OEM Update team recently visited Fleetguard Filters’ Nandur facility near Pune to explore the remarkable journey of filtration technology — from conventional cloth and metal mesh filters to advanced synthetic media, polymer fibres, and nano nets. In this special feature, Mr. Vaibhav Pathak, Assistant Vice President – Operations, takes us through the cutting-edge manufacturing processes shaping the future of filtration. Also, don’t miss this video tour on our YouTube channel.

Fleetguard Filters Private Limited (FFPL) provides filtration solutions for on- and off-highway applications. It was established in 1987 in collaboration with Atmus Filtration (earlier Cummins Filtration U.S.A.), and
since then, it has grown to serve diverse markets and customers.

Fleetguard Filters has consistently innovated and excelled in the filtration industry. Headquartered in Baner, Pune, Fleetguard operates nine state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities strategically located in Dharwad, Jamshedpur, Hosur, Sitarganj, and Pune. This strategic placement ensures that they can promptly deliver products to their customers.

All the Fleetguard Filters manufacturing units are IATF-certified. In total, Fleetguard produces over 5,000 variants of advanced filtration solutions that cater to a wide range of industries, including automotive, agriculture, mining, and power generation, with plans to expand beyond these sectors.

Technology is influencing right from communication to advanced manufacturing processes. It is very crucial to carefully choose technology appropriate to meet your customer’s requirements. At the Fleetguard Filters facility in Nandur, this principle was embraced. The plant has been designed to meet customer demands efficiently, ensuring 100% product availability and even during any fluctuations in demand meeting 100% quality expectations. It has a clean, well-organised layout with a balance of automation and skilled manpower.

Adopting AI, IoT, and digitising operations
The Internet of Things (IoT) has become essential for factories. Fleetguard Vaibhav Pathak Assistant Vice President – Operations Fleetguard Filters Filters has integrated AI to enhance the effectiveness of IoT beyond standard requirements. Since production began in the 1990s, the company recognised that upgrading every machine and analogue gauge to meet IoT demands was time consuming and costly. Instead, they adopted AI to convert analogue readings into digital data and capture them dynamically.

Fleetguard has implemented IoT across all production lines to create a paperless system. Fleetguard could also digitalize many AI inputs, which are otherwise not possible with traditional IOT. Such as validation by blue tests, roller gaps, etc. This approach helped them achieve full IoT integration while optimising cost and efficiency.

Fleetguard maintains a delivery rate of over 99%+ from five locations with nine plants. They have robust supply chain integration with over 100 OEM Customers and over 350 suppliers. Their capabilities include in-house design and analysis-led design (ALD), which allows for precision in development and performance.

As a direct result of implementing IoT in their operations, Fleetguard delivers flawless products and never receives a performance or quality defect. Each filter is manufactured to the highest quality standards.

Automation and robotics

Fleetguard carefully integrates technology by balancing labour costs with the benefits of automation. Before investing in each process, the company evaluates the applicability of seven levels of automation, aiming to implement at least level 5. At level 5, human involvement is limited to picking or placing items, while automation handles the rest. This strategy minimises gripper changeover time and optimally utilises human effort. Additionally, automation helps correct human errors, ensuring defects do not reach the customer.

While optimising capital expenditure, this approach also supports employment by preserving meaningful labour roles.

Upscaling initiatives with AI

At the Nandur facility, Fleetguard performs its operations rate at 1.66 seconds per component. Previously, operator training relied on visualisation tools to shorten training time. They now have AI to enhance this process through “action guidance” and “action recognition” systems. AI provides real-time instructions to operators, showing them where and how to carry out specific tasks.

In action guidance, the system highlights an exact area of action on the part and informs action to be performed. After the task is completed in “action recognition,” a camera verifies its correctness. This combination of action guidance and recognition minimises the need for extensive skills training. This allows operators to be assigned to any task with minimal preparation, thereby enhancing flexibility and efficiency on the shop floor.

AI-based Knowledge Management and TOC Philosophy

By its model requirements, Fleetguard implements knowledge management practices alongside the Theory of Constraints (TOC).

