Dana TM4 India, a key player in the electric mobility space and part of the joint venture between Dana Incorporated and Hydro-Québec, is poised for significant growth as it explores entry into the mid-voltage motor segment. Currently specialising in both low-voltage and high-voltage motor configurations, the company is rapidly expanding its footprint in the e-truck market, catering to vehicles ranging from seven to 46 tonne.
With a surge of new business wins in the e-truck sector, combined with sustained double-digit growth, Dana TM4 India is strategically positioning itself for further expansion. According to Plant Manager Shivaji Nilkanth, the company is planning to scale up its manufacturing capabilities at its state-of-the-art facility in Chakan, Pune. This expansion is designed to support the growing demand for its advanced motor technologies and entry into new segments, as the company continues to drive innovation in the electric vehicle industry.
The 75,000 sq ft facility in Chakan, Pune, was established during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the company’s resilience and forward-thinking approach. Since its inception, the company has invested approximately $16 million in cutting-edge assembly equipment, tooling, and related infrastructure, enabling advanced production capabilities. The first product from this facility was launched in May 2021, and in the short span since, the company has introduced around 25 products, spanning both low-voltage and high-voltage configurations.
In the low-voltage category, it offers two primary motor families—the 120 series and 200 series—categorised by stator diameter. These families include about 45 distinct part numbers, each tailored to meet specific customer applications. A portion of these products is shipped to the company's Kolhapur facility, where motors are integrated with gearboxes before being exported to international customers, further solidifying Dana TM4 India’s global presence in the electric mobility market.
Abhay Soman, Head of Sales & Business Development at Dana TM4 India, highlighted that the company supplies a range of advanced high-voltage motors, including the Sumo MD series, alongside inverters and vehicle control units, to a variety of automotive customers, with a strong focus on the electric bus segment. Clients in this space include industry leaders such as Tata Motors, Volvo Eicher, JBM and Switch Mobility. In the low-voltage segment, the company caters to high-end two-wheelers and three-wheelers, as well as off-highway applications. For three-wheelers, the company works with a key integrator, which subsequently supplies OEMs for both passenger and goods transportation.
Dana TM4 India also plays a pivotal role in the off-highway segment, supplying electric motors for mobile work platforms, including scissor lifts and boom lifts, to prominent global OEMs in both India and international markets. In particular, its exports to North America and Europe are growing rapidly, with a strong demand for off-highway motor applications.
On a global scale, Dana TM4 operates alongside major high-voltage motor manufacturers like Schaeffler, ZF, Siemens, and Nidec, reinforcing its position as a competitive player in the electric motor industry.
Tech Infrastructure
Saket Sapra, Managing Director of Dana TM4 India and Head of Electrification for Dana in India and Southeast Asia, highlights the advanced technological infrastructure across Dana's plants, which vary based on the products they manufacture. He notes that all facilities operate using state-of-the-art technology, in line with Dana’s global systems and processes.
Dana TM4 India leverages advanced manufacturing capabilities, including robotics, automation, IoT, and data analytics. Given the technical demands of our offerings, we follow the state of art ESD, HVAC standards with the latest management information systems. The company’s focus will be advancing in areas such as Industry 4.0, sustainability, and diversity and inclusion, he Sapra added.
Inside Dana TM4 India: Powering The Future Of Electric Mobility
The low-voltage motor production at the factory centers around two key series, the 120 and 200, distinguished by the length of the stator tooth. The manufacturing process begins with the fully automated winding of copper wires, where manual input is limited to the loading and unloading stages. To meet the increasing demand, the facility operates three production lines, ensuring a seamless, efficient workflow.
The assembly process follows a meticulously structured sequence of steps, starting with nesting, star and delta connections, soldering, and lug crimping. The stator ring is then inserted, followed by the crucial pressing of the stator and its casing—critical for optimal motor performance. Previously manual, the varnishing process has now been automated, followed by curing and a final round of testing using the High Potential (Hipot) test. This rigorous testing procedure guarantees insulation integrity, preventing electrical failures and ensuring safety.
