I have also been interested in design/engineering in general and wanted to pursue a Mechatronics course at university which is a blend of computer,  electrical, and mechanical engineering so to understand how it all works and the real-life applications I  did an internship at LANKA ASHOK  LEYLANDf from  July 8th to July 22nd, 2024.

Throughout this internship, I learned the process of automobile designing and developing Trucks, Buses, Defence, Light Vehicles, and Power Solutions.

I saw some of their upcoming future projects were created and had a long conversation with the lead designers and mechanics of that project to exchange ideas on how the design could be improved and be more practical in the real world furthermore got hands-on experience on how to make the parts for the vehicles like the side panels and the bed corrugation (these are the grooves that provide structural support to the bed, increasing its strength and preventing it from flexing or warping under heavy loads.) using molds, metal press bending machine and a laser cutter. I went saw the manufacturing department of the vehicles and saw how the parts are assembled including the suspension, hydraulics, compressors, chassis, engine, and electronics. For  me, the  most interesting part of  this internship was the design of parts in Auto cad, Solid Works, and Seimens NX and the digital simulated stress tests that they ran for each part, some of  the tests mentioned below –

1. Finite element test: Used to simulate stress, strain, and deformation in parts under various loads. Designers use FEA to predict how parts like the chassis or engine mounts will respond to forces such as compression, tension, or torsion.
2. Thermal Analysis: Designers simulate how vehicle parts will react to temperature changes, especially for engine components, braking systems, and electrical parts. This ensures that materials can withstand extreme heat or cold without failing.
3. Vibration and Fatigue Testing: Parts are simulated under repetitive vibrations to assess how they will hold up under long-term operational stress. This is crucial for components like suspension systems, exhaust systems, and other parts exposed to continuous vibration.

Another interesting aspect of design that I learned was creating manuals and the materials list of each specific part of the vehicle which ensures that production teams and end-users have clear instructions for assembly, maintenance, and repairs, as well as a detailed understanding of the materials used for each component. I was to learn how to use the software in that process and was able to go through some of their previous projects and gain a deeper understanding of the design component in production.   I also visited the service center where they repaired all the vehicles saw the engines being taken apart and understanding what is the role of each part. one thing I noticed in my time there was the process that they followed was to a degree similar to our design cycle.

All in all, it was a great experience learning about the development process of automobiles and the critical aspects involved in designing each part, including material choices, cost considerations, and more. Furthermore, it was interesting to analyze this from an economic perspective and understand how the pandemic affected manufacturing, leading to improvisation on projects and the reuse of materials for new projects. This experience provided valuable insights into various aspects of mechanical engineering and offered a clearer picture of what to expect in the engineering field.