Knowledge management is crucial for enhancing human skills and transferring knowledge. As employees retire or leave, valuable insights are lost. Also, knowledge is scattered across various sources such as documents, Excel sheets, machine manuals, and videos. To mitigate this issue, Fleetguard utilises an AI tool that aggregates information and makes it easily accessible. This ensures that valuable knowledge is never lost. This tool also translates content into multiple languages, helping the company overcome regional language barriers, especially since Fleetguard operates in five states.

Fleetguard adopted the TOC method in 2007, and it has since helped them serve over 100 OEMs with more than 5,000 Stock-Keeping Units (SKUs). In automotive manufacturing, each OEM product has about 5000 components. The final product cannot be completed if even one part is unavailable. By applying TOC principles, Fleetguard ensures 100% availability of all components. Fleetguard does not ask for forecasts from OEMs.

Fleetguard’s philosophy avoids dependence on forecasts, as they can be inaccurate. Instead, its TOC based system emphasises consumption-based data, which is most accurate. Specifically, focusing on what the customer consumed yesterday. This approach guarantees 100% accuracy.

In its TOC implementation, Fleetguard works backwards from customer consumption, using a pull-and-buffer system to manage urgency through a simple, colour-coded method. This system allows the company to effectively coordinate with 350 suppliers and manage 10,000 components, ensuring 100% delivery performance. Tools like dynamic buffer management allow them to adjust to fluctuations in customer volume without compromising inventory levels. This helps them to maintain inventory turnover and delivery performance.

Quality standards

To ensure that each filter meets the agreed DVPNR (Design Verification Plan and Report) or performance requirements, Fleetguard conducts a detailed analysis of the DVPNR. The company breaks it down to understand how specific manufacturing processes influence each requirement. Following the Six Sigma principle of Y = f(X1, X2, X3). X1, X2, and X3,….Xn are the inputs or controls. These are integrated into FMEAs (Failure Mode and Effects Analyses) and control plans to ensure they are monitored and maintained throughout production. Fleetguard also applies Poka Yoke principles— error-proofing techniques—especially in assembly, in all operations.

Sustainability

Sustainability is a key focus for Fleetguard, and the company has several environmental programs in place, ranging from reducing paper usage to optimising energy consumption. They are implementing solar energy projects across multiple plants, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.

Tredence has partnered with Snowflake to accelerate digital transformation in the automotive industry. The collaboration introduces AI-powered solutions to unify data, modernize legacy systems, and enhance real-time decision-making across manufacturing and supply chain operations.

Tredence,data science and AI solutions provider, partners with Snowflake to improve the AI Data Cloud for Manufacturing. The partnership will help OEMs, suppliers, dealers, and fleet operators modernise legacy systems, integrate operational (OT) and IT data, and deliver real-time, AI-powered insights at scale.

The joint solution combines Snowflake’s secure, scalable data cloud platform with Tredence’s domain expertise to create a unified, modern data architecture that bridges OT and IT environments, allowing for real-time visibility, predictive analytics, and increased operational efficiency.

According to Tredence’s Chief Growth Officer and Chief Business Officer-Industrial Manufacturing, Rakesh Sancheti, “automotive companies have large volumes of disconnected OT and IT data that hinder real-time analysis.” “Our AI-led solutions and GenAI migration accelerators streamline this data to drive measurable business outcomes.”

Tredence’s offering includes two components:

1. AI-Powered Supply Chain Command Centre & Smart Manufacturing

The Unified Data Foundation offers over 400 pre-built KPIs across sales, procurement, production, warehousing, logistics, and sustainability. Native Snowflake AI models enable predictive maintenance, yield improvement, energy optimisation, and quality control. The Industry 4.0 Command Centre delivers a real-time, 360-degree view of manufacturing and supply chain operations, enhanced by predictive and contextual analytics.

