a response that centres on human rights, equity, and climate justice in everything we do. Ashish Bhatia Executive Editor | a.bhatia@nextgenpublishing.net /autocomponentsindiaofficial
@ACImagazine
/autocomponentsindia
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., Unit No 5&6, 1st Floor, B Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai -400013. Published by Marzban Jasoomani on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Unit No 5&6, 1st Floor, B Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai -400013. 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., Unit No 5&6, 1st Floor, B Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai -400013
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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
OCTOBER 2019 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
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News
Hero MotoCorp extends CPL title spoionsorship
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ero MotoCorp Ltd. recently renewed its term as the title sponsor of ‘The Caribbean Premier League (CPL)’ for three more years (201922).The title sponsor of the Twenty20 league since 2015, said Dr Pawan Munjal, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Hero MotoCorp, “Hero is pleased to continue its association with one of the world’s most popular and respected T20 franchise tournaments. Having been associated with the Hero
CPL from its inception, it is immensely satisfying to see how the tournament has
grown and revitalised cricket in the Caribbean.” Partnering marquee sporting events
in India and globally, the long term association with CPL, Hero Corp is said to demonstrate the company’s value as a sponsor for endorsement of commercial cricket in the world. Averred Richard Bevan, Chairman of Hero CPL, “We are delighted to join hands with the World’s pre-eminent two-wheeler automobile company for three more years. It’s true to say that the Hero CPL wouldn’t be the magical event that it is without Hero’s long and ongoing support.” ACI
Nu-Vu Conairs’ new fabrication facility
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lastic auxiliary equipment manufacturer,NuVu Conair Pvt. Ltd., inaugurated its new fabrication facility in Ahmedabad on August 08, 2019. The new facility houses ultra-modern fabrication machinery like a laser cutting machine, CNC press brake, CNC rolling machine and an automatic welding machine. Part of the ‘Continuous Improvement’ program encompassing all business functions of the company, the new facility is expected to enable the company to meet stringent quality standards and tight delivery schedules. It is also expected to help the company provide customised solutions to customers in the fastest possible
time frame. Nu-Vu Conair Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad, India is a joint venture company between Nu-Vu Engineers, Ahmedabad
and the Conair Group, into auxiliary equipment for plastic processors, headquartered in Cranberry Township, PA, U.S.A.
Conair has manufacturing facilities in the USA in addition to India and manufactures 450 different products. ACI
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News
JCB India appoints new MD and CEO
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President-Operations and was promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2017. In his previous role, he played a key role in helping JCB India expand from a single factory operation in New Delhi, in 2006, to a network of five factories across Pune, Jaipur and New Delhi. Its sixth factory is under construction in Gujarat and due to be commissioned by 2020. Said Graeme Macdonald, CEO,
CB India recently appointed Subir Chowdhury as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Operating Officer of JCB India will take over the new role by the end of the year replacing Vipin Sondhi, who vacates the position after a 13-year stint to take up a senior position in Ashok Leyland. Chowdhury joined JCB India in 2005 as Executive Vice
JCB Group, “Subir Chowdhury has a proven track record at JCB and I am delighted he is taking up the position as MD and CEO. He has been directly responsible for delivering the additional manufacturing capacity needed to keep pace with the phenomenal growth in the Indian construction equipment market. JCB India is in very safe hands and is perfectly positioned for future growth.” ACI
Tata Harrier Dark Edition
T
ata Motors recently launched its flagship SUV, Tata Harrier, in a Dark edition. The Dark edition follows the launch of Harrier’s dual-tone variants that marked the celebrations of Tata Harrier’s 10,000 customers milestone. The Harrier Dark edition offers 14 design enhancements with a healthy blend of design and premium inclusions. For instance, the new Atlas black colour, R17 Blackstone alloys and other changes in the exterior are said to complement the interiors of the all-new Blackstone theme which includes the premium Benecke Kaliko Blackstone leather upholstery, the Blackstone Matrix dashboard and a new Gunmetal Grey chrome pack. Priced at Rs.16.76 Lakh onwards, exshowroom Delhi, the Harrier Dark edition XZ is a fully-
loaded variant. Averred Vivek Srivatsa, Head Marketing, Passenger Vehicles Business
Unit, Tata Motors, “We are confident our customers will appreciate the Harrier in this
look as much as they have appreciated the Harrier since its launch.” ACI
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News
Slowing demand takes the sheen off steel
I
ndia Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has revised its outlook on the steel sector to stable-to-negative from stable for the remainder of FY2020 given the sluggish demand of steel, slow growth expectations owing to a mix of structural and cyclical concerns in end-user sectors, primarily auto. Hence, Ind-Ra
has revised downwards its FY20 steel demand growth expectations to around four per cent from the previous forecast of seven per cent (FY19: eight per cent). The outlook also factors in increased import risks especially from the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries such as Japan and South
Korea due to adverse domino impact of the slowing global growth and continuing trade frictions. Furthermore, raw material availability and price risks are expected to escalate in Q4 FY20 if the uncertainty over iron ore mine auctions prolongs. Ind-Ra expects steel demand to recover in H2 FY20, supported by
a pickup in government investments, fiscal stimulus measures, improvement in market sentiment and H2 FY19’s lower base. The agency believes limited new capacity additions in FY20 will help balance the demand-supply situation amid sluggish demand in H2 FY20. ACI
New Schaeffler India HQ
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chaeffler India has announced the move of its operations to new headquarters in Baner, Pune. The new office consolidates all corporate and sales functions following the completion of the merger formalities of three legal entities in India. Looked upon as a key milestone towards integrating and establishing one strong entity, the new office is designed as per Schaeffler’s new work philosophy to offer employees a modern work environment. Expected to enable Schaeffler to leverage higher synergies and opportunities between its three business verticals – LuK, INA and FAG, the group is expected to exercise faster and efficient collaboration between its entities to serve customer needs better. Present in India for over 50 years, Schaeffler
in India serves the auto and industrial domains with a wide range of ball bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, spherical roller bearings,
wheel bearings, engine and powertrain components (like front accessory drive system, chain drive systems, valve train, gear shift systems, and
needle roller bearings and elements). It also offers a wide range of clutches and hydraulic clutch release systems. ACI
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OCTOBER 2019 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
News
13th National Productivity Summit
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he 13th National Productivity Summit (NPS 2019) was concluded on August 21, 2019, at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), in Bengaluru. Attended by over 300 delegates from 130 companies the summit included pre-event plant visits, keynote addresses, case study presentations and productivity championship awards. This year at the summit, 11 out of 150 case studies were shortlisted including submissions from companies like Bosch, Rane TRW Steering Systems, and Mahindra & Mahindra. At the IMTMA-ACE Micromatic Productivity Championship Awards 2019,Mahindra & Mahindra was awarded the first prize for ‘Reduction of specific Carbon footprint’ by using Waste to Wealth, TPM and
Industry 4.0 concept in the utility management area. Besides, the pre-summit plant visits organized included visits to OE plants
like Ashok Leyland, TVS Motor Company, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, Volvo Trucks, and Volvo Construction Equipment
in a unique opportunity presented. The 14th edition of National Productivity Summit will be held on August 2020 in Pune. ACI
SOTL associates with Swaraj Tractors
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avita Oil Technologies Ltd (SOTL) has renewed its association with Swaraj Tractors. An agreement between the two companies was signed recently as per which Savita Oil Technologies will manufacture and supply company-branded engine oils with Savsol brand to Swaraj authorised service stations for the Swaraj tractor range. Expressed Hemant Sikka, President & Chief Purchase Officer, Powerol &
Spares Business, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, that the company was pleased to join hands with Savita Oil Technologies to meet their customer needs. Said Sunil Aima, Chief Executive Officer - Lubricants, Savita Oil Technologies Limited that their relationship with Swaraj Tractors dates back to eight years, and is going strong. “It is a reaffirmation of the high-quality standards that we adhere to,” he added. ACI
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23 - 28 January 2020, Bangalore, India
CORPORATE
Eberspaecher expands production facility In response to the rise of electric bus movement on the back of ambitious schemes like FAME II announced by the Government, Eberspaecher has upped its activities in India. Team ACI
I Eberspaecher is expanding it’s production capacities for it’s bus AC systems in Bangalore,India
n response to the rising penetration of electric buses bolstered by the ambitious schemes like FAME II announced by the Government, Eberspaecher has upped its activities in India. The company is also pursuing new business opportunities in the wake of the rising public and private operators demand for AC
buses. Expanding its production capacities for bus air-conditioning systems in Bangalore by moving to a plant twice the size of its earlier plant, the company has been enhancing its capacities in the bus air-conditioning domain especially. Stating that they reached the capacity limit at the previous location last year,
Oliver Wels, General Manager Eberspaecher Climate Control Systems Bus & Coach, mentioned that company is investing in India as a strategically important export market besides for domestic demand. Wels drew attention to the demand for high-performance thermal management systems in India.
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CORPORATE With demand for AC buses coming from new quarters like school buses against the demand from traditional quarters like the staff and tourist buses, Eberspaecher has seen the demand for its ACs increase both at the OEM as well as the aftermarket level. If the rise in electric buses is creating demand for efficient bus thermal management systems among others, the company, which has been a supplier of bus AC systems to a variety of bus manufacturers like Volvo and Daimler, and a variety of bus bodybuilders, has been seeing its business in Asia, and India in particular, rise steadily. This is on the back of a demand for greater comfort in city buses and coaches. As compared to the old facility, the new facility of Eberspaecher is said to be more state-of-the-art when it comes to manufacturing practices. Enabling the company to double its production, the new facility measures approximately 6,000 sq. m. Facilitating more space for production and assembly, and for packaging and logistics, which would support Eberspaecher’s plans to introduce new product lines in India, the plant would now look at producing up to 7,000 bus air-conditioning systems per annum. Expected to witness considerable traction in export activities, the Bangalore facility of Eberspaecher will see a considerable uptake in technology infusion as hybrid and electric bus ACs find room for manufacture. Employing 100 people, the Bangalore plant of Eberspaecher operates in highly competitive markets like Germany, Poland, Brazil, US, and Mexico. Claiming to be the world’s leading system
partners for bus manufacturers, Eberspaecher, which unveiled the fifth-generation model of its AC 353 roof-mounted airconditioning system for large buses at Prawaas 2019, has been bolstering its network to expand to new market regions within India as well as in Asia. Revealing that they plan to produce electric airconditioning systems for hybrid and electric buses in the near future, Wels mentioned that the Indian operations will mark a strategic shift such that India acts as a hub for Asia. With a product portfolio that comprises of classic pre-heaters, ACs and complete thermal management systems, Eberspaecher, in India, is looking at a distinct advantage in terms of competition and an ability to control costs.
Committed to providing highquality thermal systems, the company, which has more than 700 service partners worldwide, is looking at a significant increase in activity in India and much of Asia. ACI
Electronic control unit with LED display
Eberspaecher ‘s electric roo-fmounted air-conditioners system 15 15
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Q&A
Dassault Systèmes drives experiential learnings “The 3D wheels-connected factory will help us make people aware of the new trends,” told Shree Harsha, India Marketing Director, and Xavier Silhouette, VP Sales T&M Industry, Dassault Systèmes, to Sricharan R of Auto Components India in an interview. Q: How does the 3D wheelsconnected factory help the outreach programme attain its objective?
institutions, we are trying to educate people and help them understand by witnessing the technologies as they unfold.
Harsha: With this outreach programme we are taking the technology to the customer’s doorstep. In India, many forums talk technology but the experiential learning of real-world technology is found to be a miss. What we are really trying to do is to bridge the gap with our 3D wheels-connected factory by giving hands-on experience in the factory. The whole 3DExperience is coined around differentiating between the virtual and real. We make use of PLC controllers, hardware, conveyors etc. just as it is used in a real-world shop floor. A virtual replica 3D model that loops back the virtual and real is called the 3DExperience twin. So, it means you learn from the physical and feed it back as learning into the virtual world. Iterations and optimisation in terms of what could potentially happen are carried out. This whole thing will cover almost 150 customers in the West and South of India.
