The International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT), Manesar, is the principal homologation testing agency and R&D center in North India. The campus has facilities for vehicle homologation besides test laboratories for developmental work such as Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH), EMC, Fatigue, CAD/CAE, Tyre testing, Power train, Component development, Vehicle testing and passive safety. The centre has now taken proactive measures to work on body codes for trailers manufacturers and bus body builders. Below are the edited excerpts of an exclusive interaction with Mr. Dinesh Tyagi, Director, ICAT.The International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT), Manesar, is the principal homologation testing agency and R&D center in North India. The campus has facilities for vehicle homologation besides test laboratories for developmental work such as Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH), EMC, Fatigue, CAD/CAE, Tyre testing, Power train, Component development, Vehicle testing and passive safety. The centre has now taken proactive measures to work on body codes for trailers manufacturers and bus body builders. Below are the edited excerpts of an exclusive interaction with Mr. Dinesh Tyagi, Director, ICAT.
There are a lot of changes happening in the automotive industry like BS-VI emission norms by 2020. How has ICAT prepared for that and what kind of support is expected from your end?
Yes, you are right. BS-VI (emission norms) is a big leap and with a very short notice before the implementation in 2020. Every OEM is hard pressed to find ways and means to develop and upgrade their products. At ICAT, we are already helping the industry in their power train development needs. Firstly, through our own initiatives by setting up a Centre for Excellence for Powertrain development. There is a team of 12 people under the guidance and mentorship of two experienced officials whom he have hired from a reputed engine / emission development house. We are already negotiating with many companies to get projects in this arena We have already got some initial success with some projects and some bigger projects are under discussion. We will be in a position to help the industry by taking up turnkey projects to develop BS-VI emission compliant engines and power trains. Secondly, we understand the needs for infrastructure for testing and development. We are developing more dynamometers with emission test facilities. At present we have four chassis dynamometers functional at ICAT with one more getting ready by November 2016. While we already have eight engine test beds with emission capabilities operational, two more are under commission and will be up and running by November 2016 and another two are in pipeline, planned to be operational by March’17. It is important to mention here that while NATRiP has allocated us three engine test beds, the remaining ones are done by ICAT’s own initiative and resources. Likewise, four chassis dynamometer came from NATRiP, we are adding one from our own resources apart from upgrading an existing one. All these facilities envisage a huge investment outlay. We are also working round the clock to serve our customers in a better and efficient manner.
Would it be correct to say that expanding your facilities will proportionally increase demand for your services?
It is already happening because of our attitude towards our customers and the kind of quality services rendered by us. It is also happening because of the way we are enhancing our facilities to attune it to changing customer’s requirements. For example, there are some global customers whom we are serving and that needs special software to be aligned with their global platforms. Similarly, if our customer wants a special CO2 analyser which we don’t have in the lab, we get it procured quickly and install so that their job is done. We get varied requests from our customers which are required for their developmental work and we strive to fulfil them as quickly as possible.
What about proximity to customers?
That doesn’t make big difference when it comes to quality service. Majority of our customers are coming from faraway distances because they perceive value in working with ICAT. The key selling point for ICAT is our state-of-the-art facilities which are benchmarked with global OEMs and that provides them the much needed confidence. Our flexibility to work 24X7 with positive attitude is another strength. Our facilities are not occupied for hours, but for many days, months and even years together.
What is ICAT doing on safety aspects?
Our crash lab facility is already operational. We are fully prepared to test M1 category of vehicles. We are benchmarking our facility with OEMs for correlation activity. A few tests have happened and more are on the anvil.
Besides safety and emissions what are the other aspects that the industry is moving towards and how are you going to support them on that front?
One good example that I can cite here is about the Automotive Electrical & Electronics Laboratory, which was not part of the NATRiP Project. Here we took a lead about four years back and started with small investment. But today it has attained a sizeable scale and our lab is considered one of the best in the country. We get a lot of assignments from our customers based on their requirements. We have gone extra mile by building a 2,000 square metre facility to further augment this laboratory and have installed the latest test equipment. We are also testing white goods like washing machines, fans, fridges, etc., in this facility.
Are you doing anything specific for the CV industry?
Yes, we are doing a lot of work in the area of powertrain development. We are also working on bus codes in addition to certification for trailer manufacturers like trailer codes. Since the trailer industry is highly unorganized, we have taken the responsibility of mentoring and coaching members of this industry. We have also organized workshops for them. We, infact, guide them in the whole process. For bus body builders, we enlighten them on documentation, homologation and other processes. We have also helped them to make some clusters where they can have a common design so that the cost of certification is not too heavy on them. We have facilitated all these things in order to implement this regulation.
Do you see some green shoots in OTR vehicles like Construction and Earthmoving equipment?
We have been supporting them for certification and have facilities to cater to their needs. We are supporting them in the areas of power train and certification at our labs. We also do fatigue testing wherever it is feasible. But the basic body of the construction equipment is too bulky and the industry requires some heavy fatigue testing and developmental equipment which we don’t have currently. So the Government, under the NATRiP project, has earmarked a budget for setting up a dedicated facility for these vehicles at Pithampur, Indore. ICEMA has been talking to the Ministry of heavy Industries for some time on setting up of such a facility.
What is the percentage share of components’ suppliers who use your services?
That’s a good question. But unfortunately, I don’t have the ready figures available with me. ICAT is the largest caterer for auto component suppliers.
What I can tell you is that our business is evenly split between certification and developmental work. We want the latter to account for 85% out of the total business by 2026. Infact, we want to reduce our dependence on certification business.
What is your current and projected turnover?
Last year, we did about Rs. 72 crores and hope to clock Rs. 100 crores during this year. We have an ambitious plan to reach up to a revenue of Rs. 1,000 crores by 2026.
India is increasingly being figured among the global automotive landscape when it comes to innovation. Where do you think ICAT will feature among the scheme of things?
We are already trying to do good things as far as automotive R&D testing is concerned, We do not know where we will land up. But the point is that we have to keep on improving our deliverables every year. We have to increase our capabilities by building ‘Centres of Excellence’. Improvements and Innovation are being driven at ICAT through conscious programs.
We also wish to be a major player in the regulatory framework where we are increasing our participation. The two-wheeler and three-wheeler secretariat for regulations has been assigned to ICAT. We will play a bigger role in that arena.