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Hero Group’s BML Munjal University and Fraunhofer, Europe’s largest applied research organization today announced the signing of a Letter of Intent to focus on Lightweight Technologies, Additive Manufacturing and Medical Technology.
The two organisations will jointly promote applied research for the Industry, create educational content with more practical than theoretical knowledge as well as afford international Practice School experience for the BMU students.
Fraunhofer recently organized a workshop on technology and research for the students of BML Munjal University; Frank Treppe, Director Corporate Strategy and International Relations, Fraunhofer and Honorary Faculty of BML Munjal University lectured at these sessions on ‘Light weighting and Additive Manufacturing’.
Fraunhofer’s researchers intend to work jointly with their Indian colleagues to advance ecological and economical automotive production. Over the next few years, they will be developing a simulator for electric vehicles, a software standard for compact cars, and an automated 3-D inspection system as well as new joining technology that facilitates improvements to the joining of aluminum and synthetics to car bodies and engines.
Based out of Bangalore in India, the company bid to promote and engage in long-term strategic research and development projects in India. Some of the MoUs that have already been signed by Fraunhofer are with the Automotive Components Manufacturers’ Association (ACMA), Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) on lightweighting for the automotive industry; an MoU with Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) on an advanced manufacturing centre for clean and green technologies; and most recently with IIT Indore to institute a Centre of Excellence on Surface Engineering.
The executive management position at the Fraunhofer office in Bangalore is held by Anandi Iyer, who is also Honorary Chairwoman of the European Business Group in Bangalore. Fraunhofer already works with 30 of the 50 leading companies in India and, last year, Indian companies outsourced 1.3 million euros worth of research projects to various Fraunhofer institutes. Fraunhofer wants to bring in the culture of contract research to the Indian industry.