Q: Who are the customers who have adopted this 3DExperience platform?
Xavier: We share a vision with a wider number of people through this. This helps in a manner such that people can start to project themselves in the new system. It helps in scalability. In academic
Harsha: In India, we have around 10,000 customers. Among OEMs, we have Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, VE Commercial Vehicles, Ashok Leyland, Royal Enfield and others. The suppliers include Suprajit, Sandhar, Endurance Technologies to name a few. Over the last two years, the 3DExperience platform has been adopted well in the automotive supplier base. We categorise our segments into five: OEMs, suppliers, railways (another segment which we are actively looking at in India), motorcycles, and performance racing. Others include engineering suppliers, line builders, and engineering service providers. Xavier: From a global perspective, one of our important customers is Renault and they have deployed around 16,000 of this 3DExperience. We have carried this out across France, Romania, Russia, Korea and even in India. All these are connected to the same platform and to the same database. We have a unique view and an up-to-date view at any
moment of the vehicle or the part of the project we are working on. The most interesting part is, out of the 16,000, we have 7,000 which are actually deploying 3D with the rest into engineering, purchasing, marketing, after-sales among other activities. It was also used in the process of building the Renault Easy Flex. Here I would like to draw attention to the cloudbased system. Imagine these big mainstream activities happening, and a small organisation designing on the cloud. This is where I think the cloud is becoming a significant part of people who innovate. Using the cloud is also easy because you can connect immediately and have the ability to start designing.
Q. How does the 3DExperience improve customer operations in the real world? Harsha: Imagine a customer takes up a new truck project. It involves six to seven stages of product strategy including gathering product architecture, analyse the load condition, and performance characteristics of the truck. 10,000 to 15,000 tests are carried out thereafter to demonstrate the workings of the components. Next, the company may launch an all-new truck and it will have to invest in the line again. It may cost around Rs.300 crore to
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Q&A L to R: Xavier Silhouette, VP Sales T&M Industry, Dassault Systèmes and Shree Harsha, India Marketing Director, Dassault Systèmes
Rs.500 crore. It is a big investment and a risky one. Through 3DExperience, we undertake product strategy, planning, vehicle architecture, design concept, ergonomics, styling validation, prototyping and manufacturing processes as part of the value chain. The entire value chain is digitised and passed on to the customer in a 3D format making it possible for the customer to carry out virtual decision making. If it works only then the customer deploys it on the shop floor. For OEMs like Ashok Leyland, it is very economical Q. How robust is the platform when it pertains to data security? Xavier: In terms of data security, we have put in place all the requisite standards of security. We are also running through
some certification processes. We have all the process necessary to protect the data. And, we have several places where we can offer cloud services. The cloud storage is made available across Europe, the USA, China where people can connect and do their job. In India, we have partnered with Amazon AWS in addition to a standalone cloud source here. Q: Does it benefit EV manufacturers too? Xavier: The offer we have is quite interesting for EV makers. We plan to go very deep into the simulation process. We want to do better design and can also help them with faster validation through simulation. Simulation plays a key role in the EVs. For instance, the EVs are heavily
dependent on the battery and you can simulate battery management from the perspective of keeping the batteries safe and ensuring a longer battery life. The chain of simulations starts from the material itself. The next level is when you start to integrate 3D into battery manufacturing. There is a provision to simulate battery performance with respect to heat. Here, the heat simulation process is key to attain the desired performance characteristics. Q: How has the 3D modelling software evolved and what are the key trends that are emerging? Harsha: From a CAD market perspective, we have matured quite a lot. India was 2D-centric for a long time and we have reached 3D only now. It 17 17
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Q&A is changing the way we communicate. When it comes to manufacturing tolerances, especially design tolerances, with 3D, it is expected to meet the desired surface finish quality that is communicated in 3D. In terms of tech communication, illustrations typically used in paper form have been digitised now. Even material illustrations have been transformed into 3D all of leading to better turnaround times. Another major trend is 3D printing which again is a completely new dimension. Q: And in factory automation and robotics with respect to IIOT and MES? Industrial IoT and manufacturing execution system are all directed towards improving the efficiency of a factory. Second is how does one reduce the cost of production. The third is about incorporating innovative ideas in a bid to
introduce new products faster to the market. People might use any sort of PLC controllers, but you need a platform. And, we will be able to provide it as a 3DExperience platform. We are confident of being able to cater to the needs of design manufacturing, sourcing, testing service, aftersales among other areas of manufacturing. For instance, you have an electrical harness. It runs through the entire vehicle. Let’s say if the government were to introduce a recall policy, how does one figure out the cable supplier, manufacturing date etc? The answer is that through a barcode, I marry the chassis number of the truck or a car to the electrical harness cable. So, the entire history of which part is going to which vehicle gets recorded paving the way of traceability. This is how digitisation is taking to the next level. This can be applied in scenarios of
inventory management, warehouse management, quality management, inspection management and other such areas. Q: How can digital tools help optimise and resolve existing challenges at the supply-chain level? Harsha: When you look at the supply chain of manufacturing, you look at a typical automotive supplier business. He gets a drawing or 3D data and is expected to quote for a piece. Within a span of seven to 10 days, he has to respond back to this RFQ from the OEM. So his efficiency mainly lies in scanning historic data before finalising the best quote. That is competitive enough and orders can be local customers who want to go global. We have a solution called ‘Bid to Win’. This is more about how a supplier can be agile and efficient in order to be competitive. It is where we enter the supply chain.
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VLC 200 200 GT GT VLC
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Q&A Q: Any tailored products for autonomous vehicles? Xavier: This is another challenge area in the sector. We have a systematic approach to the engineering part which allows our customers to simulate the real-world behaviour. That apart we have electric and electronic modelling capabilities, in terms of architecture modelling. So, we have some tools which allow you to do the architecture modelling of your car, but also of all the embedded software that goes into the car. We have purchased a company called No Magic. It has a very powerful tool called Cameo, which is a system modelling tool. It can be used in ways to integrate not only the geometry design and configuration of the car but also its equivalent configuration in terms of software. We also have an agreement with an Israeli startup where using tools we can build virtual environments. Harsha: In summary, we are reducing the New Product Development (NPD) time from four to five years to an estimated 18 months period. A 100 per cent simulation might be possible in some cases. For example, companies do crash testing. The number of times to crash test is reduced now and it may even reduce further. That is a significant saving. The second example is the wind tunnel tests. We put the final concept car into a wind tunnel and see the drag of the car with the design. It means you need to drag coefficient because that will affect the vehicle fuel efficiency. Without products, we can reduce the physical test for the vehicle. And for thermal testing, how will they drive a vehicle across Rajasthan, to Kashmir for instance in extreme temperatures that the vehicle needs
to withstand. A 50 per cent success rate achieved here would be considered a successful effort. As a company, we are evolving and growing with new technology. That’s one of the primary reasons we are a strategic partner to many of our customers. We even have a customer who is our partner since 1981. To sum up, the whole concept is called a 3DExperience platform because it’s like an iPhone iTunes platform. Depending on your needs you can select what you need. We have different applications right on the items platform with the same concept. We have Catia, a CAD tool for 3D modelling; we have Delmia, the manufacturing software and Simulia, which is a simulation. This is the kind of suite we sell to customers and offer value addition, and position ourselves. Q: Going forward, what is it that we can expect from Dassault in India? Harsha: We are in excess of 2800 people in India and this is one of the biggest R&D centres for us contributing to customers in India and globally. While we have been growing over the last three years,
we expect to continue to grow with our diversification plans. We are moving on to new domains like EV battery for instance. We started an incubation programme specifically in India to promote EV startups. We would be offering free licences to all startups who qualify through our programmes. They will be trained on aspects from how to develop a new battery to how to come up with new solutions around the whole new concept of mobility. And, if you want to come out with a new product, we have our own labs where mentors from the industry coach startups. Startups can register themselves and can go through the qualification process. Electromobility accelerator is a startup kit for EV for example. Anybody who is entering the battery, charging, full vehicle modelling or even in the domain of developing apps on mobility, on analytics platform will be provided with an entire bundled kit. From funding to conceptualisation, to commercial rollout. Our 3DExperience Executive Center in Chennai is like a fabrication laboratory where people can descend to understand the industry. ACI
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COVER STORY
Automotive safety and brakes dynamics A study and practice of design, construction, equipment and regulation to minimise the occurrence and consequences of traffic collisions involving motor vehicles, automotive safety and brakes continue to be a dynamic subject today.
