Delta monitors emerging AI technologies for enhanced predictive maintenance, energy optimisation, and system performance: Dr. Shashidhar Mathapati, CTO, Delta Electronics India
In a recent interaction during the launch of Delta Electronics India’s new headquarters and India’s largest Global R&D facility in Bengaluru, Dr. Shashidhar Mathapati, CTO, Delta Electronics India, shares insights into the company’s digital transformation journey, current initiatives in smart manufacturing, AI-powered solutions for energy management, and contributions to India’s data centre growth. He also highlights Delta’s post-COVID growth, commitment to sustainability, and strategies for navigating global challenges like the semiconductor shortage. Additionally, Dr. Mathapati emphasises Delta’s focus on emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, and electric mobility to drive innovation and operational efficiency.
Please talk about Delta’s digital transformation journey and some of your recent digital initiatives.
Our digital transformation journey reflects our commitment to innovation and sustainability. We have embraced advanced technologies like IoT, AI, and big data to enhance operational efficiency and product development. In a rapidly changing work environment, we’ve adopted digital collaboration tools that support effective communication and teamwork, ensuring high productivity across all locations. Additionally, we are enhancing customer engagement through our digital platforms, providing seamless access to information and services. Through these initiatives, we intend to reinforce our leadership in the industry and dedicated approach to delivering value to our customers and the broader community while fostering a sustainable future.
In fact, one of our key initiatives is our smart factory project, which integrates automation and data analytics to optimise production, improve product quality, and reduce downtime. Our IoT-enabled energy management systems further empower clients with real-time monitoring to enhance energy efficiency and lower carbon footprints.
How has the business grown in the past couple of years, particularly post-COVID in India?
We’ve experienced remarkable growth, particularly post-COVID, demonstrating resilience and adaptability. The pandemic’s global push towards sustainability boosted demand for our energy-saving products across sectors like industrial automation, power electronics, and building automation. Our focus on green solutions resonated with customers, driving significant growth.
COVID-19 also accelerated digitalisation, and we seized the opportunity to enhance our digital offerings by investing in AI and IoT. This transformation opened new revenue streams and established us as leaders in smart manufacturing and buildings.
To address supply chain disruptions, we strengthened local manufacturing, reducing reliance on international supply chains and aligning with the ‘Make in India’ initiative, which supports India’s economic growth.
Our commitment to CSR, particularly in community development and sustainability, earned us stakeholder trust, enhancing customer loyalty and financial performance. Despite the pandemic’s challenges, we took a positive approach, solidified our market position, and are optimistic about continuing to deliver sustainable and innovative solutions.
How is Delta contributing to the growing demand for data centres in India?
We are playing a crucial role in addressing the growing demand for data centres in the country, driven by the surge in digital transformation and cloud computing. Our approach focuses on providing cutting-edge technology and sustainable solutions that enhance operational efficiency and reduce energy consumption. We offer a range of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems that ensure reliable, high-quality power delivery to data centres. Our modular solutions provide scalability and redundancy, enabling operators to manage increasing loads efficiently while ensuring uptime. Our precision cooling systems are also designed to optimise energy efficiency in data centres. With advanced thermal management technologies, we help data centre operators maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels, thus enhancing equipment performance and longevity. Our energy management solutions further enable real-time monitoring and control of energy consumption within data centres. Our digital platforms further provide data analytics that help operators identify inefficiencies and optimise resource usage, supporting their sustainability goals.
The global semiconductor shortage has impacted the electronics industry. How has Delta navigated these challenges and what measures have you implemented to ensure a stable supply of components?
The global semiconductor shortage has indeed presented significant challenges for the electronics industry, including us. However, we have implemented several strategic measures to navigate these difficulties and ensure a stable supply of components for our products:
- Diversified supply chain: We have actively diversified our supply chain by establishing relationships with multiple semiconductor suppliers across different regions. This strategy reduces dependency on single sources and enhances our flexibility to adapt to disruptions in the market.
- Long-term partnerships: Building long-term partnerships with key semiconductor manufacturers has been crucial in our growth. By fostering strong relationships and collaborating closely with our suppliers, we can better anticipate challenges and ensure preferential access to critical components.
- Strategic inventory management: We have adopted a proactive approach to inventory management. By carefully analysing demand forecasts and maintaining higher safety stock levels for essential components, we can mitigate the impact of supply chain fluctuations and meet customer requirements more effectively.
- Investment in technology: We are leveraging advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and data analytics, to improve our supply chain visibility. This allows us to monitor market trends, predict potential shortages, and make informed decisions regarding component sourcing and inventory levels.
- Increased production capacity: In response to rising demand, we have worked closely with our manufacturing partners to increase production capacity for critical components. This collaboration ensures that we can scale operations quickly while maintaining the quality and reliability of our products.
- Continuous communication: Maintaining open lines of communication with our customers has been vital. We provide regular updates regarding expected delivery times and any potential delays, enabling our clients to manage their expectations and plan accordingly.
These measures not only help us mitigate current disruptions but also position us for future resilience in the face of ongoing supply chain challenges.
Beyond electrification and renewable energy, what other emerging technologies are you keeping an eye on? How is Delta preparing to capitalise on these opportunities?
We are closely monitoring emerging technologies that will shape our industry. One focus is the Internet of Things (IoT), where interconnected devices drive demand for smart solutions in industrial automation, buildings, and energy management. We’re investing in IoT platforms to improve real-time data analytics and operational efficiency.
We’re also integrating AI and machine learning into our products, enhancing predictive maintenance, energy optimisation, and system performance. Additionally, we’re positioning ourselves as leaders in EV infrastructure and exploring edge computing, which enhances data processing and reduces latency, crucial for industrial automation and smart cities.
To capitalise on these opportunities, we’re strengthening R&D and forming strategic partnerships to stay ahead of innovation and meet evolving customer needs.
How are you enhancing your operational efficiency and sustainability?
We are enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability through advanced manufacturing, effective supply chain management, and innovative energy systems. In manufacturing, we leverage Industry 4.0 principles, including automation, IoT integration, and real-time monitoring, to optimise production, reduce waste, and maintain high quality. Automation and robotics enable us to meet changing market demands while ensuring consistency.
Our supply chain strategy emphasises flexibility and resilience, with a diversified supplier base and advanced analytics for demand forecasting and inventory optimisation. This approach minimises excess stock and adapts to disruptions like the semiconductor shortage.
In energy management, we implement real-time monitoring and control to improve efficiency and cost savings across operations. We also develop energy-efficient products to help customers reduce their consumption and support sustainability efforts.
Are there any AI powered solutions or products that Delta is developing or considering for the Indian market? How do these solutions address specific customer needs or challenges?
We are developing AI-powered solutions tailored to the Indian market, focusing on key areas like smart manufacturing. By integrating AI into industrial automation, we optimise operations, predict maintenance, and reduce downtime, helping manufacturers improve productivity and cut costs.
In the energy sector, our AI solutions for energy management and smart grids analyse consumption patterns to offer actionable insights. This helps businesses save on energy costs and meet sustainability goals. We’re also creating AI-powered smart building systems that control lighting, HVAC, and energy use in real time, improving efficiency—crucial as India urbanises rapidly
Additionally, we are exploring AI for electric vehicle infrastructure, using it to optimise charging station operations and manage energy demands. This supports the growing EV market in India.
Through these AI solutions, we aim to help customers boost efficiency, manage energy better, and advance sustainability, preparing them for a more efficient and sustainable future.
