'Smart Dies' will disrupt Indian manufacturing (and why EVs are key)

Godrej's Pankaj Abhyankar details how “Smart Dies” and global partnerships will dominate the future of EV and giga casting in his interview with Manufacturing Today

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This is an insightful conversation with Pankaj Abhyankar, Executive Vice President & Business Head of the Tooling business of Godrej Enterprises Group. In this interview with Manufacturing Today, Abhyankar discusses the optimistic outlook for the die casting industry over the next 5 to 10 years, driven by significant shifts in the automotive and railway sectors. He delves into how Godrej Tooling is strategically adapting to emerging trends such as the Electric Vehicle (EV) transition, the push for vehicle lightweighting, and the localisation of manufacturing by multinational corporations.

Key highlights of the discussion include Godrej's initiatives in Smart Die technology for Industry 4.0, their global partnership to tackle mega casting for structural parts, and their approach as an endto-end solutions provider. Abhyankar also touches on the company's investments in technology and capacity, their role in advanced material science, and the integration of sustainability practices into their tooling and manufacturing operations.

Given that Godrej Enterprises Group has a longstanding presence in the tooling industry, how do you foresee the next 5 to 10 years shaping for the die casting industry? This is particularly relevant with the accelerated shifts in the automotive sector, such as the EV transition and lightweighting, and in the railway sector with the introduction of high-speed rail, bullet trains, and modern rolling stock.

In terms of the future for die casting, particularly in the high-pressure die casting space where Godrej Tooling has much more prominence, things are looking very optimistic and progressive, especially in the auto sector.