The Indian Auto Industry today is go-ing from strength to strength. In terms of statistics, it is the:
- Largest three wheeler market in the world
- Second largest two wheeler market in the world
- Fourth largest passenger vehicle market in Asia
- Fourth largest tractor market in the world, and
- Fifth largest commercial vehicle market in the world.
Future growth is driven by the facts of higher GDP growth, increasing infrastructure projects, increase in disposable income with service sector, replacement of old vehicles, and change in socio economic levels, like middle to higher income groups, etc. All these facts have direct growth impact on the automobile industry.
India is the second largest producer of motorcycles in the world (5.2 million units) after China, which has a production volume of 12 million.
The range of vehicles made in India includes: Light Passenger Vehicles including passenger cars, MUVs, SUVs; Commercial Vehicles including light commercial vehicles, medium and heavy commercial vehicles and buses; Tractors including farm, earthmoving and construction equipments; Two Wheelers including motorcycles, scooters and mopeds; and Three Wheelers including passenger carriers and goods carriers.
With only four or five auto majors four decades ago, India is now competing with global market in auto sector. Exports are driving manufacturers to focus more on R&D, QA, etc., in order to comply with stricter import norms of importing countries. Each component is subjected to tests. The process involves evaluating car body, engine, suspension and transmission parts strength; and interior parts, plastic and rubber strength. Even electronic parts are tested for strength.
Hence, Automobile Evaluation Instruments play a vital role for the development and safety of the next generation of cars.
Shimadzu Corporation of Japan, a US$ 2.5 billion company, which was established in 1875 with a portfolio that includes over 6000 products, is offering wide variety of instruments to the auto industry. As a manufacturer of Analytical and Testing Instruments, Shimadzu offers a range of instruments to aid the development of fuel cell vehicles, which are widely tipped to become the next generation of automobiles.
Gas analysers are used to measure CO in reformer emissions. Material strength evaluation instruments include high speed impact tester, thermal fatigue testing system, electronic and electrical component tester, torsion fatigue tester, force simulator.
High speed impact tester gathers data on the impact characteristics of bumpers, instrument panels and structural materials. Thermal fatigue testing system conducts testing on parts such as mufflers, exhaust manifolds and exhaust pipes.
Universal testing machines test the strength of all types of parts and materials. These handle the tensile and bending testing of plastic materials according to ISO standards and measures the tensile strength and Young's modulus of metal materials.
 Micro hardness testers are used for the hardness evaluation of quenched parts and the hardness evaluation of welded joints.
Thermal analysis instruments are used for the characterisation of materials by measuring the melting temperature, heat of fusion, etc. Also, heat resistance, thermal expansion measurement and mechanical characteristic evaluation of various materials are done by thermal analysis instruments.
EDX systems are used for non-destructive measurement of light elements to heavy elements in any samples. They are widely used for ELV/RoHS testing. Spark emission spectrometers are used for the quality control of pig iron and cast aluminium automobile parts. For stress analysis of gears and crankshafts, X Ray diffractometers are used.
Non-destructive X Ray imaging systems have wide application in automobile industries, for checking of various casting for any deformities and cracks, air locks. Dynamic balancing instruments are used for automatically correcting the rotary balance of rotors for fuel injection pump motors, starter motors, power window motors, wiper motors and power seat motors.
Thus, the comforts we enjoy sitting in our cars are a result of rigorous testing undergone by each of the component of the vehicles.
(For any queries, please contact: Shimadzu Analytical (I) Pvt Ltd, 1 A/B Rushabh Chambers, Makwana Road, Marol, Andheri (E), Mumbai 400 059. Tel: 022-29204741. Fax: 91-22-29201678. E-mail: kschari@shimadzu.in)
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