2013 Lightweighting Special: Varroc Electricals takes digital route

Design optimisation and thermal simulations form the core of lightweighting efforts at the Tier 1 supplier’s R&D, says Amit Panday.

Tier 1 supplier, Varroc Electricals, a part of $ 1.1 billion Varroc Group, has a clear focus on light-weighting initiatives at its R&D centre. According to Ravindra Sharma, vice-president, R&D, Varroc Electricals, design optimisation and thermal simulations of various electrical components and assemblies form the core of the lightweighting initiatives at the company. “While our approach is to constantly evaluate the possibilities of supplementing metals with plastics to reduce the weight of the components, our core objective is to reduce the consumption of energy to bring down the carbon footprint,” says Sharma.

Leveraging software
Digital design and engineering take centrestage at the R&D facility of Varroc Electricals as various design optimisation software are leveraged to make design changes to cut down the weight of components while thermal simulations help in studying the durability of components (placed inside the engine compartment) in high temperatures. “Thermal simulations help us to identify and remove the over-designed parts which either cannot stand the heat or contribute in generating excessive heat within the engine,” explains Sharma.

Weight reduction leads to compaction of components / assemblies which calls for effective design in the area of heat dissipation. “For example, earlier the regulators placed inside the engine (which comprise of an assembly of electrical components made of aluminium) were not optimised, thereby compromising on extra weight and heat generation. However, with digital product design software, lightweighting and safety parameters can be achieved by design optimisation and necessary thermal simulations. Similarly, the AC generators (ACGs – largely the assembly of copper wires) are now evaluated digitally, leading to lightweighting and enhanced durability.
On the other hand, standardisation of parts (using the existing successful designs thereby saving the overall product development time) and recyclability of materials used results in lesser consumption of energy thereby reducing the carbon footprints,” he adds.

While citing more examples highlighting the effective role of design optimisation in weight reduction in other components such as the handlebar switches and levers on two-wheelers, Sharma also underlines the regular challenges posed by the OEMs. “They give away the performance parameters which define higher performance from components increasingly smaller in size and lighter in weight. The responsibility to reduce the weight without making any quality and safety compromises yet retaining the performance parameters is a big challenge for us. At the material end, we experiment with different materials ranging from engineered plastics, different grades of metals to types of alloys to achieve weight reduction of components,” he states.

Without disclosing the current projects, Sharma reveals that the R&D division at Varroc Electricals is currently studying and working on upcoming trends, products and processes which are expected three to five years from now. Varroc Electricals comprises nearly 19 to 20 percent of the group’s total annual turnover which is growing at a healthy CAGR of about 25 percent. The group currently allocates around 3 percent of its total annual revenues to R&D activities.