Welcome to Centre of Renewable Energy IIT Palakkad
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Improve the Reliability of the Wind Turbine GearBox System
Failure analysis of Wind-turbine Bearing Materials
Condition monitoring of wind turbine gearbox
ZF–IIT Palakkad Technical Interaction
The ZF Technical Team visited IIT Palakkad to explore structured and long-term academia–industry collaboration. The delegation first met with Prof. A. Seshadri Sekhar, Director, IIT Palakkad, to discuss strategic avenues for partnership, including joint research programs, internships, and customized skill development initiatives. The faculty interaction began with an overview of ZF Friedrichshafen AG, presented by Bert Verdyck, CTO, ZF Wind Power, Antwerpen, outlining the company’s organizational structure and product portfolio. The technical discussions centered on key engineering challenges and collaborative research opportunities.
Major themes included advanced electrical generator concepts, alternatives to permanent magnet systems and carbon brushes, innovative generator design approaches, and mitigation of current discharge issues in bearings and gear contacts. Extensive deliberations were held on gear manufacturing and surface engineering processes, particularly gas, plasma, and laser nitriding, as well as challenges in induction hardening. Research insights on burn detection using power-level monitoring were presented as a non-intrusive alternative to conventional image-based methods. Additional discussions covered NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness), tribology, lubrication strategies, polishing processes, and broader manufacturing optimization challenges. The interaction concluded with the identification of priority R&D problem statements and a multi-tier engagement framework encompassing faculty-led core technology projects, short-term research initiatives addressing production challenges, and structured internship and training programs—establishing a strong foundation for sustained, impactful, and outcome-driven collaboration.