Innovations galore at EmTech 2010

BANGALORE, INDIA: Today at EmTech 2010, delegates were offered an informative treat of various innovations that are set to lead the industry in its way ahead. Aravind Narayan, a mechanical engineer and founder of Pure Tech India, a knowledge-based startup, has developed a coolant recovery system (CRS).

Coolants are widely used in most of the machine tools for cooling and lubrication. During the course of operation, the coolant gets contaminated with tramp oil (all lubricating oils), dust, and bacterial contamination. These contaminants not only cause unhealthy work environments, but also become environment hazards on disposal.

Existing technologies such as belt skimming, paper band filtration, and biocide dosing offer piecemeal solutions. Narayan’s CRS technology can extract the oil for reuse and offers a comprehensive solution. He has also developed an innovative technology of acid recovery using diffusion analysis equipment (Dialyser). The Dialyser recovers pure pickling acid from waste acid.

Aravind Narayan has been associated with a number of clean technology initiatives over the past ten years.

Another master brain at the event was Shashikant Suryanarayanan, who is the founder and chairman of SEDEMAC Mechatronics and also a assistant professor with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay, who led the development of India’s first steer-by-wire vehicle.

Utilization of tools from systems/control theory to realize high-impact mechatronic systems has been Shashikanth Suryanarayanan’s interest. A BTech student of IIT Madras, Chennai, and PhD from University of California, Berkeley, Suryanarayanan has developed many solutions that deliver improved efficiency, reduced emissions, improved power quality in engines, and other alternative energy services.

The by-wire systems, which replaces traditional mechanical complexity with less complex and more versatile mechatronic solutions, are increasingly popular in the automotive industry. The steer-by-wire system developed by Suryanarayanan offers substantially improved driving experience, reduction of under-the-hood space constraints, and realization of the much improved vehicle control.

“The defining feature of steer-by-wire is the absence of mechanical linkages between the driver’s hand wheel and the steered road-wheels,” explains Suryanarayanan.

A Mahindra Scorpio was retro-fitted with a steer-by-wire system with a unique multiple-actuator configuration. In the system developed, each of the front wheels are steered independent of each other. This allows for compensation of coupling effect between different motions of the vehicle leading to improved vehicle handling.