Team ACI
A
study and practice of design, construction, equipment and regulation to minimise the occurrence and consequences of traffic collisions involving motor vehicles, automotive safety and brakes continue to be a dynamic subject today. With the increasing involvement of electronics, the subject area is exposed to the latest developments in the allied fields of metallurgy, friction materials,
processed rubber, chemicals and much more. Widely broken into two branches – active and passive safety, automotive safety and brakes make an integrated and complex equation forming the core of the vision of almost all the automotive OEMs for zero accidents. Constantly upgrading their offerings to provide fail-safe safety technologies, stakeholders across the automobile value chain have
acknowledged the importance of passengers safety as well as those in the vicinity of the vehicle including pedestrians, fellow motorists, two- and three-wheeler riders among others. In an environment that is governed by regulations and market forces, automotive safety and brakes are undergoing a sea change. With the use of ABS systems trickling down
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COVER STORY
in mass-produced two-wheelers and CVs, automotive safety and brakes is a field that is constantly changing in form and function. While India is making a big stride with BSVI to get closer to many advanced markets in the world, the demand for active and passive safety systems is on the rise. Linked to the rise in average speeds and the arrival of models that are truly global, automotive safety and brakes are turning out to be a part of the complex mechatronic systems like Head-Up Display (HUD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Driver Monitoring System (DMS), Blind Spot Detection (BSD) and Night Vision System (NVS). These cover crucial parameters about the journey to attain zero accidents. For the record, MultiwareCore Inc. has joined digital automotive radar
company Uhnder to drive software and hardware development of the company’s radar technology, claimed to be the first digital automotive Radar-on-Chip (RoC) that operates at 76-81 GHz and uses Digital Code Modulation (DCM) that offers 4D High Contrast Resolution (HCR). It is known to have a range with an accuracy that is not possible with other solutions currently on the market. The commonly used radars in automobiles referred to as lidars form part of a system that helps the driver see and anticipate beyond or how quickly it could. With India delivering world-class software solutions for video compression and image processing for lidars, including the one that Uhnder and MultiwareCore Inc. would be driving, automotive safety and brakes are known to be getting a shot in the arm. As autos reach
Level 4 automation in many markets, radar sensors, as well as laser sensors and cameras, are linked with braking systems that combine ABS, ESC and a brake booster. Consider the MK C1 onebox brake system from Continental for example. Combining ABS, ESC and a brake booster, it forms the basis for the Group’s productionready MK C1 HAD brake system that supports automated and driverless mobility, capable of electromechanically generating maximum brake pressure in 150 milliseconds. As new research in materials ensures the development of brake component materials are lighter, tougher, more wearresistant besides also being noise and vibration proof, the automotive safety and brakes continue to be subjected to much research and development. In CVs, there’s an amount of work that is taking place in the area of engine braking 23 23
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COVER STORY and, retarders and intarders (often integrated with transmissions). For instance, Voith is offering retarders higher average speed and greater safety by promising 90 per cent performance of all braking actions without wear. Contributing to the light-weighting exercises OEMs are constantly up to. The new safety and brake developments are also contributing to reducing the carbon footprint. Suppliers like Wabco are indulging in the development of lane assist systems for CVs in India where roads conditions continue to be far from ideal and chaotic, technologies like AEB, ACC, blind-spot detection, rear crosstraffic assist, park assist, adaptive headlights and 360-degree cameras are charting a high route to safety even as they work cleverly in association with the braking system of a respective automobile. Turning autos into large smart devices with advanced emergency braking capabilities, mapping technology for autonomous driving and better fuel efficiency, and as a form of transportation, automotive safety and braking technologies are leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning. Applying algorithms that
use data to automate the process of setting up a vehicle, adapting it to the preferences of the driver, his driving and braking habits, automotive safety and braking technologies are coming to also include IoT. Intelligent enough to inform if the vehicle needs servicing and if the brakes are about to malfunction, automotive safety and braking technologies are shaping up to work on autos that are propelled by electricity, gas and various other means. Taking into account the change in the performance, stability, handling and various other characteristics of such vehicles, automotive safety and braking technologies are adding sensors, an ability to map, to adapt and to communicate. Due to unprecedented developments like Cars-as-a-service (CaaS), which promotes ridesharing and new mobility models, automotive safety and braking technologies are also changing at a macro level that includes new developments in coatings for gray cast iron discs, to the mega level that includes pairing up various smart and intelligent technology platforms in driverless vehicles. An automotive OEM is claimed to be researching on a concept where
drones flying a few centimeters ahead of the car light the road and communicate with the powertrain as well as the brake system to signal the two to cut down the power and apply the brakes with prescribed intensity to avoid an obstacle like a fallen tree, a boulder, or another vehicle that has broken down, in the process turn either of the light beam for the driver to notice the obstacle well before. As the automotive safety and braking technologies connect to the cloud servers and form an important part of the ‘connected’ future, the focus seems to be on pushing beyond pre-collision to post-collision. Having developed a new highperformance brake disc concept that is light, performs better, and is environmentally friendly, the Institute for Manufacturing Technologies of Ceramic Components and Composites (IFKB) at the University of Stuttgart is highlighting its ease of adaptability for electric vehicles. Drawing attention to the highly wear-resistant layered composite coating, IFKB is also highlighting the fact that the discs that it has developed will help curb a good per centage of the 50 per cent of fine dust particles emitted by vehicles that come from the tyre and brake abrasion rather than exhaust fumes. Another unique advantage that the discs offer according to IFKB is that they do not overheat, thanks to an intelligent cooling architecture and the tailor-made thermodynamic properties of the brake discs. Set to complement technologies like regenerative braking in electric autos, technologies like these will greatly influence the lifecycle costs of a vehicle. Defining the positive impact in terms of the costs saved, automotive safety and braking technologies are coming to place people, road and infrastructure, and vehicles in a perspective that is allencompassing. ACI
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COVER STORY
59th ACMA Annual Session: Embracing the Discontinuity in growth At the 59th ACMA Annual Session, the stakeholders of the auto components industry strengthened their resolve to embrace the discontinuity and strive for growth. Story by: Ashish Bhatia
T
he 59th ACMA Annual Session had stakeholders of the auto components industry deliberate on ways to embrace the discontinuity in growth. Held on September 06, 2019, it gave a sense of how the market sentiments had nosedived from just a year ago. After a phenomenal run in the previous financial year (FY2019) when the industry registered strong growth, the auto component industry finds itself jostling for growth. The undercurrents were reflective of the sentiments experienced when the Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEMs) took the stage a day prior, at the 59th SIAM Annual Convention, held at the same venue, in New Delhi. There was a unanimous consensus among those gathered, on July 2019 and August 2019 particularly being the worst performing months for the industry. A few admitted to registering zero growth owing to the slumber in the economy, and that there was a need to find ways of embracing the discontinuity and strive to get back to growing ways. In his welcome speech, outgoing President - ACMA, and Director,
Amalgamations Components Group, Ram Venkatramani, President, ACMA set the context by thanking the government for its recent corrective measures in a lead up to the event. Venkatramani especially thanked the government for standing by the industry in these trying times. He then put forward the industry’s demand for a GST rate cut to 18 per cent across vehicle segments to boost demand and cushion the industry from the prevalent negative sentiments. To help the industry tackle the slowdown in the domestic market, it was
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COVER STORY suggested that the government encourages export incentives. He called for the need to optimise duty structures, and expressed hope from the new input credit scheme announced. To his peers in the audience, Venkatramani urged the need to leverage the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) 4.0, to create a Centre of Excellence (CoE) that would encourage innovation, besides urging the need to look at ways of transitioning from labour arbitrage to knowledge arbitrage. Averred Rajan Wadhera, President Siam and President, Automotive Sector, M&M, that the auto components industry is the pride of the Indian manufacturing sector contributing to 15 per cent of the GDP. “The slowdown is not the first we’ve seen. But some may argue it’s different,” he quipped. He urged the government to step in and revive the sinking sentiments in time for the festive season. Further, Wadhera went on to raise concerns on the difficulty in predicting sales and as a result of the production plan in a manner that the industry settles for a zero inventory, a day after March 31, 2020, when BSVI comes into play. Wadhera admitted that while the industry was prepared to take the hit of the transition to BSVI, it was equally aware of the next decade being equally disruptive with a whole range of technological changes on the anvil that the industry needs to factor in while strategising for growth. Speaking on the immediate focus areas for the industry, Wadhera pointed at the need to relentlessly focus on the end customer; gauging customer requirements and fulfilling them; valuing the workforce and keeping the entrepreneurial spirit high. Lauding the efforts of the components industry, Wadhera
Anurag Thakur, Minister of State Finance and Corporate Affairs
expressed confidence in Indians entering the ‘Top 100 Global Suppliers List’. Attention was drawn to ACMA’s formation by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at a time when manufacturers were claimed to not have a strong say. “The Auto industry akin to Chandrayaan landing on the moon has decelerated from growth to witness a slowdown,” quipped Shobana Kaminemi, Past President CII. “India Inc. is all about hope and courage,” she expressed. Echoing a similar sentiment, stated Kenichi Ayukawa, MD, Maruti Suzuki India, “OEMs and suppliers are ONE.” “There are changes in global trade patterns that affect us all in India with a direct impact,” cautioned Ayukawa. He advocated for the need to be ready to take on the market and global trade environment risks in the horizon. Admitting that predicting the government policy in advance is never easy, said Ayukawa, that there was a need to enhanced Research and Development (R&D) capabilities. “If the government sets a target and allows industry the freedom to choose technology to achieve the end goal, it would
be the ideal way forward,” he opined. Asking the industry to enhance its capabilities, Ayukawa added that there was a need for India to manufacture zero defect products. “Quality deserves much greater attention from the top management gathered here who need to take ownership of the quality of their suppliers in turn,” he mentioned. He drew attention to Maruti Suzuki’s business model with claims of 90 per cent localisation and 10 per cent import requirements for parts in use. Guenter Butschek, MD and CEO, Tata Motors revisited his suggestions to the government and the industry, made a day prior at the SIAM convention. Taking off from where he left, Butschek stated, “The unique growth story of the Auto Industry is about to collapse.” Attributing the beginning of the end to the liquidity crisis in the industry, and the axle load norms in case of CVs, Butschek further drew attention to the uncertainties pertaining to the future technology playing on the mind of the customers. It is a big concern, he opined. Urging the industry to 27 27
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COVER STORY Deepak Jain, President, ACMA and Chairman and Managing
Director at Lumax Industries Ltd.
Q. How do you see the auto components industry staging a turnaround from the current slowdown in growth? A. A lot has been talked about the ongoing slowdown. The auto industry is cyclical in nature. This is not the first slowdown we are witnessing and neither is it the last one that the industry will see. The industry has recently seen a lot of structural changes take place rapidly, both to the economy and the auto industry at a very rapid pace. It has prolonged the downturn. Factors like the implementation of GST, demonetisation and NBS liquidity, are a few of the measures which we have a lot of hope from. In terms of the total cost of ownership to the run-up towards BSVI emission norms, it has risen manifold. The compliance to the upcoming BSVI norms from April 2020 is a critical milestone for the industry and we know that there could be a disruption or a further slowdown due to this policy change as well. Hence, I would say we are aligned with our OEM partners in tackling and addressing this prolonged slowdown. Q. With the advent of BSVI next year and EVs being touted as the next big thing, how is the components industry ensuring a seamless transition? A. Firstly, let me be clear that future mobility will not be only electric. The government, and our Prime Minister have clarified that the old technologies can co-exist. Our Finance Minister has also clarified that BSIV and BSVI engines, along with existing fuel options of petrol and diesel will coexist. Hence, the beauty of the Indian auto industry is this diversity and the potential that arises due to this co-existence of technologies. Talking purely about EVs, we are perfectly aligned with the government’s agenda of getting cleaner and safer vehicles on our roads. This is expected to go a long way in reducing our fossil fuel requirements and lowering our carbon footprint. EVs will surely come in the future, but currently, it is our responsibility to educate the end consumer that if she/he has the need to buy a vehicle, they must not postpone their purchase. It is the auto industry’s collective responsibility to ensure that amongst all the clutter and deliberations happening, the end consumer is not confused prior to making a buying decision. If we are successful in doing that, we might be able to mitigate the effects of low buying sentiments by coming together with the OEMs to a large extent. - Anwesh Koley
strive for growth at a pace faster than the industry got pulled in by the slowdown, he lauded the suppliers and cautioned them against the bar being raised by the customer, who he said had evolved. He urged the industry peers to work at ways of enhancing customer awareness pertaining to the regulatory-driven safety and emission standards in a bid to pave the way for wider acceptance. As an extension of Internal Combustion Engines, Butschek expressed confidence in the hybrid technology for the industry to comply with the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) norms. On the faster adoption of EVs, he said that there was a need to look at it as an opportunity for growth as opposed to looking at it as a threat. Of the opinion that the demand environment would remain volatile in terms in volume terms, Butschek pressed for the need to drive higher productivity in the entire supply chain with the use of IIoT 4.0. This he opined would make the supply chain inturn more predictable. Butschek mentioned that there was a need to go beyond customer relationships to strike strategic partnerships in an effort to be ahead of the curve. Guenter further expressed displeasure in the Government’s deadline of April 01, 2020 to make available the BSVI fuel. Urging the stakeholders to look at electrification as a complete ecosystem, he called the exercise of looking at the commercial viability of EVs a futile exercise in the near future. Butschek expressed confidence in technological advances remaining agnostic for the foreseeable future. Anurag Thakur, MoS Finance and Corporate Affairs praised the component’s industry for its efforts towards realising the aspiration to double the contribution to the