2. Migration Accelerators Powered by GenAI

The Modernisation Toolkit reduces manual labour, which speeds up the migration from systems such as SAP BW/HANA to Snowflake. Code converters, archaic logic disposal, and an LLM-powered SQL optimiser are among the automated solutions it offers for improved performance.

Benefits for Automotive Stakeholders

The Tredence-Snowflake collaboration enables customers to:

· Advantages for Automotive Participants

Through the Tredence-Snowflake partnership, clients can:

· Integrate Lifecycle Data: Dismantle silos in connected car design, manufacturing, service, and warranty systems.

· Boost Connected Vehicle Capabilities: Use Snowflake’s decoupled design to manage sensor and video data.

· Profit from Data Products: Use Snowflake Marketplace to safely share and profit from insights.

· Enhance Decision-Making: Use AI/ML to increase customer interaction, predictive maintenance, and product quality.

· Boost Supply Chain Agility: To minimise interruptions and maximise inventory, have real-time access to supplier and logistical data.

HARTING Technology Group continues to expand globally with 42 national subsidiaries, 14 production facilities, and seven development sites. HARTING India, one of its key subsidiaries, is growing rapidly. With rising technological demand, Bangalore is emerging as a strategic hub for a new Technology Centre to support both global and regional initiatives. The opening took place on 6^th May 2025 which included a tour of the facility, demonstration of new technologies and insights from industry leaders.

HARTING India subsidiary of HARTING Technology Group, provider of industrial connectivity solutions, opens a new Technology Centre in Bangalore, often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India. This facility is a strategically important location designed to foster innovation, enhance research and development, and support the growing demand for advanced connectivity solutions in the region. This location will hold well-trained core Innovation Hub team, Global IT solutions team, and is spread across approx. 7500+ Sq. Ft. area, and is in the industrial zone. 

The inauguration took place in presence of Philip Harting, CEO of HARTING Technology Group, and Mabel Low, APAC Managing Director, along with Jacob Chandy, Managing Director of HARTING India. Some of the key customers also were present during the inauguration from companies like Schneider, BHEL, Biesse, ALSTOM, Wabtech, WEG, EVERAXIS. The new Technology Centre will serve as a hub for HARTING’s cutting-edge projects, focusing on the development of next-generation connectivity solutions for various industries, including manufacturing, transportation, and telecommunications. With a commitment to driving technological advancements, HARTING India aims to leverage local talent and expertise to create solutions that meet the evolving needs of its customers.  

The Technology Centre will feature advanced laboratories, collaborative workspaces, and a dedicated team of engineers and researchers focused on developing innovative products and solutions. HARTING India is committed to investing in the local community and will also provide training and development opportunities for aspiring engineers and technology professionals.

This facility will enhance the company’s R&D capabilities and strengthen collaboration with local partners and customers.

GrindingHub will be held in Stuttgart from 5 to 8 May 2026. Organised by VDW, Messe Stuttgart, the Grinding Conference, and Swissmen. The event will feature a wide range of grinding machines, abrasives, software tools, process peripherals, and measuring and test systems.

Everything relating to grinding technology for experts from all over the world – that’s what GrindingHub will offer in Stuttgart from 5 to 8 May 2026. After two successful editions, the organiser VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) will continue the trade fair’s success story in cooperation with Messe Stuttgart and the Grinding Conference and with Swissmen (Association of the Swiss Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Metal Industry) as the promotional supporter.

Dr. Markus Heering, Managing Director of the VDW, said, “GrindingHub has become established as the central hub for the grinding technology industry. The energy and commitment of every participant in the previous editions of the trade fair were overwhelming. We are very much looking forward to also providing an international platform for numerous innovations and technologies again in 2026 and continuing the positive development of GrindingHub together with exhibitors and visitors.”

Markus Kiffe, Managing Director of Kiffe Engineering GmbH, said, “Marie-Sophie Maier, Managing Director of Adelbert Haas GmbH, has been an exhibitor right from the very beginning. We are looking forward to the third edition of GrindingHub. This trade fair is the ideal platform for our company: internationally orientated, technologically leading and tailored precisely to our industry. At GrindingHub we meet the right trendsetters with whom we can jointly shape the future of grinding technology. We will definitely come back again. Because you always see interesting things here and obtain exciting ideas, establish numerous contacts and hold a large number of discussions.”

