Godrej Tooling
Godrej Tooling (GT) has been serving the Indian Auto Industry since 1999 and has significantly contributed to the success of Auto OEMs over the years. We have played an important role in the new product developments necessitated by the mandated compliance of BS- I in FY 2000 to BS-VI in FY2020. In turn, Auto OEMs have acknowledged our contributions by according to us the status of their preferred die makers. Whenever any complexity in the design of the die is foreseen, the OEMs or part producers invariably turn for solutions to Godrej toolings. Godrej Tooling enjoys a stellar reputation as we ensure protection of intellectual property rights – a critical success factor for our customers. Strict adherence to our core values of Integrity and Trust over the years, has much to contribute here. Solid reputation comes with a huge responsibility that we must live up to all the time. We fulfill this responsibility through our willingness to experiment constantly and staying abreast of the latest technologies for finding solutions that work.
All this is made possible through our efforts of grooming and motivating our talent and ensuring their retention.
We began to catch the buzz of electric vehicles (EVs) in 2015 when GOI announced its policy (FAME 1) signaling faster adoption and manufacturing of hybrid and electric vehicles in the country. The policy encouraged the OEMs to invest in the development of EVs. GT being a leader in the field with deep expertise in die casting and press tools had started receiving requests for feasibility studies for the parts from various R & D centers of potential EV OEMs. From our interactions, we learnt that for EVs to succeed, the most critical factor was that of ‘light weighting’ of the products. OEMs were struggling to modify and minimize weights of the conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle parts. It thus became amply clear that a totally new approach was needed for designing parts, products and processes using new materials and state-of-the-art processes. In our view, a lot could be accomplished if thin wall Aluminium diecasting and thinner, high tensile strength steel were adopted. Owing to their higher strength to weight ratio and lower corrosion, Aluminium castings would find more applications in EVs as compared to ICE vehicles. Sensing these emerging changes in the auto market, GT strategized its entry to the EV segment with a well laid out process of option evaluation, competency gap identification and new competencies development.
Strategy for Winning over EV Disruption
ReSkill
Acquire new skills in light weighting.
Acquire competencies in newer materials
Learn newer technology and processes
ReDevelop
New Business model to serve low volume of EVs
New Product portfolio knowledge base to meet needs of EV
Infrastructure to meet requirement of EV
ReStart
Learning
Building USPs
Offering solutions than products.
Die Casting Dies : How to win in EV Markets
2020 - 23
Sell Existing Competency
Large & Complex Dies (2000 T above)
Family Dies for cost effectiveness
Target Markets
OEMs entering EV portfolio in Domestic Market
Co-create with R&D Centers
Annual Contracts with OEMs
Offer expertise solutions to OEMs through Strategic Alliances with matured technology partners from overseas
2023 - 26
Forward Integration in Technology
Dies for 30000 to 4000T category
Magnesium die casting dies
Partnership and Strategic alliance with technology leaders
2026 - 2030
Enhance Offerings
Total Toolling Solution for Structural Castings and Light weight parts
We visualized that there would be a substantial opportunity for component producers to serve EV OEMs. We also reckoned that India could become a major player, worldwide, in power electronics, batteries and electric motors, a position that is currently being held by China. To serve the EV sector, we have been involved right from the product conceptualization stage to to the stage of refinement of the product design to meet requirements of light weighting and structural strength. All feasible material and manufacturing processes have been analysed to derive an optimum mix of materials and processes that would meet the technology, quality , cost and delivery criteria of these new products. For example – Battery Tray for four Wheelers has three options of materials; plastic, sheet metal and Aluminium and their corresponding processes. The on-road conditions and weather in the country rules out the use of plastic as these trays will be placed below the floor and would get directly exposed to the road. Whereas, Aluminium diecasting would require large capacity machines, that are scarcely available in the country. Hence, the final choice fell on sheet metal that met the criteria most economically. The thinner and leaner the product geometry, the more challenging it becomes for proving of the dies. Our experience with the similar parts led us to adopt newer technologies such as Vacuum System, Thermo-regulation, Jet cooling & Conformal cooling in diecasting and Ultra High tensile steel for sheet metal parts. Currently, GT is engaged in developing more complex products and is working with overseas partners of Indian OEMs. This work involves finding solutions for faster heat dissipation from the Aluminium battery housings and even for the housing that have higher load bearing capacity meant for heavier batteries. GT’s expertise in diecasting came handy for Mahindra who was already being served by GT for their IC transmission dies. Tooling and diecasting process related inputs were provided for End Covers and Transmission Casings to the R&D center of Mahindra Electric. We have also worked with Hero MotoCorp for light-weighting, thin wall castings and structural parts.
We believe that to serve the needs of the EV OEMs, right and timely preparations are key to success.
This is possible only when we sense changes early enough in the business environment and respond with changes in our system quickly enough to benefit from the emerging opportunities.
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