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COVER STORY manufacturing GDP. “It takes 1800-1900 components in the making of a car. Then consumer demands more than ever before. It is an opportunity for growth,” he averred. Claiming that the over 50 startups working on new technologies are fast gaining ground, Thakur gave an example of luxury features in vehicles being offered as standard features today. He also touched upon the cost composition undergoing a sea change. Citing global OEMs, said Thakur, that the top 10 manufacturers globally were today present in 50 per cent additional sub-categories compared to the past. Cautioning Indian OEMs against spreading themselves too thin, he urged the Indian cos to emulate the latter for a better chance at growth. He also urged the industry to spearhead agricultural innovation. Acknowledging the industry’s demand for a uniform 18 per cent GST, the minister strongly urged the industry to stop the prevalent practices of fake invoices and zero billing, and address the counterfeit component sellers. Arjun Ram Meghwal, MoS Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises quipped, “the industry needs a soft and safe landing.” “When the Government is talking of building a USD five trillion economy why will we not look at your sector,” he questioned. Defending the government’s choice to advocate the use of EVs, explained Meghwal, that the government was bound by its commitment as per the US Paris Agreement. He said that EVs were a means for the government to live up to that commitment. “Co2 emission reduction is the end objective which has to be attained,” he stated. Despite the current slowdown,
Arjun Ram Meghwal, MoS Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
the long term growth story for the Indian automotive industry is still intact according to Shivanshu Gupta - Sr. Partner, McKinsey India. In the closing remarks, averred Ashok Taneja - MD & CEO, Shriram Pistons & Rings, “The current slowdown is unlike anything we have ever seen before and affects all sectors across the industry simultaneously not limiting itself to the auto components industry alone giving the industry a ray of hope.” On the best technology for the industry, cautioned Thomas Flack, Chief Procurement Officer at Tata Motors, “For those who have been in the industry for 15 years, know that electrification has created more casualties. Be cautious and don’t blindly jump the bandwagon.” “50 per cent of the Indian population currently uses a bicycle or walk to work, so they’ll opt for ICE vehicles instead of EVs, whenever the disruption happens. ICE tech is here to stay,” opined Eric Vas, President, Urbanite Business, Bajaj Auto. Explained R S Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy, that
customers would buy EVs because it’s an advanced technology and not because of paying heed to the environmental concerns or the price points at which they are made available. At the 59th ACMA Annual Session, TeamVerbena, Sundaram Auto Components Ltd was declared the winner of the National Quality Circle Competition QAS2019. ACI
Shivanshu Gupta - Sr. Partner, McKinsey India
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COVER STORY
59th SIAM Annual Convention: Looking beyond the slowdown At the 59th SIAM Annual Convention, the stakeholders of the auto industry strengthened their resolve to look beyond the slowdown in growth. Story by: Anwesh Koley
T
he 59th SIAM Annual Convention ushered in hope and optimism for the auto industry jostling with a slowdown. Held on September 05, 2019 in New Delhi, the annual fixture in the auto industry’s calendar had the stakeholders take stock of the downturn across segments that extended itself to nine consecutive months in August 2019 leading up to the congress. Titled ‘Moving into
A New Era of Auto Industry’, the Chief Guest, Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India kickstarted the proceedings of the day-long schedule by beginning on an optimistic note. He assured the stakeholders of the auto industry that the Government was standing by the industry in these trying times for the sector, weighed down
by an overall slowdown in the economy and global pressures on the macroeconomic environment. Allaying fears of an extended slowdown, Gadkari spoke of the country’s potential as the preferred manufacturing destination. “India is poised to become the world’s largest manufacturing hub,” he stated. On the fears looming large over the Government’s blanket ban on
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COVER STORY the production and sales of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powered vehicles, Gadkari assured that there was no such intention on the government’s part to ban just for the sake of promoting EVs. “I want to clarify that though there have been talks that the government is planning to ban petrol and diesel vehicles, we are not going to do anything like that,” he mentioned. With hopes of the government paying heed to the industry’s demand of a GST rate cut, from the existing 28 per cent plus cess slab down to 18 per cent at an all-time high among stakeholders gathered at the convention, the Union Minister did not disappoint. Not only did the minister Gadkari spark hopes for the hybrid vehicles getting a level playing field in terms of GST levy compared to other class of vehicles, he assured of taking the demand for the GST-reduction to the GST council which would take a call on the demand at its meet scheduled for September 20, 2019, in Goa. This, he said, would ease the burden on the auto industry just in time for the upcoming festival season. A GST cut is crucial for the sector to reverse the negative sentiments as per popular opinion. The Union Minister further drew attention to the ministry’s efforts in zeroing in on 68 infrastructure projects pegged at a valuation of rupees five lakh crore for their execution. Opined Gadkari that the automobile sector would be the biggest beneficiary as a result of the implementation of these projects. Talking about the issues pertaining to credit availability, Gadkari called for the need to establish an independent, proprietary financing arm by the sector to help boost sales. To highlight Government’s efforts to boost the sector, Gadkari cited the GST reduction on EVs, from 12 per cent to five per cent. “I will propose to the finance ministry to extend a similar benefit to hybrids,”
he reiterated. On the much-awaited vehicle scrappage policy, the minister assured of the government’s intention to bring out an exhaustive policy in the near future. The union minister also drew attention to the construction equipment sector as a key contributor to the growth of the auto industry especially since the government was poised to focus more on the sector’s development. Stated Rajan Wadhera, President, SIAM & President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, “The auto industry is a beacon of manufacturing marvel under the ‘Make In India’ initiative. The industry is hopeful of substantial solutions by the Government to end the Industry’s distress.” “Vehicles sales witnessed a de-growth of 20 per cent during the April-August 2019 period, while passenger vehicles sales witnessed a de-growth of 23 per cent with the slowdown leading to the elimination of 2.8 lakh jobs,” he added. Bullish on the stimulus coming the way of the auto sector, he expressed confidence in the latter as a step in the right direction, in terms of helping in improving the market sentiments. Wadhera additionally urged the government to ensure the availability of BSVI fuel across the country by February 01, 2020 as against the current deadline of April 01, 2020 for the new norms to be implemented seamlessly. He also raised concerns over multiple nodal agencies being involved in policy framing for the sector. Wadhera urged the minister to look at the feasibility of setting up a single nodal agency instead that would be empowered to address all sectoral policies, citing the example of global countries. “At the moment polices concerning the auto industry encompass heavy industry, finance ministry, road transport ministry, petroleum ministry, power ministry and having one nodal agency for the
auto industry is a crying need,” he opined. Echoing a similar sentiment, mentioned Kenichi Ayukawa, VP, SIAM and MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, “All stakeholders including OEMs, suppliers, dealers and banking sector need to work together to break through this crisis and move forward with a brave heart.” “Global challenges, coupled with the disruptions in the Indian domestic market, will require joint efforts by the industry and ministry,” averred Martin Peter Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes Benz India Ltd. At this juncture, the concerns around the rising BSIV inventory levels were also raised from both the manufacturer and the ancillary industry’s perspective. Representing the components industry, Ram Venkatramani, President at ACMA India said, “Managing the BSIV inventories are an area of concern for the component manufacturers. Through close coordination with the Government and the finance sector, we can jump into decisive recovery.” Drawing attention to the auto component industry crossing the USD 57 billion valuation mark in 2018-19, added Venkatramani, that with the industry currently
Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India.
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COVER STORY OEM’s gathered, Butschek claimed that automobile manufacturers were taking steps to overcome the challenge by adjusting production to demand. “Block closure has become the word of the year,” he quipped.
L to R: Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors Ltd, Dr Pawan Goenka, MD, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., Venu Srinivasan, Chairman, TVS Motor Company Ltd., Siddharth Vinayak Patankar - Editor In Chief, Auto, NDTV.
employing an estimated 50 lakh people and contributing 2.3 per cent to the country’s GDP, its revenues were impacted owing to the industry transitioning to the BSVI emission era. Averred Vinod Aggarwal, Treasurer, SIAM and MD & CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd, that the ‘Automobile Mission Plan’ is aimed at propelling the auto industry as the primary engine of growth for the ‘Make in India’ program. Aggarwal advocated a different connotation of the abbreviation CASE in the Indian context. Clean, Affordable, Safe and Efficient, he quipped. Of the opinion that the CV industry performance is directly linked to the sentiments, explained Aggarwal, “If the economy is down, the CV industry has to be down and right now the entire economy is down. Last month was very bad for the industry, the sales of heavyduty trucks dropped by more than
60 per cent and light-medium trucks witnessed a decline of 40 per cent. So overall, the drop has been very significant.” Speaking about the current predicament of the auto sector and its revival, Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors Ltd, cautioned that the Indian automobile industry growth story might collapse soon due to ongoing slump, triggered by multiple factors including low consumer sentiment and non-availability of liquidity. He, however, was quick to mention that he was optimistic albeit cautiously, about a recovery owing to the various recent measures announced and promised by the government. Of the opinion that the low economic activity led to subdued demand, triggered by the liquidity crisis and the revised axle load norms had together contributed to the uncertainty in the minds of consumers, in turn severely hurting the sector. Speaking on behalf of the
Commenting on the importance and urgency of right financing required at these critical times, Uday Kotak, President-Designate, CII and Managing Director & CEO, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd, urged the auto industry to brace themselves for change. He opined that cars were no longer an aspiration. Speaking at the annual convention, Kotak said that customers’ preferences were swiftly changing and manufacturers ought to be prepared for the onset of shared mobility like disruptors. Assuring financial support to the auto sector, he urged industry stakeholders to brace themselves for changes especially expected in the mobility pattern. Kotak further mentioned of the issues being faced by the auto sector as largely structural in nature and cyclical in recurrence. Calling for the industry to introspect the challenge areas, Kotak voted for deep-rooted internal changes. “We need to be confident and not arrogant about the current state in the auto sector,” he remarked. He also expressed hope in the possibility of the sector being revived by a push in the form of government spending and price rationalisation by the manufacturers. Kotak also asked the stakeholders to hedge their investments by looking at export avenues to counter the slumber in the domestic market.
q The New Era of mobility
The forum touched upon the trends shaping the new era of mobility. It will be based on the following: decarbonisation, autonomous vehicles, shared mobility, integrated mobility, connected vehicles, aerial and micro, opined John Moavenzadeh, Executive Director-
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COVER STORY Urban Mobility Professional Education, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Urbanisation, economic growth, climate change, shifting consumers and technology will be driving the future of mobility,” he opined. Rahul Jain, Managing Director and Senior Partner, The Bosting Consulting Group touched upon consumers delaying their purchases. Taking an optimistic view on the medium to long term outlook of the industry, Jain cautioned of the massive risk averseness seen in lending. Contradicting the industry’s demand for a GST rate cut, and the expectation that it would help the industry overcome the slowdown, opined Jain, that it would be a short term view on the industry’s part to bank on the rollback for a turnaround. He urged the industry to take a long term view instead.
q Future scenario
to remain relevant. That apart, Moavenzadeh stated that over the future, mobility could get more integrated– with data at the core of mobility integration powered by mobility Big data and advanced technologies. The members of the apex body urged the government to articulate its goals with respect to safety, equity, and green initiatives with a clear timeline for implementation. The focus should be on the end objective and not the means to attain them, it was opined, correlating to the Government’s push for attaining desired emission standards through select technologies. “They must create an environment where the private sector can actively participate in the challenge, contribute toward the solution, and profit from their success, thereby resulting in an agile governance module, which is highly standardised,” expressed Moavenzadeh.
On the future growth prospects, averred Dr Pawan Goenka, MD, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, that auto OEMs should work cohesively in this testing times and urged the govt. and the industry to come together to beat this downturn. He further added that in the past, when slowdowns occurred, reduction in excise duties then had helped in picking up demand immediately. Sharing his optimism of a revival, Venu Srinivasan, Chairman, TVS Motor Company Ltd, said that he expects to see a growth in demand within the next three or four months time owing to the government’s intervention in boosting the market sentiments’. For the immediate future,it was opined that the industry ought to recover faster ahead of BSVI kicking in, which in turn would bring new set of challenges for the industry. ACI
L to R: Kenichi Ayukawa, VP, SIAM and MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, Rajan Wadhera, President, SIAM & President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, Dr. A R Sihag, Secretary, Dept. of HI, MoHIPE, GoI, Vishnu Mathur, Director General, SIAM .