Dr Heering concluded, “It is always inspiring to see how the industry – despite and even because of the economically challenging times – comes together and plays a mutually supporting role. We are convinced that GrindingHub 2026 will again be a great success.”

In 2026 GrindingHub will also feature a wide range of grinding machines, abrasives, software tools, process peripherals, and measuring and test systems. Companies wanting to exhibit their innovations and products at the leading trade fair for grinding technology can now register online.

For more information and the registration: www.grindinghub.de.

Kennametal has introduced an innovative, solution-driven approach built around the Digital Twin concept to handle this issue. This virtual model replicates physical products with high accuracy, allowing engineers and planners to simulate, test, and refine processes well before physical production begins. By identifying potential issues early, manufacturers can avoid costly downtime and make better, faster decisions on the shop floor.

Kennametal’s Digital Twin technology enables complete visualisation of the machining operation, accurate estimation of cycle times and tool wear, and the generation of executable NC codes. It is, quite simply, a blueprint for smart machining—and a gateway to the future of manufacturing.

#Kennametal #DigitalTwin #SmartMachining #Industry40 #FutureOfManufacturing #InnovationInManufacturing #ShopFloorSolutions #ManufacturingExcellence #PredictiveEngineering #CycleTimeOptimization #ToolWearMonitoring #NCCodeGeneration #MachiningInnovation #AdvancedManufacturing #TechDrivenProduction

Panasonic Electric Works India and Panasonic Life Solutions India have reaffirmed their commitment to India’s growing solar energy sector, following Panasonic North America’s decision to discontinue its solar and battery storage business line.

Panasonic Electric Works India and Panasonic Life Solutions India reaffirmed their strong and continued commitment to India’s growing solar energy sector. This announcement comes in the wake of Panasonic North America’s decision to discontinue its solar and battery storage business line.

The company clarified that the North American business restructuring will have no impact on its India solar operations. The company remains fully committed to the Indian market, where it continues to see tremendous potential for solar energy as a critical enabler of the country’s clean energy transition.

With a comprehensive portfolio of high-efficiency solar panels, sustainable energy solutions, and a growing distribution network, PEWIN has been an active contributor to India’s solar journey. The company plans to further scale its operations, cater to both residential and commercial demand, and collaborate with developers, installers, and government agencies to enhance access to reliable and clean energy solutions.

The company also assured its stakeholders that it remains committed to quality, customer service, and innovation in the solar category. All existing commitments, warranties, and after-sales support for Panasonic solar products in India continue as usual.

Sanjay KVS, Business Unit Head, PEWIN, PLSIND, said, “India remains a strategic market for Panasonic’s solar business, and we are fully aligned with the country’s renewable energy ambitions. We will continue to invest in strengthening our solar product offerings, deepen our partner ecosystem, and support government and private sector initiatives aimed at accelerating solar adoption across the country.”

“As the world moves towards decarbonisation, India is poised to play a leading role. PEWIN, Panasonic Life Solutions India will continue to be a reliable partner in this transition by providing technologically advanced, sustainable, and future-ready solar solutions,” Sanjay added.

Two global leaders join forces to advance sustainable bioplastics and drive eco-friendly manufacturing.

Praj Industries Ltd. (PIL) and Uhde Inventa-Fischer (UIF), part of ThyssenKrupp Uhde, have teamed up to offer a complete technology solution for making Polylactic Acid (PLA), which is an eco-friendly bioplastic.

Praj’s PLANERATM lactic acid technology and UIF’s PLAneo® process are combined in this alliance. From the conversion of agricultural feedstock to the manufacturing of lactic acid, lactide, and PLA polymers, the combined offering encompasses the full PLA value chain. It makes it possible to use a range of feedstocks, including second-generation, non-food raw materials, to produce several PLA grades appropriate for packaging, textiles, and hygiene applications.

