Global engineering services provider Tata Technologies has expanded its Engineering Research and Development Centre, Axia-VAVE Centre of Excellence, at its Hinjewadi campus in Pune.

The 8,700-square-foot facility will provide Tata Technologies’ clients with end-to-end product development capabilities including product innovation, value engineering, cost engineering, and teardown and bench marking services. This expansion project looks to benefit from the upcoming trend in innovation spend by automotive players, which is expected to grow significantly in the next few years.

The facility will support multiple full-vehicle and machine development programs currently underway at Tata Technologies. Such initiatives call for a larger physical space wherein equipment can be dismantled, studied, and compared with the competition to pinpoint areas for design improvement and cost optimisation. The new Engineering R&D Centre is equipped with the latest tools, software, and machinery and can be used to perform benchmarking studies for up to four passenger vehicles, two off-road vehicles, or two trucks at a time. Tata Technologies also plans to use the facility for small prototype builds and robotics training.

Tata Technologies’ managing director and CEO Warren Harris said, “Axia – Vave Centre of Excellence is a response to the growing global demand for frugal engineering services. This enhances our ability to provide clients with innovative, clean-sheet solutions for minimising non-essential product costs and maximising intrinsic product value.”

According to the company, the Engineering R&D Centre enables engineers to move from virtual designs to real, physical vehicles and vehicle aggregates. The company’s technical staff will be able to study complex vehicle or machine systems in detail and get acquainted with new technologies.