A comparison between global markets and India presented interesting insights. Calling for the need to evolve according to market requirements, Jain added that the current challenges called for increased partnerships between all the stakeholders. He cited multiple trends that were giving rise to new ownership models and on-demand mobility services. “While rise in urbanisation and a shared economy are shaping consumer demand and market demographics, rise in big data analytics coupled with an increase in connected ecosystems are paving the future direction for technology to take in the future,” he added. Opined Moavenzadeh, “Digitisation and new business models would shift the mobility focus from products to service.” He claimed that consumer behaviour had shifted from vehicle ownership to pay-per-use models, and that shared mobility was expected to dominate the future, while traditional mobility continues 33 33
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SHOWTIME
Prawaas 2.0: Bigger and better
The second edition of Prawaas, held in Mumbai, turned out to be a bigger success. Story by: Ashish Bhatia
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he bigger and better second edition of Prawaas, a biennial event, was organised by the Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI) along with host associations, Mumbai Bus
AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n OCTOBER 2019
Malak Sanghatana (MBMS) and Federation of Tourist Taxi Operators (FOTTO). Held over three-days, from July 25-27, 2019 at Navi Mumbai’s CIDCO Convention and Trade Centre, the event attracted stakeholders of the
private bus and cab industry. The theme of this edition being, ‘Safe, Smart and Sustainable Passenger Mobility’, the show witnessed healthy participation of close to 10000 visitors, 150 exhibitors, 100 speakers and 5000 operators
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SHOWTIME Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, lauded BOCI for its efforts to bring mobility stakeholders from all over the country on one platform. “Online registration of vehicles, one nation one permit, amendment in Motor Vehicle Act to remove educational qualification criteria, subsidies for electric vehicles and provision of better infrastructure like busports will revolutionise public transport,” he announced. The minister to facilitate simplification of processes, higher degree of transparency and a corruptionfree system.
from 28 states and nine union territories. Spread over 150000 sq. ft., the booths across the three exhibition halls were abuzz with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), bus body builders, and components manufacturers. Attracting exhibitors of diverse nature, companies from IT and mobility, training and skill development, and finance and insurance,
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State Transport Undertakings (STUs) and tourism boards, the show, like the inaugural edition attracted private bus and cab operators from almost every nook an corner of the country. Drawing a large contingent of private bus operators from Assam for example, the show saw Government ministers from the centre and various state attend it. In his address, Nitin
Explained Diwakar Raote, Minister for Transport, Government of Maharashtra, in his speech, “We have taken a number of initiatives that will ease the pain of commuters and make operations profitable for the operators.” Her drew attention to initiatives like the 40 per cent fare reduction of MSRTC’s Shivshahi bus service and a strategy to convert the 18,500 strong MSRTC bus fleet to LNG. Criticizing the present policy to subsidise electric buses to make the buses affordable, the minister called for greater cooperation among the stakeholders to ensure a winwin proposition for all. Prasanna Patwardhan, President, Bus Operators Confederation of India, expressed that they are elated to have all the key stakeholders for engagement and to explore solutions that would shape the ‘Transport of Tomorrow’. He drew attention to how the technology of buses in the country was changing at a pace slower than expected. Touching upon environmental concerns, and the potential for electric vehicles, 35 35 OCTOBER 2019 n AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA
SHOWTIME L to R: Anuj Kathuria, COO,Ashok Leyland, Rohit Srivastava,Vice President and Product Line Head -Passenger Commercial Vehicle,Tata Motors,Thomas Fricke,CEO Daimler Buses India.
Patwardhan opined, “EVs will play a huge role in mass mobility going forward.” He expressed of a need for policy and infrastructure to keep pace with the changing technology. Drawing attention to the country’s poor track record in road safety, KT Rajashekhara, Chairman, Bus Operators Confederation Of India, called upon the government to take adequate measures. “Accidents don’t take place accidentally,” he quipped. Making a strong case for the government to uplift private transporters and public transport, Rajashekara stressed upon stricter enforcement of rules to elevate safety.
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Citing the recent move to rationalise bus fares in Maharashtra, Aaditya Thackery, President, Yuva Sena, Youth Wing of Shiv Sena, said that transport is one of the most critical aspects of development and no state can progress unless it has a robust AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n OCTOBER 2019
transportation system in place.” “Maharashtra as a state has taken a number of key initiatives like rationalisation of bus fares, which has resulted in an exponential rise in commuters,” he averred. Thackery referred to the 50 per cent reduction in fares of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) city bus operations in Mumbai in an effort to make it, profitable and sustainable once again. Stating that they were aware of the industry pain points, he spoke about preparing a 20-year industry roadmap. Touching upon the need to give shape to a multi-modal transport system for better last mile connectivity, governments move to throw open BEST depots across Mumbai for parking private buses.
q Sharing of thoughts and knowledge Held along side the exhibition, the session on ‘Stage Operations
and its changing role’ saw Jalaj Gupta, Head Sales, Global Buses, Ashok Leyland, speak about the governments, OEs, operators and aggregators being the four important stakeholders in the transportation sector. “The government must play key roles in matters like the implementation of bus body code, and the uniform implementation of AIS 153,”he expressed. A session on ‘School Bus Challenges’, saw panellists speak about the opportunities in the segment, and how they cannot be realised because of the various challenges faced. Touching upon the safety features in school buses, they stressed on uniform implementation of features like the panic button, tracking system and cameras for end-to-end monitoring. Opining that the industry would have to bear higher compliance costs, the panelists found a common ground on enhancing safety and security of school children. As part of
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SHOWTIME Yuva BOCI, startups attracted much attention for the ‘out of the box’ solutions on accessibility and inclusivity, sustainability and carbon footprint, e-mobility, and the role of IoT in transport. The session on ‘Public Private Partnership in Delivering Bus Transport’ highlighted the role of the government, OEMs and operators, and aggregators in shaping up an ecosystem for seamless passenger connectivity and mobility. Gerald Ollivier, Lead Transport Specialist, World Bank, stated, “Authorities need to create non-fare based revenues and subsidies to supplement the shortfall in fare based revenues.” He called for the need to reflect upon the positive impact of bus services on overall mobility and the need for clear planning, funding and performance monitoring responsibilities in addition to the need to have a mechanism in place for balanced contracting with private operators. Ollivier called for operations backed by secured funding and key performance indicators. This, he said, should be monitored through centralised systems. In the session on ‘Shared mobility: A game-changer or trouble maker?’, emerging trends were focused upon in context to the rising congestion and
L to R: KT Rajashekara, Chairman, Bus Operators Confederation Of India, Prasanna Patwardhan, President, Bus Operators Confederation Of India.
pollution. The need to curtail taxation in a manner that makes commuting affordable was emphasised upon. On the ‘Role of Mobility in Tourism’, the reason for tourism to underperform was blamed on the lack of adequate connectivity. The participants were unanimous in their call for the government and private operators to ensure safe and secure transport; to make it more viable for tourists to avail of better mobility alternatives.
q Awards
The ‘BOCI Excellence Awards’ at Prawaas 2019 saw outperforming players being appreciated. Due recognition for extraordinary contribution by fleet operators across different fleet categories was extended. Company’s found to promote best practices, showcasing achievements and encouraging innovation, and those redefining the paradigms of passenger mobility were felicitated.
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SHOWTIME Rambal Limited Shriram Group company, Rambal Limited, displayed its range of shock absorbers and precision turned parts. In the business of precision auto components since 1957, the IATF certified company premiered pneumatic suspension parts and a retarder. Expressed Mahesh Srinivasan, Head Sales and Marketing,
Rambal Ltd., that it was due to the company’s inhouse research and development capabilities, that it was able to diversify into indigenously engineered next generation products like pneumatic suspension and the retarder. These are aimed at the heavyduty and medium-duty segments, he informed. With a turnover of
approximately Rs.80 crores per annum and 80 per cent of the production exported market like USA, the company is looking at growth in the domestic market through new products and by increasing its reach. It is expecting the bus segment to contribute to a significant hike in turnover over the next one year.
Jamna Auto Industries Ltd. Manufacturer of tapered leaf and parabolic springs for CVs, Jamna Auto Industries Ltd., displayed a pneumatic suspension and lift axles unit. Offered under the JAI brand, the rear pneumatic suspension is used in Ashok Leyland buses. It is of 10.2-tonne capacity is claimed to offer 80 mm jounce (bump) and 100 mm of rebound. The V-link suspension is claimed to offer excellent ride comfort and ease of manoeuvrability. Easily serviceable using a standard set of tools with a longer service life, the suspension promises high articulation and minimum wear of parts. The highlight, of the suspension is its ability to offer high-speed cornering stability. Displaying a range of parts
The rear pneumatic suspension used in Ashok Leyland buses.
that included a bus air spring, shock absorber, radius rod, load air spring (JAI Cushion), lift air spring, and rolling lobe load air spring for lift axle, the company put up a good presence. Speaking at the occasion, Anil Kataria, GM Sales, Jamna Auto, said that the company would soon introduce composite leaf-springs, suspension system and pneumatic
suspension variants compliant with bus models across OEMs. Tying up with Ridewell Corporation, USA, to introduce pneumatic suspension systems, with the latest technology, Jamna Auto Industries has built a strong dealer network through its subsidiary - Jai Suspension Systems LLP (JSS LLP). It has good presence in the aftermarket.
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SHOWTIME Him Imperial Auto Glass Works At Prawaas 2019, Him Imperial Auto Glass Works displayed its range of front windshield, side windshield and window frames for commercial vehicles, especially buses. A 100 per cent supplier to companies that include Sutlej Coach Products Pvt. Ltd, Guru Ram Dass Bus bodybuilders and JCBL Ltd., among others. The company attracted visitors with a 76-inch laminated front windshield claimed to be the largest ever for a bus or coach. This windscreen glass is delicately processed at par with international standards and said to score high on structural strength and scratch resistance. Himachal Pradesh based Him Imperial Auto Glass Works is a leading manufacturer of toughened Glass, Laminated Glass and Window Frames. In the course of the last five years, the company is claimed to have acquired different certifications for its product qualities.
Allison Transmission Allison Transmission sent out a strong message at Prawaas 2019. Immune from the changes the engines are undergoing for complying with the BSVI emissions norms besides making changes to a few aggregates, the company made a strong case for its automatic transmission to OEs gathered at the exhibition. With claims fo customer demand creating a pull for OEMs to release an automated transmission, the company is especially banking on the traction witnessed in the intra-city and inter-city buses. The company besides making available products for buses and coaches also sent out a strong signal for having the in-house capability to cater to special application vehicles especially fire vehicles. Besides the company
also hopes to make a suitable business case from the eCommerce segment.
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SPECIAL REPORT
Delhi Machine Tool Expo 2019 showcases the latest in manufacturing technology. Story by: Anwesh Koley
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he third edition of Delhi Machine Tool Expo (DMTX) 2019 was a big success. Organised by Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA), the exhibition was held from August 08-11,2019 at the India Expo Centre and Mart, in Greater Noida. The B2B exhibition witnessed participation from over 150 exhibitors and attracted a footfall from an estimated 6,000 visitors and 49 trade delegations from across industry sectors including auto components, automobiles, capital goods, dye and mould, defence and aerospace among other sectors. Worth a special mention is the presence of delegates and visitors gathered from Tier 2
and Tier 3 cities from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab. Besides India, global companies from countries including Germany, Japan, China, Taiwan and the USA also demonstrated the latest in manufacturing technology, covering both metal cutting and metal forming.Sheet metal forming machines, CNC machines, and meteorology were among the prominent highlights at the expo. Averred Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Union Minister, Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, “I feel every manufacturing company should not only strengthen themselves but make sufficient profit to be in a position to
Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Union Minister, Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
generate employment. Further, their products should be globally competitive.” Citing the government’s concern to ensure industry welfare, Sawant drew attention to the income tax reduction by 25 per cent for companies with a turnover of less than 400 crores. IMTMA expects to achieve a growth of 25-30 per cent in the machine tool segment during this financial year (FY2019-20). On the back of government policies deemed supportive, the apex body foresees the momentum to continue for a couple of more years. “For the next couple of years, the Indian market remains quite bullish as far as the metal sector is concerned,” opined Ramadas. Mentioned V. Anbu, Director General and CEO, IMTMA, “IMTMA organises regional expos to enable India’s regional industrial units to keep pace with the changing technologies. These shows help in addressing the numerous requirements of original equipment manufacturers and supply chain in Tier 2, Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities. The Association is pleased with the outcome of the show.”