The CEO of ThyssenKrupp Uhde, Nadja Håkansson, said, “We see a perfect match between two world-leading technologies.” By combining our PLAneo® method with Praj’s knowledge of lactic acid, we can supply entire PLA plants worldwide. This coordinated strategy helps us achieve our objective of substituting sustainable materials for traditional plastics.

Praj Industries’ founder and chairman, Dr Pramod Chaudhari, stated, “This collaboration enhances our Bioprism® portfolio, which is focused on bioplastics and renewable chemicals. By working together with Uhde, we hope to improve affordable biomanufacturing and make it possible to implement circular economy solutions using cutting-edge biorefineries.

The joint PLA technology be validated and shown at Praj’s recently opened Biopolymers Demonstration Facility in Pune.

Eplan’s global online event “Eplan L!VE” on 14 May will be hosted from Eaton’s facility in Hengelo, Netherlands. In just 2.5 hours, attendees will get a firsthand look at how Eaton has optimized its engineering and manufacturing processes for maximum efficiency. The event will also showcase new ideas, proven solutions for productivity, and updates on Eplan’s portfolio and strategies.

How can processes in engineering and switchgear system manufacturing be designed to be highly efficient? How can manufacturing be further automated? These are questions that Eaton in Hengelo asked itself years ago. The Dutch facility saw the benefits of a data-driven approach and converted its entire engineering methodology, including its processes, to work with Eplan. Eplan L!VE, now in its third round as an online format, will provide fascinating insights into this. Under the motto of “Forward Thinking from Design to Manufacture” will be streaming directly from Eaton’s production facility. Attendees from around the world are invited to this online event to discover new manufacturing approaches that generate greater profitability in engineering and manufacturing. By the way, these approaches are in no way restricted to just larger corporations but are also tailored for SMEs. Eaton took a “one step at a time” approach and, depending on the task at hand, it can all be implemented at smaller control and switchgear system manufacturers. 

An in-depth look into engineering and manufacturing 

Well over 1,500 attendees from around the globe will be tuned in online when the Eaton specialists will be showing how the in-house control and switchgear system design and manufacturing has been optimised for a high degree of automation and efficiency. The Eplan solutions used here play a decisive role – ensuring that a standardised foundation of data based on the digital twin is available from first designs all the way through to manufacturing. And if that weren’t enough, Eaton also uses Eplan Engineering Configuration (EEC) to automatically generate schematics, bills of materials, terminal diagrams and cabling lists – based on a new design methodology using functional engineering. Whereas the effort previously involved in updating documents linked to the schematics, including bills of materials, terminal diagrams and wiring lists, was immense, now these are all automatically kept up to date with Eplan. This is possible because everything goes back to a centralised source of data. The company’s deep integration of manufacturing into this process is also bearing fruit – using Eplan Pro Panel, control cabinet layouts are designed in 3d, completely digitally, and the data provided is used for automatic cable routing. The Wire Terminal WT from Rittal Automation Systems can produce up to 1,000 wires per day, all fully automatically. The processing of copper rails can also be simplified with machines from Rittal Automation Systems. All the processes for wiring and manufacturing are designed to be extremely efficient and overall processes benefit from greater consistency based on the data from Eplan. 

Sneak preview and strategy 

These in-depth insights into Eaton’s design and manufacturing processes will be rounded off with a sneak preview of the upcoming Eplan Platform 2026. As just one example, on 14 May attendees with get a first look at how the different views in Eplan Pro Panel accelerate 3D navigation. Also of interest is the direct access to device data in the Data Portal from Eplan Electric P8 in the future. Last but not least, the new single-line technology in Eplan Preplanning is interesting for users who want to logically link symbols and components in the preplanning phase. Online event attendees can also expect a glimpse into the future of engineering: Eplan CEO Sebastian Seitz will be presenting Eplan’s future strategy and some highlights on future topics – including use cases on the topic of artificial intelligence. 

