Industry 4.0 brought in tremendous changes to the product development process. Industry 4.0 provided the framework for designing products that were connected, at times 3D printed. The framework for computing moved from HPC to Cluster almost unlocking the potential in terms of simulations. Detroit Engineered Products’ (DEP) Digital Twin offering was a significant aspect of Industry 4.0. The transformation was relevant to several industrial verticals, catering to product conceptualization, product design, product validation, and manufacturing. This brought about a change for businesses and simultaneously,  set to bring about Digital Structure and Culture.

Explaining a little about Digital Twins, Shirin Hameed, CMO, Detroit Engineered Products (DEP) explains, “A Digital twin is essentially an enabler to convert a physical asset into a numerical asset. They are built to exist along with the life of the product, and help to optimize the real physical asset. They exchange data and interact through IoT.  A digital twin can be a model of a component, a system of components, or a system of systems- such as pumps, engines, power plants, manufacturing lines, or a fleet of vehicles.  In the Digital Twin, the actual product and the virtual model are no longer separate, but twin-like. It is a digital duplicate that represents a physical object or process, however it is not intended to replace a physical object; but merely to inform on its optimization. It would typically be used for operational optimization, predictive maintenance, or anomaly detection, and are naturally extremely useful in remote, sensitive or difficult to access locations. ”

DEP is an Engineering Solutions and Product Development company. Since its inception in 1998 in Troy, Michigan, USA, DEP is now a global company with footprints in Europe, China, Korea, Japan and India.

According to a report from Gartner, Digital Twin the concept of copying your physical assets in the digital world is sweeping the computer-aided engineering (CAE) and Internet of Things (IoT) industries. The use of AI-driven technology in the form of a digital twin is helping companies worldwide reduce costs as they start to re-open after the COVID-19 lockdown.”

Radha Krishnan, Founder & President, Detroit Engineered Products (DEP) said, “CAE plays a very important role when simulation using digital twin is necessary. MeshWorks, our CAE driven simulation platform simplifies model-based machine development. Developers can import a CAD data directly into our platform, and DEP MeshWorks parametric modelling methodology can be used to create these optimized and parametric FE models, or Response Surface Models, or Reduced order models, which can be used for analysis. You can also carry it forward to the FE model, and can analyse the FE model with real loads. And thus since your FE model is live, you can communicate directly and have an efficient model suited to real- words conditions. Digital twins are the key to efficiency when it comes to software development and the virtual commissioning of a machine.”

In Industry 5.0, Digital twin is expanding the framework and transforming it to another level. Personalization or mass customization is one aspect that product design would have to plan out for besides the focus moving towards Cognitive computing. The products are expected to be interactive with HMI’s. The products would still stay connected on 5G type of network and this demands real-time validation. The interesting part for businesses is to balance Economics with Ecology and Social perspectives. (MT)

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TomTom has introduced Unified Speed Restrictions, a new service providing updated speed limit data for global regulatory compliance and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The service is designed to help vehicle manufacturers exceed the minimum requirements of Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) regulations.

The service integrates multiple static and live data sources into a single output. By combining various inputs, the system provides continuous updates to vehicle software to ensure speed limit identification remains accurate across different driving environments.

Data sources utilised include:

• Unsigned speed limits: Based on regional road classifications.
• Roadside sign recognition: Camera-based detection of physical signs.
• Probe data: Aggregated information from connected vehicles.
• Variable speed limits: Real-time data from electronic overhead gantries.

Beyond safety compliance, the service supports automated driving functions by providing data for predictive path planning and smoother vehicle manoeuvres.

The solution is available as an API or pre-integrated within the TomTom ADAS SDK. The SDK is modular, allowing manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers to incorporate the data into existing software stacks without vendor lock-in. This architecture is intended to reduce development costs and accelerate the deployment of predictive assistance features.

Manuela Locarno Ajayi, SVP of Product Engineering, TomTom, said, “Accurate and trusted speed information is foundational to road safety, regulatory compliance and automated driving at scale. With Unified Speed Restrictions, we are equipping automakers with a globally consistent, future‑ready foundation that reduces complexity, enabling higher levels of automation.”

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Detroit Engineered Products (DEP) has introduced DEP AIWorks, an engineering platform designed to integrate machine learning with physics-based simulation. The launch follows the conclusion of a five-city industry conclave held across Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai.

