Industrial Expertise:
Manager R&D & Head - Advanced Engineering Group: Sundaram Clayton Ltd. (2 Year 7 Months, November 2022 - June 2025)
Key Responsibilities:
R&D project management: Lead and manage R&D projects focused on developing new alloys, improving existing materials, and optimizing manufacturing processes for structural and electric vehicle (EV) applications. Lead a team of engineers, and R&D specialists, providing guidance, training, and career development opportunities.
Material Selection and Optimization: Guide the selection of materials that meet performance, cost, and environmental requirements for various applications. Ensure that materials meet industry standards and regulations while supporting the product design and performance goals.
Manufacturing Process Improvement: Explored and evaluated new manufacturing technologies, such as additive manufacturing process suitable for Al, automation, and advanced manufacturing techniques.
R&D Laboratory Management: Lead the testing and validation phases of new materials and manufacturing processes, ensuring successful implementation in production. Managed the metallurgical laboratory equipped with advanced facilities, including Computed Tomography (CT) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) along with other characterization and testing tools.
DVP and Material Testing: Conducted various mechanical and chemical testings for electric vehicle (EV) and structural applications. Performed fatigue testing and drop testing of structural parts. Conducted root cause analysis of casting defects in the new product development (NPD) stage using advanced tools, including Magma process simulation, Computed Tomography (CT), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
Industry-Academia Collaboration: Facilitated technology projects in partnership with the Sundaram Clayton Centre of Excellence for Light Weighting, IIT Madras Research Park, and IIT Madras.
Lead Engineer - Advanced Technology (R&D): Automotive, Farm Equipment and Agriculture Business, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. (4 Year 6 Months, May 2018 - November 2022)
Key Responsibilities:
Material Selection and Evaluation - Selected materials based on the functional requirements for the development of body parts, chassis & suspension components.
Lightweight Structural Castings - Led the development of lightweight structural castings in aluminium and magnesium for SUVs.
Proof of Concept Development and technology transfer - Identified materials and manufacturing technologies, successfully completing proof of concept, validation of processes and transfer technology.
Technology Road Mapping - Developed technology road maps (TRMs) for materials applications in the automotive sector.
Industry-Academia Collaboration - Collaborated on a rapid prototyping project for body panels using robo-incremental sheet metal forming, in partnership with the Department of Heavy Industries (DHI) and IIT Madras as part of a sponsored research initiative.
List of projects:
High-Strength Steel Applications - Developed advanced high-strength steel solutions for lightweight wheels, body parts, chassis, and suspension components.
TRIP Steel Implementation: - Applied TRIP (Transformation Induced Plasticity) steels in automotive applications through cold forming, specifically for B pillars and intrusion beams.
Flow Forming Process - Utilized flow forming techniques to create lightweight wheels with varying section thicknesses.
Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) Welding - Employed CMT welding for the fabrication of hybrid aluminium-steel wheels and aluminium-steel body parts.
Lightweight Magnesium Components - Developed lightweight cast magnesium transmission housings (AZ91D) and car cross beams (AM60).
Natural Fiber Composites - Created natural fiber (flax) composites for enhancing the aesthetic appeal of car interiors.
Agricultural Technology - Designed and developed low-pressure drippers for drip irrigation, resulting in a patent filing. Engineered high wear resistance tractor rotavators, aimed at improving agricultural efficiency.
Manager - Technology, Hinduja Foundries, Ashok Leyland Ltd. Foundry Division (1 Year 6 Months, November 2016 - April 2018)
Key Responsibilities:
Product & Process Quality Management - Oversaw product and process quality, focusing on green sand properties, core making, molding, melting, and casting processes.
Metallurgical Laboratory Management - Led the metallurgical laboratory, responsible for evaluating and certifying metallurgical processes, as well as conducting testing and failure analysis.
Advanced Technology Implementation - Implemented advanced technologies, proposal and validation for sand reclamation, online thermal profile monitoring of core curing processes, and software for optimizing green sand properties.
New Initiatives for Yield Improvement - Spearheaded initiatives aimed at improving yield and optimizing casting weight and cooling time through advanced casting simulations using Magmasoft.
List of projects:
Casting Cooling Rate Optimization - Investigated the impact of residual stress on the cooling rate of castings to enhance product quality through Magma simulation and physical correlation with residual stress measurements (NDT).
Natural Sodium Bentonite Study - Conducted a study on the incorporation of natural sodium bentonite in green sand systems and its effects on casting quality. Recognized for achieving annual savings of ₹2 crore through the implementation of optimal sand additives and a reduction in rejection costs.
Shell Core Baking Temperature Optimization - Analyzed the effects of shell core baking temperatures on core quality, leading to improved casting integrity.
Green Sand Reclamation - Developed methods for utilizing discarded green sand for core production after thermal and mechanical reclamation processes.
EXPERTISE:
(i) Green sand system: Green sand properties and its impact on casting quality.
(ii) Metallurgy of cast iron and its impact on casting quality.
(iii) Failure analysis: Casting defect analysis.
(iv) PUCB (Cold Box) and Shell (Croning) core making process.