Background 

Eaton as the global intelligent power management company, has been a technology partner in the Eplan Partner Network since 2023 and specialises in the development, production and sales of power distribution systems, LV and MV switchgear systems and control devices at its facilities in Hengelo in the Netherlands. Eaton additionally provides a large number of its energy systems and components via directly integrated selectors in the Eplan Data Portal. The manufacturer also uses Eplan solutions for its in-house control system and switchgear system design and construction. Machines from Rittal Automation Systems simplify the company’s manufacturing processes – including the Rittal Wire Terminal WT and machines for processing copper rails. 

Registration Link – https://event.eplan.com/Eplan-Live-Home

Cygni Energy has opened the first phase of its Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) gigafactory at the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster in Maheshwaram. The facility, constructed to LEED standards, can produce 4.8 GWh of high-capacity battery packs for grid-scale storage systems and electric vehicles.

At the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) in Maheshwaram, Cygni Energy, an energy storage solutions company located in Hyderabad and incubated at IIT Madras, opened the first phase of its Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) gigafactory. This plant, the first BESS production unit in India to be constructed by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, occupies 160,000 square feet on a five-acre plot of land.

The factory, established with an initial expenditure of ₹100 crore, can produce 4.8 GWh of high-capacity battery packs for grid-scale storage systems and electric vehicles. It has state-of-the-art engineering and battery management labs. The batteries will be used by large-scale energy storage projects and independent power producers.

Advanced manufacturing software controls real-time analytics, quality checks, and production monitoring. The facility integrates automated assembly lines with error-proof systems and completes product traceability. It can also use high-performance 314 Ah batteries to construct 105 kWh liquid-cooled modules.

Cygni intends to invest an extra ₹150 crore to increase the facility’s capacity to 10.8 GWh by 2027. Three additional automated production lines and container integration systems will be added in Phase II to meet the increasing demand for stationary and e-mobility applications. In around two years, it is anticipated that the total project would create approximately 1,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Modular energy storage systems with integrated machine learning for performance predictions, digital twin integration, and enhanced grid interoperability are among the plant’s upcoming products. Along with structural innovations like cell-to-pack and cell-to-chassis arrangements, Cygni is also collaborating with IIT Madras on new battery chemistries including sodium-ion and supercapacitors.

Telangana government representatives, including Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary for Industries, attended the launch event. He said the manufacturing was a big milestone for the state’s clean energy, job growth, and technological advancement.

Cygni CEO Venkat Rajaraman said, The new plant is equipped with automated systems designed for high-volume, high-precision battery production. This facility gives us a strong position in the growing energy storage market, noting that features like error-proof assembly lines and full product traceability have been integrated into the manufacturing process.”

The buoyant and ever-changing styles of sports cars are designed with a focus on performance and aesthetics, often featuring aerodynamic styling, stiffer suspensions, and features like big brakes and thinner tyres. The style and shape of the vehicles also impact their performance, influencing factors such as fuel efficiency and the arrangement of internal components. Behind these dynamic designs lie innovations in laser cutting and metal forming that make such bold styling and structural performance possible. This feature explores the technologies in metal forming and laser, and the evolution of manufacturing, as shared by industry experts.

Laser, an ally in modern metal forming

Often misunderstood as just a simple beam of light, a laser is short for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, which differs significantly from ordinary light. Unlike the scattered photons found in sunlight, laser beams are highly collimated, coherent, and monochromatic. This unique combination allows for concentrated energy delivery with minimal heat dispersion, making lasers especially suitable for metalworking applications.

In metal forming, lasers play transformative roles across several areas and Avinash Khare, Consultant and Corporate Trainer specialising in New Manufacturing Technology and Automation lists a few of them:

1. Laser Forming (Non-contact Bending)

Laser forming enables precise, contactless sheet bending by thermally induced stress in controlled regions. By adjusting the laser’s focus and energy density, sheets can be bent upward or downward. Running laser beams in parallel or looped paths creates complex shapes, like saddles, without the need for dies or mechanical tools. This technique is particularly beneficial for materials like titanium, which are prone to cracking, as laser-assisted localised heating helps prevent fractures.

