A fully operational manufacturing plant in 12 months. That’s better
To tackle a critical demand-supply challenge in the SUV segment, a leading Indian automaker boldly acquired a 460-acre plant from a competitor. Could this strategic acquisition be the game-changer the OEM needed? Absolutely. With an ambitious plan, they aimed to start manufacturing best-in-class cars within just 12 months, achieving remarkable efficiency and market impact.Challenge
Upon acquisition, the OEM inherited the plant with minimal machinery and disparate systems that lacked essential software, intellectual properties, and IT/OT integration utilities. The OEM was committed to establishing connectivity while fully integrating these assets to initiate production and scale the plant’s annual capacity, across four primary shops—stamping, body construction, paint, and final assembly—each infused with high levels of automation and the latest digital technologies. Moreover, building the capability to manufacture both ICE vehicles and EVs in the same plant posed another significant challenge. They set a clear and ambitious directive for our engineers: Transform the plant into a lighthouse of cutting-edge technology and digital innovation.
Solution
Our team took on the challenge of implementing a top-notch digital manufacturing solution that ensured both capacity and precision. We led the charge in designing and deploying a smart manufacturing system, including an IT/OT layer, paperless quality system, handheld-based in-plant logistics, and digital factory monitoring. This system seamlessly integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM).
The implementation represented the Holy Trinity of Digital Manufacturing (PLM-ERP-MES), creating a solid foundation for Digital Thread. This allowed the company to leverage data for AI/ML use cases and introduce innovations like GenAI to boost quality and productivity. The solution was deployed across all production lines—Paint, BIW (Body in White), and TCF (Trim Chassis & Frame)—playing a crucial role in starting production on time and scaling the plant’s capacity to around 300,000 units annually.
The real-time digital factory monitoring system provided transparent information to all stakeholders, from operators to senior management, detailing targets, actuals, and troubleshooting needs at all times.
Ready-to-implement accelerators and our engineers working on-site at the manufacturing plant were key to making the plant operational within nine months, much before the anticipated timeline. This project showcased the power of collaboration within the Tata ecosystem as ONE TATA.
Highlights