q Making EVs a mass product
At the expo, there was a unanimous consensus that EVs are largely unaffordable due to battery cost. “The price of electric 40 40 AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n OCTOBER 2019
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SPECIAL REPORT vehicles is high due to the cost of batteries. We need to be free ourselves from the dependence on other countries in terms of sourcing the batteries,” opined P. Ramadas, President, IMTMA. Citing the creation of10 common machine tool development centres in the country, questioned Ramadas, “Why not take their help for designing and developing new machines?”“To be globally competitive, we need to have a joint venture in place. In our overpopulated country, technology should be used to generate more employment,” he added.
q Manufacturing success
With the slowdown in the auto sector, the growth of the Indian machine tool industry took centre stage at the expo. Claimed to be growing at a steady pace according to Gaurav Sarup, Managing Director, Marshall Machines Ltd, he said, “The Indian machine tool industry is growing at a steady pace. Events and exhibitions like these provide a lucrative platform for industry stakeholders like us to interact with industry peers and strike a good deal for our future activities,” added Sarup. Echoing similar sentiments, Munish Gupta, Proprietor, Sai Enterprises mentioned that despite the current slowdown in the Indian auto industry, it was encouraging to see healthy participation from CNC machine manufacturers at the expo. Gupta also mentioned that having access to the latest technology was a key imperative for success in the Indian manufacturing sector. “As global companies look to source manufactured products from India, they expect the same level of technology and product development capability in India, international markets. We are akin toeagerly awaiting for the auto sector and allied industries to recover soon, as this
Potential customers and business visitors share their expertise and discuss product details during DMTX 2019
global confidence needs to be reinstated,” he expressed. Stating that the industry is growing at an exponential rate
and is presently estimated to be pegged at Rs. 6,000 crore, Kaushik Bhattacharjee, DGMAerospace & Medical, Makino
Ace Micromatic has launched a new CNC turning centre, the SJE-10 LM, with MachineConnect smart technology at DMTX 2019
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SPECIAL REPORT into the manufacturing and engineering sectors,” opined Bhattacharjee. “Reduced manual intervention in process control using machine tool control system and smart tooling would be the key to optimise cost, reduce scrap and improved machine utilisation,” he added.
Mitutoyo showcases MiSTAR 555 Shopfloor type CNC Coordinate Measuring Machine at DMTX 2019
q The next demand cycle
India Ltd, said that the machine tool manufacturers will need to develop capabilities to cater to the demand. He mentioned that the investments in this area
Yamazen Machinery & Tools India displayed its CNC rotary table and NC tooling system from its sub-brands Nikken and Yukiwa
could yield long-term benefits. “The industry has advanced significantly in hardware and software applications. The future includes automation of processes
Industry players were also of the opinion that the future demand cycle would stem from the big push in demand for machine tools in the capital goods industry and through the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiatives. “Apart from the automotive sector, there are the defence and aerospace industries that are expected to further drive demand for precision and technologically advanced machine tools like grinding and turning tools, and milling and drilling, in the coming years,” said Keshav Chand Sharma, Assistant Manager, Marketing, Micromatic Machine Tools Pvt Ltd. “The country has the opportunity to become a force to reckon with in machine tools manufacture, for both internal consumption and exports. This is bound to result in significant growth in high-end machine tools production,” he added. The general positive sentiment among machine tool manufacturers was held responsible for the positive trends in the sector. “The Indian industry has seen a growing need for CNC-based machine tools to achieve the precision and quality required by these new segments of user demand. It is estimated that this will spur the growth of this industry in the next 4-5 years,” said Sukhdev Singh, Director, Hinds Hydraulics & Engineers. “Another satisfying feature is that intense competition amongst players has led to product differentiation on features, service
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SPECIAL REPORT and pricing. All this has prompted manufacturers to invest in R&D and implement cutting-edge solutions that bring newer benefits to end-users, he added.
q Smart Tech
Automation and smart technology have become the buzzwords. Going forward, the trend is expected to move towards machines being interfaced with automation systems and smart controls. Opined S K Saha, Vice President- Marketing, Electropneumatics & Hydraulics (India) Pvt Ltd, “Reduced manual intervention in process control using the machine tool control system and smart tooling will be the key to optimising costs, scrap reduction and improved machine utilisation.” Globally, many advanced manufacturing markets have adopted these technologies and the trend is set for the Indian machine tool industry to address the void and drive innovation in the said direction. Saha added that the improved quality, capabilities for machining high precision components, and improved productivity would be the key factors for the industry to stay ahead of competing markets like China.
Speaking about the trends currently impacting the machine tool market in India, Anoop Pandey, Assistant General Manager, MMC Hardmetal India Pvt Ltd, said, “The sentiment has been positive in most of the manufacturing sectors with the recent impetus from the government in line with the aspiration to make India a global
manufacturing hub.” Pandey drew attention to the FDI infusion into various manufacturing sectors following the ‘Make in India’ policy initiative that the industry is banking on as an uptick in the sector going forward. The fourth edition of Delhi Machine Tool Expo will return to Delhi, in August 2021. ACI
Electropneumatics Hydraulics India introduced 35T Servo, an advanced servo mechanical press at DMTX 2019
q The future
The machine tool industry is said to be increasingly betting big on high-quality products with better precision, to complete tasks in a shorter, span of time and to attain quick TATs. For instance, said Hanish Arora, Manager Sales, Northern Region, Marposs India Pvt Ltd., that due to the combination of combustion engines and electric motors, the degree of complexity is expected to still require high chip volumes. He spoke in favour of the industry needing specialisation of machine tools and having to integrate to the latest technology interfaces. 43 43
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ACI INITIATIVE
Automotive aluminium in cars and CVs Pragun Jindal Khaitan, Managing Director, Jindal Aluminium Limited.
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Aluminium ranks only second to steel as the most used material in the vehicle
he utility of aluminium in the auto and commercial vehicles sector is accelerating at a fast pace. It is credited to the wide spectrum of benefits associated with the composition of aluminium. Some of its properties such as lightweight, corrosion resistance, reflectivity, re-cyclability make it an excellent choice for the automotive industry. Aluminium helps to increase the performance of the vehicle, boost fuel efficiency and reduce emissions while maintaining or improving safety and durability. Consumption of aluminium by the automotive industry has grown continuously over the past 40 years, with the metal ranking only second to steel as the most used material in vehicles. Aluminium finds its way in the auto industry across heat insulators to license plates, handles, pistons,
valves compressors, gas cylinders, pump bodies, spark plugs, fuel tanks, bonnets, footboards, roof carriers, and in luggage racks among other areas that one said to have made it the material of choice. The increasing adoption of aluminium has further been validated by the Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited (IICRA) report. The study shows that the share of the automotive industry in aluminium consumption has steadily grown from 16 per cent to 25 per cent with the demand for the metal poised to only grow further.
q What makes aluminium unique? The properties of aluminium make it ideal for a variety of uses in the auto industry. Its benefits can be categorised into various aspects: Performance, Functional
and Environmental. Speaking of performance benefits, aluminium has come to be preferred especially due to its lightweight and flexibility extended to automakers aiding in increasing the body’s dent resistance. It essentially means the body panels are like steel while offering a light-weight solution. Aluminium as a metal offers the dual benefits of rigidity and malleability. For instance, the rigidity of aluminium provides drivers with greater control whereas malleability enables designers to create desired shapes optimised for maximum performance. In addition to these benefits, a lightweight vehicle offers better acceleration, better braking, better handling and better fuel efficiency. Some of the other key functional benefits of aluminium include strength, conductivity, reflectivity and
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ACI INITIATIVE corrosion resistance. Aluminium also enables weight savings by a significant per centage compared to traditional mild steel structures. Compared to other conventional metals, aluminium offers better shock-resistance and superior strength. Vehicles with lighter aluminium also help in the collisions avoidance owing too their stopping distances. Across the board, in weight, strength and safety, aluminium’s advantages are clear. In terms of environmental benefits, aluminium can be recycled with immense ease. Aluminium can empower the industry to move in the right direction; towards lowering carbon footprint while achieving cost efficiency. Aluminium intensive vehicles ensure both reduced energy consumption as well as fewer CO2 emissions.
q Rise of aluminium extrusions and rolled products
With its diverse properties and benefits, various forms of aluminium have found their way into automotive parts. Aluminium extrusions have found their way into the form of extruded tubes, multihole profiles, door beams, bumpers, crash boxes, and side sills. These extrusions enable light-weighting of vehicles. Owing to the extreme malleability of aluminium, it can be extruded into any form and bent to give way to a lightweight designed vehicle. It is also emerging as a leading choice of metal form for transportation equipment. The aluminium flat-rolled products also have a wide range of applications in the auto industry like body panels, interior heat shields and the radiator. A Ducker worldwide report determined that the aluminium content in automobiles is set to increase by 30 per cent globally over the next decade driven mostly by extruded and flat-rolled products.
Pragun Jindal Khaitan, Managing Director, Jindal Aluminium Limited.
This will open huge opportunities for secondary aluminium producers in the country.
q Key trends influencing aluminium consumption patterns
A significant shift in the consumption patterns of aluminium have been experienced over the years. The reasons for choosing aluminium increasingly over other metals have evolved with time. With the government focusing on faster adoption and manufacturing of EVs, original equipment manufacturers have realised the potential of aluminium as a metal that suffices the requirements of building such lightweight electric vehicles. Consumers now increasingly prefer modern, light-weight luxury vehicles that are efficient. Hence, car manufacturers are using different aluminium alloys to make cars and vehicles more aerodynamic and easy to work with. With a surge in an automatic transmission, aluminium is also being sought out by car manufacturers to make a seamless transition from the manual transmission systems.
q The way forward
It is worth noting that automotive players are working towards converting the entire body of the vehicle to be made from aluminium. The shift towards lighter vehicles and a push to have cleaner, greener and better world, has encouraged auto manufacturers to adopt more sustainable alternatives like aluminium. The important material shift in the automotive industry is driving demand for aluminium which is now being called the ‘Metal of the Future’. ACI
Automotive players are working towards converting the entire body of the vehicle to be made from aluminium
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ACI INITIATIVE
Bollhoff Fastenings Approach to Asia Team ACI
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The move to upgrade is a step in the direction of expanding India operations and to better cater to the future demands
ollhoff Fastenings Private Ltd., is a global manufacturer and distributor of fasteners and assembly systems. The company develops and supplies a broad range of application and process-oriented fasteners, together with the corresponding assembly solutions spanning across the vehicle’s body structure, body exterior, interiors, lighting and powertrain. With a global network of five companies and 39 locations in over 24 countries, the company has in all 13 production facilities including in India, at Gurugram, Haryana. With a presence in the Indian market with its own subsidiary since 2007, the company has come to take a strategic approach to meet the future growth needs
of its customer base in Asia. One such step that the company has taken is adding more muscle to its India production facility. The move to upgrade is a step in the direction of expanding India operations and to better cater to the future demands of its automotive customers. According to Shiv Kumar, Managing Director, Management, Bollhoff Fastenings Private Ltd, the expansion has been carried out by infusing a capex of Rs.10 crores (USD 100 million). “The growing need for light-weighting in the automotive sector required better penetration of technology in operations, coupled with a clearer understanding of customer needs, hence this expansion has been carried out to bring the
company’s global expertise and capabilities to India,” explained Kumar. In 2018, the Bollhoff annual capital investment was in excess of EUR 65 million with significant investments in the company’s production and logistics capacities. Sales in Asia for the year 2018 grew at 9.2 per cent compared to an 8.2 per cent growth in 2017. A newly thought-out production layout is also said to have improved the material flow, thus minimising waste. In India, among added capabilities at the company’s fastening and assembly plant at Gurugram, is an increased shop floor area. It is to incorporate more Computerised Numerical Control (CNC) machines. With a total floor space of more than 3,700 sq.m., the new building is claimed to be 2.5 times as large as the company’s previous headquarters. With the CNC machines sourced from Japan, Kumar said, the company has added four of these machines to the new unit. Besides modernising office space and increasing production capacities, the company, according to Kumar, is also employing more manpower. Besides investing in human resource, the company is also investing in a state-ofthe-art Research & Development (R&D) centre and application engineering, coupled with training of staff and educating the workforce. With the Bollhoff fastener claimed to be unlike a standard fastener, which is a one-size-fits-all solution, the company’s R&D unit in Germany
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ACI INITIATIVE and India will look to ensure in sync operations going forward. While the technical expertise will come from Europe, Bollhoff will rely on its local engineers for customisation in line with the needs specific to the domestic market here in India.