DEP AIWorks is built as a physics-agnostic and tool-agnostic environment, allowing it to function across various datasets and engineering domains. The platform combines neural networks and physics-informed models with computer-aided engineering (CAE) solvers to provide predictive and generative capabilities within the product development lifecycle.

Core features of the platform include modular architecture, operational speed and ecosystem compatibility.

The platform is intended for use in the automotive, aerospace, energy, manufacturing and telecommunications sectors. It supports various stages of development, from early design exploration to manufacturing validation. By utilising data-driven learning alongside physics-based validation, the system aims to improve engineering productivity and accelerate decision-making cycles.

Radha Krishnan, President & Founder, DEP, said, “DEP AIWorks reflects the next step in how engineering organisations will adopt AI, not as a standalone tool, but as an integrated part of the product development lifecycle. By combining decades of simulation expertise with advances in AI, we are enabling teams to move faster while maintaining engineering rigor and reliability.”

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German tier 1 supplier ZF has introduced SolarBoost, a retrofittable solar panel system designed to support the 24-volt on-board electrical systems of city buses and coaches. The technology generates electricity during vehicle operation to recharge batteries, intended to reduce fuel consumption and maintenance requirements for fleet operators.

The system reduces the load on the drive engine by providing an alternative power source for on-board systems, which are traditionally supplied by the alternator. According to ZF, the additional energy can reduce fuel consumption by up to 3.5 percent, depending on weather conditions and application profiles.

The company states that key benefits for operators include battery longevity, as continuous recharging extends battery life. ZF reports potential savings equivalent to one battery per vehicle per year.

Furthermore, it enhances uptime by reduced requirement for stationary battery recharges and lower maintenance frequency. The system includes Bluetooth connectivity, allowing operators to track energy generation in real-time via a mobile application.

SolarBoost utilises a plug-and-play architecture designed for installation in an operator's own workshop using standard tools. The process does not require drilling into the vehicle structure or extensive rewiring, allowing for fleet-wide scaling with minimal disruption to service.

The hardware is engineered to withstand vibrations and weather conditions associated with heavy-duty transit. ZF provides a 5-year warranty and repair kits to support the long-term durability of the flexible panels.

The product is positioned as a scalable solution for bus operators to meet environmental targets. By utilizing renewable energy for electrical loads, the system assists in reducing the carbon footprint of intercity and urban transport fleets. It aligns with ZF’s broader strategy to deliver innovations that improve vehicle efficiency while supporting climate-friendly mobility.

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Recyclekaro, an e-waste and lithium-ion battery recycling firm, has been cleared for eligibility under the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Critical Mineral Recycling. The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Mines under the National Critical Minerals Mission.

The company has committed an investment of approximately INR 3 billion to expand its operations. This brownfield expansion aims to increase total processing capacity to 50,000 metric tonnes.

Its targeted waste streams for mineral recovery include spent lithium-ion batteries, electronic circuit e-waste, rare earth magnets and spent catalytic converters.

The project is designed to increase the domestic recovery of lithium and rare earth elements, reducing reliance on mineral imports for the electric mobility and renewable energy sectors.

Recyclekaro plans to invest over INR 5 billion over the next five years into a research and development facility. This centre will focus on technologies for the recovery of rare earth and critical minerals. The objective of the expansion is to align with national resource security and circular economy targets.

Rajesh Gupta, Founder and Managing Director, Recyclekaro, said, “We are proud to have secured eligibility under the Government of India’s Critical Mineral Recycling Incentive Scheme and sincerely commend the Ministry of Mines for instituting a visionary and robust framework under the National Critical Minerals Mission. This marks a decisive step toward strengthening India’s energy security that relies on securing critical minerals domestically. This will support India’s net zero goals. Over the past 15 years, we have built world-class in-house technologies, conducted thousands of pilot-scale experiments, and are now investing over INR 5 billion next 5 years in our newly developed R&D facility. It is going to be amongst the biggest privately owned facilities in India dedicated to rare earth and critical mineral recovery. At Recyclekaro, we remain deeply committed to this national movement and invite researchers, innovators, and technology partners to collaborate in accelerating India’s clean energy and circular economy transition.”

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