Recent News

The Department of Mechanical Engineering under the School of Engineering and Sciences at SRM University-AP, organised an industrial visit on March 22, 2025 to Reliance Industries – KGD6 Oil & Gas, Andhra Pradesh.

The Industrial visit helped enhance the practical knowledge and industry exposure of the B.Tech & M.Tech students in the field of oil and gas extraction and learn first-hand the sustainable practices followed in the industry. The visit aligned with the students academic curriculum and prepared them for a future in the energy sector.

The visit was led by faculties, Dr Gurumurthy Kagita, Prof. Prakash Jadhav, Dr Satya Pramod Jammy, Dr Chandan Kumar, and Dr Supen Kumar Sah from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, who accompanied the students throughout the visit. During the visit, students gained insights of operational aspects of oil and gas industries, offshore and onshore adopted technologies, pollution control strategies, real-time monitoring, automation, control systems used in oil and gas operations and environmental management techniques. Experts from Reliance Industries-KGD6 Oil & Gas explained advanced drilling techniques, offshore and onshore extraction processes, and storage techniques of natural gases to our students. The visit also provided insights into safety protocols, automation in industrial processes and sustainability practices in the Oil & Gas industry.

The visit was highly beneficial for students as it bridged the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications. It also offered an opportunity to interact with industry professionals and understand the challenges in oil and gas industries.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at SRM University-AP organised an industrial visit to the Dr Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Station. Dr Chandan Kumar and Dr Manjesh Kumar, faculty coordinators at the department accompanied the students during the visit.The visit was aimed to facilitate practical knowledge among students and to enhance their industry exposure.

During the visit students were able to explore the various operational aspects of the power plant including boiler operations, turbine functioning, coal handling and environmental management techniques. The engineers from the plant also shared their expertise and offered practical demonstrations of the thermal plants’ functioning.

Students also got an opportunity to discuss the operational challenges and understand first hand the potential solutions to the problems. Interactions such as these allowed the students to make real time practical applications of the theoretical aspects learned.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering expressed gratitude to the management and staff of Dr Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Station for their warm hospitality and invaluable learning experience. This visit was not only educational but also essential in bridging the gap between theory and practical application, contributing meaningfully to the academic and professional development of the students.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering hosted an invited talk on “Design of Composite Structures” on February 27, 2025. The session was delivered by Dr Subbareddy Daggumati, distinguished Associate Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. An expert in composite materials, structural mechanics, and computational modelling, Dr Subbareddy Daggumati, highlighted the significance of composite materials in aerospace, automotive, and structural applications in his talk.

The presentation covered key topics such as fatigue damage mechanisms, experimental analysis, predictive modelling, and recent advancements in composite material research. Participants, including faculty members, researchers, and students, actively discussed improving fatigue resistance through material selection, design optimization, and advanced testing techniques. A leading figure in advanced engineering research, Dr Subbareddy Daggumati also underscored the extensive research opportunities available for faculty, research scholars, and students interested in exploring the fatigue behaviour of composite structures. The event was highly informative, fostering academic exchange and encouraging further research into the fatigue behaviour of composite structures.

The event was presided over by Dr Lakshmi Sirisha Maganti, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Prof. Prakash Jadhav, Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The talk concluded with an interactive Q&A session, where attendees gained valuable knowledge on current challenges and future research directions in this field.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering successfully hosted an Invited talk on “Hydrogen Gas as the Future Fuel for Sustainable Power Generation and Application of Machine Learning Techniques for Modeling of Hydrogen Generation by Chemical Reactions” on February 24, 2025. The session witnessed Prof. P. S. Robi, a distinguished Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati and Former Deputy Director of IIT Guwahati, Assam, India, as the esteemed speaker.

Prof. P S Robi highlighted the importance of hydrogen as a sustainable fuel, emphasising its potential to replace fossil fuels, reduce carbon emissions, integrate with renewable energy sources, and the role of research and industry collaboration in advancing its adoption to make hydrogen a viable energy source for a sustainable future. He also addressed key challenges in hydrogen adoption, particularly the need to overcome high production costs and storage limitations.

Furthermore, Prof. Robi emphasised the role of Machine Learning in enhancing hydrogen generation efficiency through data-driven modelling and optimisation. Potential research and collaboration prospects, advocating for stronger partnerships between academia, industry, and policymakers to accelerate the advancement and implementation of hydrogen technology, were extensively discussed. Additionally, Prof. P. S. Robi highlighted the myriad of research opportunities available for faculty, research scholars, and students interested in hydrogen generation.

The talk concluded with an interactive Q&A session, during which the participants actively engaged with the speaker. The session was attended by Dr Lakshmi Sirisha Maganti, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr Chandan Kumar, Assistant Professor and convenor of the event, along with the faculty, scholars and students of the university.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering concluded its 5-day intense Faculty Development Programme on Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 organised with the objective of highlighting Smart Manufacturing to boost efficiency and sustainability, fostering collaboration among researchers, academicians, and industry experts and improving manufacturing practices and sustainability through innovation.

The FDP kick-started with a plenary lecture on Smart Manufacturing/Industry 4.0, followed by interactive sessions led by eminent speakers. The FDP witnessed industrial and academic stalwarts such as Prof. Ramesh Babu, IIT Chennai; Mr Amit Baddi, Samprama Digitech, Pune; Dr Rishi Relan, Siemens, Delhi; Prof. Kaushal Desai, IIT Jodhpur to name a few. The resource persons, experts in their specific realms, primed over 100+ participants from both in and around the varsity.

The participants had the opportunity to learn about big data analytics and machine-to-machine communication, real-time data collection and processing using IoT, and seamless integration of manufacturing system components. The FDP encouraged extensive discussions and knowledge sharing sessions, bestowing a pivotal opportunity for participants, educators and industry practitioners to immerse themselves in the future of manufacturing.

The FDP also offered the participants significant opportunities to contribute to the evolving manufacturing landscape, ultimately enhancing productivity, efficiency, and sustainability in their respective fields. Academic colloquiums such as these prove to be significant in readying the next cohort of engineers and technology enthusiasts to tackle the problems of tomorrow.