Hyundai Motor India’s 536-acre Chennai plant has typically been described as one of many world’s most superior passenger automobile services. It is usually one of many busiest, rolling out 131 automobiles each hour. From producing a number of fashions and variants on a single line to integrating predictive analytics, the manufacturing unit has grow to be a benchmark for agility and innovation in Indian manufacturing.
“Proper from day one, Hyundai has been capable of meet market necessities as per the gross sales forecast. Our traces are fungible and agile, enabling us to adapt rapidly to altering buyer tastes,” stated Gopalakrishnan CS, Entire-time Director and Chief Manufacturing Officer, Hyundai Motor India Ltd, within the second episode of ETAuto Expertise Talks.
Hyundai’s Chennai unit is already operating near full capability, supplying each home and export markets. With Indian client preferences shifting from petrol and diesel to CNG and now to electrical, the corporate is below strain to maintain evolving its processes.
Deploying automation and AI
To handle such complexity, Hyundai has relied on automation and digitalisation throughout departments. Superior options have been deployed to enhance effectivity, minimize downtime and establish bottlenecks earlier than they disrupt operations.
“We now have developed in-house AI options for exterior inspection. Earlier, inspectors needed to manually affirm the presence of 30 plus elements on multi-model traces, which frequently led to errors. Now, with AI-based scanning, defects are lowered virtually to zero,” Gopalakrishnan defined.
Collaborative robots are additionally at work. Engine exterior inspections, as soon as a labour-intensive course of, are actually executed by cobots in lower than a minute, confirming all elements throughout a number of variants with near-perfect accuracy.
Digital pre-assembly and VR studying
Hyundai has additionally invested in simulation-led processes that shrink timelines. Some of the impactful is Digital Pre-Meeting (DPA), which permits engineers to establish potential errors earlier than a brand new product reaches the shopfloor. The method has considerably minimize launch occasions.
The corporate has gone a step additional by designing its personal digital actuality coaching modules. These VR instruments, constructed by Hyundai’s engineers, permit operators to practise advanced duties repeatedly in a protected digital setting earlier than making use of them on the road.
“For coaching our workers, now we have developed VR modules by our personal engineers. Operators can practise a number of occasions, which not solely improves effectivity but in addition reduces fatigue,” stated Gopalakrishnan.
Engineering for ADAS and related automobiles
Hyundai’s merchandise are more and more loaded with premium options similar to superior driver help programs (ADAS) and related automotive expertise. Delivering these requires precision engineering and validation on the shopfloor.
“Proper from the launch stage itself, we design and fee tools to validate these options. For ADAS, we calibrate programs on the meeting line, whereas for related automobiles, software program updates are validated earlier than reaching prospects,” he stated.
Suggestions loops full the cycle. Vendor and provider inputs circulate into Hyundai’s digital spine, serving to the corporate adapt rapidly to client preferences. Insights from Indian consumers, gathered by means of product clinics, are included instantly into new fashions.
Multi-model, multi-variant flexibility
Hyundai has mastered the artwork of managing dozens of variants on a single mannequin whereas assembly world export necessities. Its ‘International Physique Line’ permits 4 fashions to be produced directly, with changes made quickly based mostly on demand.
“We will produce 4 fashions on the identical time. If market demand modifications, we merely regulate the variety of carriers or train the robots new processes. This considerably reduces the time to introduce new fashions,” Gopalakrishnan defined.
The flexibility to fabricate right-hand drive, left-hand drive, petrol, diesel, CNG and now EVs with out compromising effectivity has grow to be Hyundai’s aggressive edge.
EVs on agile traces
The shift to electrical mobility is central to Hyundai’s India technique. The Chennai plant presently has a capability of 824,000 models, whereas a brand new facility in Pune will add one other 250,000 models in phases, bringing whole manufacturing shut to 1 million automobiles yearly.
“Our purpose is to make the traces fungible and agile to satisfy diverse demand. With correct course of planning, right line balancing and good station design, we are able to handle ICE, EV, diesel, petrol and CNG on the identical line,” stated Gopalakrishnan.
This fungibility permits Hyundai to scale EV volumes with out disrupting its present portfolio. The corporate desires India to function a worldwide hub for rising markets, with an 80:20 ratio of home gross sales to exports.
A tradition of innovation
Hyundai’s transformation isn’t pushed by expertise alone. The corporate has created a tradition the place workers are inspired to innovate. Its annual Manufacturing Excellence Expo invitations engineers and expertise companions to current options to real-time points.
“We give our workers the chance to deliver out real-time points, establish gaps and implement options. A few of these improvements have even resulted in patents,” stated Gopalakrishnan.
The deal with self-reliance turned even stronger throughout COVID-19, when Hyundai engineers reverse engineered essential options to maintain tasks on monitor regardless of world provide chain disruptions.
Workforce coaching and security
A structured training programme underpins Hyundai’s workforce technique. Manuals and coaching protocols have been developed for each division, protecting processes, security and tools use.
“We now have developed manuals for each division, protecting processes, services and protocols. Security is a robust focus. We even have expertise machines that simulate incidents so operators can really feel the influence and study,” stated Gopalakrishnan.
Hyundai additionally operates a dexterity centre to assist staff enhance movement, cut back fatigue and adapt to new duties. Partnerships with Indian institutes present technical and management coaching throughout all ranges.
Securing the digital manufacturing unit
With rising digitalisation comes the danger of cyberattacks. Hyundai has developed firewalls, structured protocols and robust assist programs from HMC in Korea to safeguard its knowledge and tools.
“Since we’re coping with a number of equipments, now we have firewalls, structured protocols and the sturdy assist of HMC. We conduct common checks not solely within the manufacturing unit but in addition with our vendor companions, in order that we’re totally protected,” stated Gopalakrishnan.
From Chennai to Pune: A International Hub within the Making
Hyundai’s imaginative and prescient is obvious. Chennai will stay the flagship, however Pune will quickly complement it as a second centre of excellence. Collectively, they are going to kind a close to a million unit capability community that’s versatile, EV-ready and globally aggressive.
By combining AI-driven effectivity, cobot precision, VR-led workforce coaching and a tradition of innovation, Hyundai Motor India is popping its factories into templates for future-ready manufacturing. The corporate’s technique is as a lot about expertise as it’s about folks, agility and resilience.