2. Laser-Assisted Sheet Forming

In operations such as deep drawing and spin forming, lasers can preheat specific areas to reduce the necessary forming force, minimise tool wear, and enhance the material’s formability. Diode lasers are now commonly integrated into forming dies to warm critical zones before deformation, especially in progressive dies.

3. Laser Cutting

Laser cutting excels in thin-sheet applications due to its precision and low thermal distortion. Key cutting methods include:

– Fusion Cutting: Uses inert gases like nitrogen or argon for non-ferrous metals.

– Flame Cutting: An oxygen-assisted, exothermic process for cutting steel.

– Sublimation Cutting: Direct vaporisation for incredibly thin sheets, such as stents.

Laser cutting systems can effectively handle sheets up to 25 mm thick, while thicker materials often require hybrid systems that combine waterjet and laser cutting.

4. Laser Welding & Tailor-Welded Blanks

Lasers enable high-precision welding techniques, including:

– Seam-Tracking Laser Welding: Uses real-time feedback to adjust the beam path.

– Remote Laser Welding: This can be performed from distances greater than 10 meters.

– Tailor-Welded Blanks: Combines materials with varying strength properties.

These methods are essential in the automotive and aerospace sectors for reducing weight and enhancing localised performance.

5. Tool Repair, Hardening & Cladding 

Laser technology can extend the life of dies by:

– Micro-welding worn edges.

– Laser cladding, which deposits and fuses powder to rebuild surfaces.

– Selective laser hardening, which achieves uniform hardness even on ribbed or uneven dies—a challenge for traditional methods like flame or induction hardening.

6. Ablation, Drilling & Surface Treatment 

Lasers can drill micro-holes, ablate coatings, and clean surfaces without physical contact. In automotive interiors, ablation can create controlled weak zones, such as behind airbag covers. Controlled ablation and drilling techniques can produce decorative effects and functional texturing, particularly on aluminium surfaces.

Advancements in remote laser welding

Laser-based remote welding is becoming increasingly popular in high-volume automotive manufacturing, particularly in hatchback production lines. Locally developed fixtures enable extended working distances of up to 600–800 mm in scanner-based applications while maintaining compact fixture designs under 300–400 mm height. Robots move at constant speeds in straight paths, allowing for on-the-fly welding. Only the necessary weld zones are exposed, supported by finger-like fixtures that ensure structural integrity and accessibility.

Dr. Gautam Patil Vice President – Sales & Applications at Laserline Diode Laser Technology Pvt. Ltd shares an emerging alternative to full joint welding, i.e. fillet welds, which provides enhanced adaptability. With integrated optical seam tracking systems, the process can dynamically detect joint gaps and adjust parameters in real-time. This allows adaptive welding speeds of up to 6 meters per minute, improving accuracy and productivity while minimising material distortion. Unlike overlap joints, which can conceal inconsistencies, fillet joints facilitate real-time feedback and correction, making them preferable in high-precision environments.

Laser hardening with advanced monitoring technologies

Laser hardening is increasingly used to enhance the durability of tools and dies. This process employs two-colour pyrometers and EMAC cameras for precise thermal monitoring. While pyrometers can detect plasma and temperature signals to differentiate between good and faulty welds, EMAC cameras provide a more reliable alternative by generating localised temperature matrices. This matrix-based thermal imaging ensures uniform hardness by accurately mapping and controlling temperature across complex geometries, which is especially valuable in uneven or ribbed die surfaces where traditional methods may fall short.

Although thermographic process monitoring remains underutilised, advancements in sensor-based thermal mapping are paving the way for broader adoption.

Challenges and innovations in Laser stud welding

Laser stud welding is utilised in applications such as automotive door assemblies, where multiple weld stitches must be completed rapidly, often within 50 seconds. While flat and horizontal components allow for complete 360° welds, vertically oriented parts present significant challenges due to restricted laser access and obstructions caused by part geometry.