q Growing possibilities
Considering the fact that customers require a thorough explanation regarding the unique application areas offered by special fasteners manufactured by Bollhoff, the company, not only provides its fastening and riveting solutions but also supplies the machinery to assemble all the elements together. This, explained Kumar, enables customers to understand the value addition offered by the company beyond riveting applications and the process engineering that goes along with the development of a final product. At the new facility, Bollhoff will manufacture Helicoils and Amtec self-tapping fasteners, with the latter being used with moulded plastic units in the engine bay to provide enhanced performance and offer a light-weight construction. In the case of the former (Helicoils), claimed Kumar that it will particularly help the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to reduce the dimensional and weight footprint of their products. This is made possible with the Helicoil used to offer strengthened bolting in softer materials like aluminium. A Helicoil is said to reduce the thickness in a material without lowering the required torque for tightening or compromising the structural rigidity. Saving of material such as aluminium not only saves weight but also reduces the cost for OEMs, making the Helicoil a value engineering product beyond being looked at as just a bolt. An
estimated 40 million parts will be produced from this new facility for automotive and industrial applications.
q Design prowess
Unlike a couple of decades ago, current market requirements have in effect translated to OEMs actively engaging with tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers, especially in their design and development stage. With all efforts in the direction to make a vehicle lighter, more fuel-efficient and compact, it entails the entire value chain of vehicle engineering being involved in the production process. This, explained Kumar, gives suppliers an opportunity to understand the nuances of an end-to-end manufacturing cycle. For instance, the need for higher customisation and product differentiation over the past few years has seen Bollhoff engage deeper in the product development process with its OEM partners. Global technology and product requirements are
said to be finding their way faster to the domestic market. It has further led to design versatility
At the new facility, Bollhoff will manufacture Helicoils and Amtec self-tapping fasteners
The need for higher customisation and product differentiation over the past few years has seen Bollhoff engage deeper in the product development process with its OEM partners 47 47
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ACI INITIATIVE
This change in material usage has resulted in the need for innovative fastenings and fixtures, which is the area Bollhoff is rigorously working upon.
and lightweight processes gaining high prominence in the company’s scheme of operations. In contrast to the vehicle body structure predominantly being made up of steel, multiple material applications are being looked into with materials engineers known to be creating and studying materials at the atomic level. “Flexibility of design has compelled OEMs and component manufacturers to explore newer material combinations. Aluminium diecasting and high-strength steel are being frequently used in today’s vehicles,” averred Sven Ammer, CEO Asia & Managing Director, Bollhoff (Wuxi) Fastenings Co. Ltd. This change in material usage has resulted in the need for innovative fastenings and fixtures, which is the area Bollhoff is rigorously working upon.
q Go-To-Market Strategy
With the rollout of Bharat Stage VI (BSVI) norms slated for April 01, 2020, Bollhoff according to Wilhelm Alexander Bollhoff, Managing Partner - Bolhoff Group has engaged in constant consultation with its customers. To improvise and offer solutions in tandem with the new engine emission compliance requirements. “Initially, product prices will go up and the entire disruption in production will entail substantial investments for manufacturers but the end result is expected to provide a boost to environmental well-being and vehicle efficiency,” he opined. From Bollhoff’s perspective, the new norms coming up next year will require higher tolerance levels for components and more light-weighting. Drawing attention to the engine area’s
needs of parts that can sustain high temperatures, mentioned Kumar, Bollhoff supplies parts for the inlet manifold of an engine where the quality specifications and requirements are quite stringent.” On the company’s EV strategy, expressed Ammer that unless the charging infrastructure relies on solar or wind energy it would be difficult to predict the success of EVs across countries. Touching upon challenging times for India’s auto sector, Bollhoff argued that even markets like Europe and China were experiencing a challenging business environment and that it would be difficult to predict the turnaround time. “The company is still optimistic about a quick recovery and expects a growth of seven to eight per cent in India over the long term,” he signed-off. ACI
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CORPORATE
Brabo Robotics showcases TR12 and TR20 Brabo Robotics and Automation recently showcased the TR12 and TR20 industrial articulated robots aimed at the domestic market at an event, in Chennai. Story by: Sricharan R
I
ndustrial automation has been the talk of the town for a while now. It is believed that robots will play a major role in the manufacturing sector. Due to minimum human intervention associated with automation, humans are feeling the heat considering several jobs are at stake. Contrary to the popular perception, Tata Motors wholly-owned subsidiary company
Brabo Robotics and Automation (formerly TAL Manufacturing Solutions Limited), with the backdrop of robots needing human operators, is banking on its ability to provide manufacturing solutions, from concept to commissioning. The company recently showcased the Brabo TR12 and TR20 at an event, in Chennai. The TR12 and TR20 have rated payloads of 12kg
and 20kg respectively and are aimed primarily considering the domestic demand in the country, With the help of a Built-in partnership with Italian firm, RTA Motion Control Systems, the robot aims at Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs). Averred Paulson Antony Thoppil, Engineer, Sales and Marketing - Robotics, TAL Manufacturing
TR12 and TR20 have rated payloads of 12kg and 20kg respectively and are aimed primarily at the domestic market. 50 50 AUTO COMPONENTS INDIA n OCTOBER 2019
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CORPORATE Paulson Antony Thoppil, Engineer, Sales and Marketing - Robotics, TAL Manufacturing Solutions Limited
Solutions Limited, “The primary focus for these new products will be the Indian market. As a newly-formed entity, BRAL will get a good response from the customers.” “We are in the automation industry for more than 20 years. Three years ago, we came up with our own robots called TAL Brabo and today we have around five different models,” he added.
q Competitive pricing and custom solutions
Brabo robots are priced on an application basis. With robot models priced at rupees six to seven lakh going upwards to Rs.16-17 lakh, the company is tactically aiming to remain competitive in the market. Besides manufacturing of industrial robots, BRAL is also into the factory automation business with projects within the Tata group and other companies. Thoppil said, “We help in the new technologies also. They include IoT, Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), Automated Storage and Revival System (ASRS) among others.” He said,“We provide every automation requirement that our customers ask for,” he claimed. Thoppil explained that while competitor companies were just robot suppliers and relied on third-party solution providers to carry out the system integration, BRAL is in the market as an end-to-end solutions provider. “We provide the entire solution to the customers. With this, the customers will have more confidence and their reliability on us will increase.” To impart the desired working knowledge to customers, the company has built a training centre within its facility and is known to conduct workshops to increase customer awareness. “As the interface and programming are user friendly, it takes less time for the customers to understand it,” he added.
q Made in India
Differentiating itself as a domestic company among global companies,
the company expects to benefit owing to Indian roots, and with a certain cost advantage that it brings to the table. That apart, the company’s Pan-India presence and backing by the Tata group gives it a further edge over the competition. Being an Original Equipment Manufacturer, Brabo is also exploring partnerships with some international players. Testimony to this is the fact that the company has supplied a few robots to the Middle East and is actively looking at that market for its potential worth. Despite plans to expand in exports, the focus remains on India. In India, to create awareness and educate people, the company is trying to partner with educational institutions and conduct workshops. Setting aside the fear of several jobs being lost due to automation, Thoppil expressed that robots too need human intervention to carry out the tasks at hand in a seamless manner. “Robots will actually assist humans and not replace them. With this, they bring in more efficiency. There would be more jobs on the programming and application areas domain of robots,” he explained.
a good response from the MSME sector for the robots, the company, according to Thoppil, sees a good potential and is working to bring in more cost-effective robots in the future. “There are many tier-2 and tier-3 customers from the automobile sector in Coimbatore and Chennai. Where the component manufacturers require robots for simple and complicated applications. We see a lot of potential here in the space we operate.” “We want to be the pioneers in the automation industry,” Thoppil concluded. ACI
Moving on to the future, the company is said to be working on the upgraded 20kg and 30kg payload variants of the Brabo.
q The evolution
Moving forward, the company is said to be working on the upgraded 20kg and 30kg payload variants of the Brabo. Claiming to have garnered 51 51
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ALLIED INDUSTRIES
Dürr EcoPaintJet system Dürr Systems AG has introduced the EcoPaintJet system to automate two-tone painting of cars. ACI Bureau
D
Dürr publicly introduced the EcoPaintJet solution at an Open House which recently took place at the company’s headquarters in BietigheimBissingen, in Germany
ürr Systems AG is known for plans and implementation of turnkey paint shops, final assembly systems and machine and robot technology. Claimed to be a quantum leap in automotive painting technology, the company recently introduced the ‘EcoPaintJet’ system to automate two-tone paint process of cars. Positioned as the first system to efficiently combine customised product design with automated production, the EcoPaintJet is said to offer an unprecedented level of precision when it comes to applying sharp paint lines. The new system addresses the automotive industry’s void in two-tone painting which previously translated to higher operational cost’s and an effort according to Dr Jochen Weyrauch, CEO of Dürr Systems AG. “Not only does two-tone painting require more time and energy, but it also creates a lot of wastage,” he quipped. Dürr publicly introduced the EcoPaintJet solution at an Open House which recently took place at the company’s headquarters in Bietigheim-Bissingen, in Germany.
Opined Weyrauch that the new system holds immense potential given the emobility drive in cars too where it is expected to be a gamechanger.
q Custom-made and automated
Aimed at the trend towards customisation, with customers increasingly ordering contrasting and accent colours and heavily influencing the purchase decision, Dürr India has been offering on-thejob as well as classroom training in paint and application systems to customers at its new training centre. Claim reports that even the small car buyers have joined the ‘custom-made’ bandwagon too as they believe it would help them stand out in a crowd. While the efficiency of modern, automotive paint shops is said to be unrivalled with the application of just one type of paint, Dürr’s large plants are expected to manage the painting process of 300,000 car bodies per annum owing to the automated solutions
offered by the company. It is also believed to help in maintaining a consistently high level of quality.
q The paint process
In the case of conventional twotone car painting, there is a need to mask. Dürr’s new system, EcoPaintJet, is said to be efficient enough to overcome the need for masking altogether. With the help of its new applicator, the EcoPaintJet applies precisely to the intended areas. Fixed to a robotic arm, the new applicator moves over the target area and applies paint with razor-sharp lines. In comparison, in the erstwhile process, basic colour is applied to the entire car body and then a masking tape is applied manually on the dried colour coat. This is known to leave the areas left to be painted in a different colour. The car then goes back to the painting line for the second colour
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ALLIED INDUSTRIES and then the tape gets removed. As a result, the process incurs high labour costs and energy consumption. It also results in valuable man hours being lost. The EcoPaintJet’s applicator, on the other hand, takes one cycle time of 120 seconds for applying a contrast colour to a car body roof for instance in comparison to a cycle time of 50 minutes recorded in the manual process of masking. Expressed Dr Lars Friedrich, responsible for Application Technology on the Dürr Systems AG Board of Management, “This hightech process enables the automotive industry to fulfil customers’ specific requirements faster while ensuring top quality.” “There is great interest in the market, as we are offering real added value with this new technology,” he added.
q Apt for EVs
Catering to the need of customers for a sporty and good looking EV, the EcoPaintJet aids OEMs to add a dark contrast tone to the car give it a flatter appearance. The contrast paint coat is applied precisely without compromising on the existing finish. In case of EVs with a relatively higher ground clearance
owing to the battery installation underneath the floor assembly, the system ensures a low-slung and sporty look for the cars. This precision is achieved with an intricately machined nozzle plate, measuring only a few square centimetres preventing an overspray formation. The nozzle plate, which forms the underside of the rectangular applicator, has about 50 tiny holes (with a diameter of approximately onetenth of a millimetre). The paint is applied to the car body surface using parallel jets from a distance of 30 millimetres. The applicator is the centrepiece of the EcoPaintJet system. Using the EcoRPL 133i painting robot, the applicator is moved without any vibration. A measuring system, equipped with sensors, provides maximum precision. A 3D measurement of the surface to be painted is sent to the control software. It is a repetitive process such that the path of the applicator is calculated on a recurring basis in a bid to attain an optimum paint finish. The process is called automatic path generation.
