Monday, December 15, 2008
Chennai: Innovation in manufacturing processes formed the underlying theme at an industry-academia interaction hosted by IIT-Madras. The
three-day second international and 23rd All India Manufacturing Technology Design and Research Conference which began here on Monday saw some of the best minds from the sector come together.

M S Ananth, director, IIT-Madras, announced that the eagerly awaited research park of the institution should be ready by Februrary. In addition to this, he said IIT-Madras would partner with the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) to set up an Advanced Centre of Excellence for Manufacturing to develop cutting-edge technologies in the field.


"We will also have a micro-machining unit supported by the department of science and technology that can produce technology which will have the precision to bore a hole in human hair. The institute is also in the process of setting up an AMADA sheet metal research centre," said professor M S Shunmugam, head of the mechanical engineering department.

AMADA, a Japanese firm, donated two networking sheet metal fabrication machines along with high-value software for the centre. It was being created for students and staff members to engage with fundamental R&D issues as well as high-level fabrication problems in sheet metal fabrication. Both the facilities would come up at the Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (ICSR) building, professor Shunmugam said.

Delivering the keynote address for the conference, Dr V Sumantran, executive vice-chairman, Hinduja Automotive Limited, emphasised on innovation as the key to combat the effects of the current economic downturn.

"Our course has been interrupted but we will work towards rebuilding the country and ensuring a better quality of life for its citizens," he said.

Elaborating on the relationship between innovation and cost, Dr Sumantran said companies could achieve efficiency in product cost, processing cost and investment if they brought about innovation in design and materials, manufacturing and business processes.

"I'm happy to note that the government of India is also realising that manufacturing is a critical sector for the future of the country. The formation of the bodies like the Core Group on Automotive Research (C.A.R), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and a research centre by IIT-Madras indicate the importance that India associates or wishes to associate with the sector," he added.

German consul general Roland Herrmann said the conference had been initiated at the right moment in time. Stating that the country was mainly focussing on its long-term strategy, he said that relations between India and Germany would continue to be strong. "We will continue bringing German representatives to the country and particularly to Chennai over the next two years. So, back home, there is still some life after the economic crisis. We can overcome this with new development, designs and concepts," he noted.