In these cases, alternative fixture strategies or modified laser movement paths, such as using conical trajectories, are necessary. Due to angular limitations, traditional scanner-based laser movements struggle to achieve full circular welds. Remote welding systems offer benefits by manipulating the mirror rather than physically moving the robot in XYZ axes. However, this flexibility is limited in applications requiring continuous circular welds on obstructed or vertical surfaces.

Directed Energy Deposition (DED)

A novel deposition strategy in DED has enabled the construction of a half-meter-tall cylinder with enhanced strength in all three dimensions. This method produced unexpectedly strong results by allowing for deeper penetration into previous layers, particularly with P91 steel, which exceeded initial expectations.

Dr. Sajan Kapil, Assistant Professor – Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Guwahati, shares that engineered anisotropy can further improve material properties in specific directions during preprocessing. While Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) effectively removes porosity in powder-based additive manufacturing, it is generally unsuitable for DED, particularly when using wire feedstock. Porosity is minimal in steel and titanium components, although aluminium may still present occasional issues. Given the scale of components produced by DED, post-processing with HIP is typically impractical.

Real-world application

Despite its theoretical precision, the real world introduces variables, such as shifting heat dissipation, which demands expert oversight and adaptive planning. DED is not a plug-and-play solution; it requires skilled operators and detailed Computer-Aided Process Planning (CAPP), supported by CAD/CAM expertise.

An example of hole repair using DED involved restoring bullet damage in a component was shared by Dr Kapil. Although such defects are often overlooked, this case required meticulous planning by his team to ensure full restoration. DED successfully filled the void with proper heat management and a comprehensive scanning strategy, delivering full-strength, three-dimensional bonding and structural reliability.

Machining

Machining remains essential in practical applications. Components often require further shaping, particularly in critical areas like cavities, where even minor surface flaws can impact performance.

One industrial case highlighted by Dr Kapil shows the limitations of explosion welding for cladding stainless steel onto mild steel. Over time, the sharp material transition led to delamination. The proposed solution involved creating a functionally graded material (FGM) using DED, which allows for a smooth compositional gradient. This approach reduces residual stress, enhances fatigue resistance, and ensures a robust, metallurgically bonded interface.

Role of Industry 4.0 and MSMEs

The adoption of Industry 4.0 among Indian MSMEs is steadily increasing. Shailendra Goswami, Chairman and Managing Director of Pushkaraj Group shared that metal-forming and laser-cutting players need to understand that integrating smart technologies into manufacturing must go beyond short-term ROI calculations. It requires a strategic, long-term vision that aligns with structural and cultural transformation. Industry 4.0 is a mindset change and a holistic integration of digitisation, data-driven decision-making, automation, and process optimisation.

To stay competitive and meet rising demands, MSMEs need to strategically plan and pace their digital transformation journeys. Those who begin to collect and analyse production data for preventive maintenance and efficiency quickly recognise the tangible benefits of digital integration. Once the value becomes visible, the transition from resistance to advocacy is natural and organic.

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Shailendra Goswami, Chairman and Managing Director of Pushkaraj Group

Industry 4.0 is a mindset requiring a structural and cultural shift. It involves digitisation, data-driven decision-making, automation, and process integration. MSMEs can acclimate to digital platforms, collaborate, and implement Industry 4.0. 

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Dr. Sajan Kapil Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Guwahati

DED (Directed Energy Deposition) is a manufacturing process involving a unique depositing strategy penetrating deeper into the previous layer, resulting in equal strength in all three directions. This method is more efficient than HIPping, which is typically used to remove porosities. 

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Dr. Gautam Patil Vice President – Sales & Applications at Laserline Diode Laser Technology Pvt. Ltd

“Remote laser welding and hardening are evolving fast with real-time seam tracking, adaptive thermal control, and smart fixture design pushing precision and productivity to new heights.”

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Avinash Khare, Consultant and Corporate Trainer Specialising in New Manufacturing Technology and Automation.

“Laser technology is no longer limited to cutting, it’s now shaping, strengthening, and transforming metal forming in ways traditional tools never could.”