Dr Jochen Weyrauch, CEO, Dürr Systems AG
q EcoPaintJet Pro version
Even as the EcoPaintJet is being tested by several OEMs, Dürr is known to be already working on the further development of its first-generation technology. The next generation can be expected to paint on more complex geometries. This enhanced version, known as EcoPaintJet Pro, works such that it enables each hole in the nozzle plate to be opened and closed individually offering far greater possibilities for product customisation. Auto-applicators for lettering and logos in the near future are a possibility too. ACI
EcoPaintJet enables automated two-tone paint process of cars
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ALLIED INDUSTRIES
Customised solutions from Shell Lubricants India Story by: TS Bhargav
S Nitin Prasad, Chairman, Shell Companies in India, and Mike Brown, Advanced Product and Business Strategy Director, GMD, along with the OX Truck.
hell Lubricants India is geared to align business with the new trends in the auto industry. The lubricant company has especially worked to prepare multiple solutions including solutions for the Bharat Stage VI rollout on April 01, 2020. Beyond BSVI, the company has considered the transition to e-mobility while developing its next generation product portfolio. Speaking to Auto
Components India, Praveen Nagpal, Chief Technology Officer Shell Lubricants India, said, “The pace with which the transformation has happened is quite fast. We were still behind the global standard, and with BSIV and BSVI we are moving at par with the globe in terms of emission standards.” Nagpal cited the challenge on the hardware development side too. “The hardware needs to be optimised
for the fuels. This is an integration of after-treatment devices that help in reducing particulate matter, NOx emissions and so on. Everything has to be integrated to ensure that we meet the new emission norms,” he explained. “You also need new lubricants that are compatible with these,” he added. The company has worked on developing the lubricant range to make it compatible with many of the after-treatment devices existing in the market. To Shell’s advantage, owing to the already existing Euro 6 emission norms in Europe, these lubricants are claimed to have already been validated. Said Nagpal, that the company is especially developing customised solutions for the Indian manufacturers with validations nearing completion. Reckoned as a diversified international energy company, in India, the company has over 7000 employees, 200,000 retail customers and a strong distribution network with 250 touchpoints. Shell is also credited with bringing world-class energy solutions across traditional and new energy sources, and their derivatives to individuals and enterprises. The company’s lubricants business for instance, is said to be active across the full lubricant supply chain manufacturing base oils, blending base oils with additives to make finished lubricants, complete with distribution, marketing and sales mechanism for the lubricants in
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ALLIED INDUSTRIES over 100 countries. Shell’s retail presence in India spans across five States – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
q Electrified
Shell is also ready for the trend of electrification which is being looked at as a disruptive change in the auto industry. A trend which brings with it unique set of challenges also has components that will require Shell’s lubricants. It is a strong focus area for the company in India. “Electrification has a clear policy mandate and everybody will move towards it. From our point of view, when you move toward electrification you might not be needing engine oil but, you still need a specialised oil for transmission, a specialised grease for the vehicle,” said Nagpal. “You would also require thermic fluids that help in battery cooling. Recently, we have launched our EV oil portfolio. So, we are ready with the solutions and depending upon Indian OEMs requirement we will customise solutions,” added Nagpal.
q For India and globally
Being a global company, Shell is banking on its globally proven solutions for India and vice-versa. The company is bringing in global products to India and tweaking them suitably for the Indian customers given that the standard products of the world will not be a ready fit for the India market. This also depends on the OEMs. “Many of the Indian OEMs have their own set of specifications, where your standard branded product might not work. This is because they customise their hardware for the condition here and look for tailor-made solutions,” opined Nagpal. He added that the company based on the need of its OE customers is required to
tweak the formulation. Whether it is a passenger car or a heavy commercial vehicle, Nagpal stated the company believes in co-developing products along with the OEMs.The company, is looking for OEMsto take up the OX’ truck project based on its design for instance. The company’s R&D centre in India is also considered to be a big advantage. The centre is equipped with all the short-term and mid-term needs. In terms of equipment, development, manpower and resources too, Praveen claimed that the company was well equipped to tackle the challenges of future mobility. “Having a lab in India is an advantage because the speed of delivery will definitely improve. And, in some cases, we need to customise a formulation and create a blend. We also need to do advanced screening testing and send samples to Hamburg, Germany or to Shanghai, China for more tests,” he mentioned. The company not only works to cater to the demand in India but also to the rest of the globe with market-specific products from the India centre.
q A multi-dimensional business approach
The company’s production capacity is around 150 million litres which the company is hopeful of scaling up in the near to medium term. Even with the advent of EVs, the company does not see a need to drop levels from its existing capacity. With around 35000 retail outlets and around 100+ fuel stations in India, the company instead feels the need to add a few more fuel stations. Shell Lubricants holds a good position in the passenger car segment and senses a huge opportunity to grow in the two-wheeler and
commercial vehicle oil segments too. Recently they have partnered with Mahindra & Mahindra and is scouting for such similar partnerships in the automotive space. These partnerships are said to give the company a multidimensional perception in the minds of the customer. Speaking of the void in the industry’s lubricant portfolio, Nagpal drew attention to the huge population of old generation equipment in the industry. Explained Nagpal, that the old equipment might not need a very high-performance product. The company will look to meet the requirement as per the machinery for which it is looking to develop specially suited products.
Praveen Nagpal, Chief Technology Officer Shell Lubricants India
q Focus: Emissions
The end of life cycle structure is missing in India. “There are trucks compatible with BSIV still running on Indian roads. This eventually means there is a possibility of emission levels being the same on such vehicles,” expressed Nagpal. He added that the integration of after-treatment devices plays a key role. These depend on the cost of fitment and the value proposition offered to the customers. The company’s main focus remains emission reduction and to produce oil that is compatible with after55 55
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ALLIED INDUSTRIES
Shell Starship project (Class 8) truck uses available technologies to conserve energy required to transport freight
treatment devices. Recently, Shell launched the CK 4 engine oil with a low saps technology and compatible with after-treatment devices with an intent to stabilise the complexity levels for the customer and offer a product in turn suitable for both BSIV and BSVI. With the validation of the next generation products said to be underway for India, the company is known to have reached out to many truck owners and is happy to have received a positive response in return. “If your oil basically brings a reduction in fuel consumption,
it means you are burning less fuel. This eventually means you are now emitting less pollution. In India, we are still talking about 0W30, 0W20 range of oils whether for heavy commercial vehicle or cars. But countries like Japan have started validating 0W12, 0W8 which basically optimise the efficiency of vehicles further leading to reduced fuel consumption,” explained Nagpal. Lubricant technology today is a mix of two-components: base oil and additive. Nagpal added that during the cycle of improving the performance of a lubricant,
one can expect a performance benefit as a contribution mix from both the additive pack and the base oil. In the case of Shell Lubricants, the unique advantage is that the company has a very high-performance base oil based on the Gas To Liquid (GTL) technology. The oil is developed from natural gas and is claimed to be sans any impurities. Among the advantages are the enhanced performance, and reduced emission levels. Justifying the high cost compared to what competitors are offering, quipped Nagpal, “end-user performance matters too.” ACI
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INTERNATIONAL
BYD India launches T3 e-van Team ACI
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YD recently launched the T3 e-van for India. With the new launch, BYD India kick-starts a whole new category of e-vans in the country where traditionally vans like Force Traveller and Tata Winger have been limited to using diesel as the fuel source. Offered in a passenger guise and a cargo variant, the T3 e-van carries BYD’s proprietary battery technology with it, according to Liu Xueliang, Managing Director, BYD India. A result of the company’s 11 year track record in manufacture and supply of EVs in its home country China, and in various other markets of the world, the T3 e-van is claimed to offer a host of innovative features like keyless entry, push-button start, a music system with bluetooth connectivity, reverse parking camera and sensors, and well-designed spaces for cargo storage or passengers. On the components front, the e-van boasts of an automatic transmission, which makes them easy to operate to start with. The T3 features Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electric Parking System (EPB), Brake Override System (BOS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), and more. Its regenerative braking system helps to improve range and save energy. The Controller Area Network (CAN), bus communication system, at the other end, provides smart management and maintenance. Leading to lower cost of urban logistics distribution in the cargo form, the T3 is claimed to help operators reduce fuel consumption and emissions estimated to be equivalent to five passengers cars. With a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of approximately 2.5-tonne against a kerb weight of 1.7-tonne roughly, the T3 van, in the cargo guise, has a gradeability in the region of 20 per cent, and a top speed of 100 kmph. Incorporating a MacPherson strut suspension at the front and a leaf
spring suspension at the rear, the e-van has a peak power rating of 70kW and a peak torque of 180 Nm. The initial battery capacity is claimed to be 50.3kW. Riding on 16-inch dia. tyres, the T3 e-van offers an eight cubic metre cargo space and a payload capacity of 700 kg. The van is said to save 20-litre of gasoline per day when compared to a typical van’s consumption, in an urban environment, doing a run of 200 kms per day. The van boast’s of a 5.75 m turning radius for ease of manoeuvering. Employing lightweight materials like plastics and aluminium in its construction, the T3 seems inspired by the modern European and Japanese vans in terms of design and styling. Its form would make it easier for a layman to think of it as the now-defunct Nissan Evalia (new Ashok Leyland Stile launched in July 2013). Fully chargeable in 1.5 hours through DC equipment, the e-van, with support for standard AC chargers,is claimed to have a range of up to 300 km on a single charge. The Original Equipment Manufacturer is now actively seeking out local Indian partners for the electric van product series, mentioned Xueliang. He hinted at the battery with proprietary iron-phosphate technology at the core being purpose-built for the 4.46 m long e-van. To be built at the BYD plant near Chennai, claim industry sources, the T3 is expected to have a local content of up to 30 per cent initially. It will be increased over time as BYD, working
with its partner Olectra Greentech Ltd., in India, has invested in two factories, covering more than 140,000 sq. m. In China, DHL is favouring the T3 cargo e-vans. It is known to have ordered 35 T3 cargo e-vans. The arrangement also marks a strategic cooperation between DHL and BYD for warehousing, city distribution and other fields in the Chinese market. The launch of T3 e-van is likely to be followed by the introduction of T6 light truck with a GVW of roughly 7.5-tonnes and a range of 200 km. BYD, mention sources, has cumulatively invested over USD 150 million in India with a business spectrum that spans across mobile components, solar panels, battery energy storage, electric buses, electric trucks, electric forklifts, chargers, rail transit, and more. The confidence that T3 will do well in India stems from the successful trial and induction of BYD buses in various public transport undertakings in India. Claimed to hold 52 per cent market share of e-buses in India, the company is moulding its Indian operations to become the South Asia regional headquarters. Through this, the company is looking at realising a comprehensive localisation strategy in South Asia. ACI
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Say Goodbye to Masking
EcoPaintJet Revolutionary precision in automatic application brings efficiency to product customization. Dßrr’s solution EcoPaintJet applies sharp-edged paint lines meaning a quantum leap in two-tone painting: No overspray, no more masking of the car body. www.durr.com
RNI No. MAHENG/2014/55824