With AI at the wheel, Hyundai's TN unit shifts gear

Located approximately 40 kilometres southwest of Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu, Sriperumbudur boasts a harmonious blend of rural charm, industrial vibrancy, and metropolitan influence.

- SHINE JACOB

The area houses manufacturing facilities of major companies such as iPhone maker Foxconn, Samsung, Royal Enfield, Dell, Mitsubishi, and Nissan, among others.

In this zone, Hyundai Motor India is in the process of converting its global passenger vehicle production hub into an advanced manufacturing unit, integrating artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and virtual reality (VR) technologies.

Based on internal estimates, the adoption of Industry 4.0, Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), and AI in the unit resulted in bringing down the maintenance time by 5 per cent, complete quality traceability of critical parts, and improvement of process quality by 1 per cent.

The plant, one of the first units by any industrial player in Sriperumbudur, is set to see an investment of ₹26,000 crore as it enters the 26th year of its operation.

It is from here that models like the Grand i10 Nios, i20, Aura, Exter, Venue, Verna, Creta, Alcazar, Tucson, Kona, and Ioniq are built.

Technology makeover

'Smart employees power the smart factory!'

This tagline on a poster inside the plant serves as an invitation to explore the plant's interior, offering a glimpse into the ongoing technological revolution.

"We are ushering in automation across areas traditionally deemed dirty, dull, difficult, and dangerous," remarks Gopala Krishnan CS, chief manufacturing officer at Hyundai Motor India.

According to Krishnan, the unit's technology makeover began in 2019 with the integration of seven shops, connecting over 2,000 critical equipment and over 1,000 intelligent sensors on the shop floor. This initiative led to a significant improvement in downtime management. Moreover, data from these smart sensors can predict abnormalities in rotating and other critical equipment, resulting in a 5 per cent reduction in maintenance downtime.