For traceability, each finished stator is laser-marked with a unique identification number before moving to the motor assembly line. Bearings are installed using a mistake-proofing technique known as 'poka-yoke,' which ensures precision and prevents assembly errors. Magnets are then inserted in the next station, with additional poka-yoke measures to avoid incorrect installation.
The assembly line is designed for single-piece flow, optimising productivity and minimising TAKT time. After encoder-side assembly—a critical component for monitoring motor function—the unit proceeds to cabling and end-of-line testing. This stage ensures that all parameters, including vibration and performance characterisation, meet the highest industry standards.
For the 200 series, the process is nearly identical, with the key difference being the use of compression molding with resins. Currently, the company manufactures 210 units of the 200 series motors per day.
High-Voltage Motors
Dana TM4 India’s high-voltage motors, available in both three-phase and six-phase configurations, are engineered for improved performance, delivering speeds of 2,200 RPM and 3,000 RPM, respectively. The manufacturing process begins with precision coil winding, followed by shaping, bending, and a stringent Hipot test for each individual coil to ensure insulation integrity. A final taping procedure reinforces the coils, with each stator meticulously housing 96 individually assembled coils.
The stator assembly, which incorporates a cooling jacket, is one of the most intricate and demanding stages of the process. Highly skilled technicians carefully insert the coils with paper separators and wedges 96 times per stator, requiring absolute precision and focus. This labour-intensive task takes approximately 240 minutes per stator, allowing for the production of just two stators per shift, highlighting the level of craftsmanship involved.
After the stator is assembled, it moves to the welding stage, where 96 manual welds are carried out with at most care. The entire assembly process spans across 12 stations, including six dedicated to welding operations. Once this phase is complete, the stator undergoes another round of Hipot testing, followed by vacuum pressure impregnation and curing, which fortifies the unit for long-term durability.
The final step sees the stator and rotor assembled in the main motor assembly area. Every step of production is meticulously tracked and controlled through the Manufacturing Execution System (MES), ensuring seamless, error-free operations. Before reaching completion, the high-voltage motors are subjected to rigorous lab testing under simulated vehicle conditions for 35 minutes, guaranteeing the motors meet stringent reliability and performance standards.
Innovations & Expansion
Dana TM4 India's innovations extend beyond motors. The company has developed a magnetised pallet with an opposite pole to attract only the right polarity of the magnets, improving the precision of permanent magnet assembly. To further enhance efficiency, it has also implemented vertical storage racks for humidity-controlled parts like PCBs and motor components.
In addition to its technological advancements, the company that currently operates in three shifts, is committed to diversity, with 40% of its shop floor workforce being female. It aims to increase this to 50% in the near future.
Inverter Production
In the inverter production line, the manufacturing process begins with the precision moulding of capacitors, followed by a crucial 24-hour humidity control procedure to ensure component integrity. Once the capacitors are stabilised, the IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors) are assembled. These essential semiconductor devices are pivotal in the efficient conversion of direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC), a critical function in inverter performance.
Following the IGBT assembly, the process moves to the automated tightening of hardware, ensuring exacting standards of precision. The printed circuit boards (PCBs) are then integrated into the system, completing the electrical framework. The entire process culminates with comprehensive Hipot testing and rigorous end-of-line function checks, guaranteeing the inverters meet all operational and safety specifications before being dispatched for final use.
IoT
Nilkanth emphasises that all Dana TM4 India's manufacturing lines are fully IoT-enabled, allowing for real-time data traceability and online monitoring, ensuring seamless operational efficiency and quality control at every stage of production.
With a global manufacturing footprint that spans across India, the United States, Italy, China, Mexico, and Sweden, Dana TM4 is equipped to meet the growing demands of the electric vehicle market while maintaining its commitment to cutting-edge innovation and precision engineering on a global scale.
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