Kumar Gururaj

Experience

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  Automotive AxlesLtd India

  Dec 1992 - Feb 2003

  Engineer QA

  The Role: Managing Standards Room, MSA, PPAP; coordinating for measuring machine activities. Handling a part of in-process inspection & conducting quality audits. Visiting the vendor sites, validating process & components quality. Carrying out self-certification, assessing & approving new vendors.  Supervising routine inspection of critical parameters, inspection of machined parts, measurement of gears & pinions using Super G_age software (Gleason software). Taking care of QS9000 related activities for Standard Room, Gauge Room & CMM. Engaging in gauge planning & procuring various gauges required in Q.C.Highlights: Installed G_age Gear Measuring Package of Gleason on Brown & Sharpe CMM & programmed for 52 varieties of gear sets development for Meritor HVS USA. Continuously forecasted and budgeted for capital needs of gauges, fixtures for three successive three years, ensured that the needed facilities were installed are at par with standards and achieved substantial savings from in sourcing of calibration activities. Appreciations received for timely completion of PPAP submission of 52 varieties of Crown-pinion assemblies to Meritor-USA (Principals of AAL) within a time line of nine months period with lot of stretch. Show less

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  Bharath Technology auto componets ltd ( India meters earlier)

  Feb 2003 - Dec 2004

  Senior Exceutive Quality assurance

  The Role: Supervising in-house quality assurance activities, interacting with customers and resolving customer complaints by identifying root cause and undertaking corrective actions.  Checking and verifying gauge & fixture design for sub-assembly & child parts. Communicating with TVS Conformance Engineering Group and implementing Kaizen Projects. Participating in TPM activities, various quality / process improvement and cost reduction projects. Timely resolving all vehicle assembly problems. Organizing internal audits of the ISO 9000 Quality System and closing non-conformance reports.  Assisting the Quality Department Head and successfully lead the quality team.Highlights: Successfully achieved reduction in customer returns from 5% to 0.8% within just 6 months through continuous improvement through extensive interaction with operations staff & positive attitude.  Revamped the entire process and resolved assembly difficulties of styling parts on motor cycle frame.  The change process of which followed to resolve assembly difficulties at customer resulted in reduction of in house rework and scrap substantially Show less

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  John Deere India ,Pune

  Dec 2004 - Nov 2007

  Assistant Manager

  Analyzing, verifying and assisting vendors to improve their processes / products. Guiding them through the entire product development cycle. Interfacing with sourcing & design groups, suppliers; understanding the parts, manufacturing tolerances & processes, establishing quality assurance system; working to obtain PPAP approval and enhancing quality of supplier parts. Ensuring that designs / concepts meet the ease of service, assembly and manufacturing criteria.Imparting training on product knowledge, inspection procedures to Engineers / Graduate Engineers / Technical Trainees for better awareness & knowledge.Devised reliability test rigs at suppliers’ end, conducted tests, and correlated the actual warranty failures with failure modes during reliability testing through Product Failure Mode Evaluation and Analysis; resolved in-house & vendor’s chronic problems through design / process modifications and reduced field complaints. Developed Deere System Guidelines for quality function of a new model development in India, covering field tests & World-class Tractor manufacturing operations.Created system guidelines for a tractor model development through extensive interactions between JD India and JD Augusta USA; visited US twice for better project integration. Visited key suppliers in China in the areas of casting, machining, drive axle manufacturing plant & hydraulics parts manufacturing plant for global supplier evaluation.Developed critical castings through extensive interactions with suppliers like Sriram Foundry & GPI in short span of 4 months.Modified the design of a linkage part and resolved chronic problem of improper clutch engagement. Very first time in JD India, the roles of Quality and SCM sub process for EPDP (similar to APQP) has formulated and tailored considering Indian Supply base Scenario. This project has got the President award for best EPDP in whole of AG and Turf Division of worldwide John Deere. Show less

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  General Motors India, Pune

  Jan 2008 - Jun 2008

  Manager Quality Assurance - Manufacturing

  The Role: Applying the knowledge gathered in the areas of quality assurance, reliability and establishing an effective quality assurance system. Identifying a variety of material / process / assembly defects; introducing in-process quality checks & control plans for eliminating these.  Developing a Product Failure Mode Effect and Analysis (PFMEA) programme, covering newly built assembly lines for all shops. Liaising for regular calibration of tools & gauges with traceability to International Measurement Standards.Highlights: Streamlined Critical torque measuring and recording, Paint in process quality checks and body shop in  process quality checks for welding, in body shop for a green field plant. Established PFMEA for newly set up assembly line, derived control plans ensuring effective participation of Cross functional team. Show less

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  John Deere India , Pune

  Jun 2008 - May 2011

  Executive Manager, Strategic Sourcing -Metal Fab

  The Role: Engaging in part development for new programs, raw material tracking and negotiations with suppliers, supplier development activities, etc. Participating in design reviews, planning for right sequence of processes and tools, gauges and handover to operations with PPAP. Accommodating engineering changes while supporting the original timelines of the product programs. Analysing the supplier base for commodity to reconcile / rationalise; bettering the leverage based on business volumes.  Handling dual sourcing of critical parts with better process and quality, & reduced costs.  Analysing the capacity of current situation and forecast (by OFP and VSM), taking actions for building / bridging gaps for the required volumes. Ensuring that the part development activity is within targeted costing of the project, in both aspects of capital and part cost. Supporting & verifying costing and development done by subordinates; acting as a single window with finance for provisions and tracking of CI CR data. Keeping track of RM fluctuations, negotiating and settling the right prices.Highlights: Achieved 3% annualised cost saving for current year against the target of 2% by structural redesign proposal of Footrest and torsion bar assembly,  Torsion bar assembly, new process has increased life of parts in field reducing the field failures and substantial cost reduction gained.  A total of eleven vendors, out of which four are contributing a annual business of INR 100 Crores. Awarded in consequent half yearly recognition of Bachat Manthan reviews with certificates and Mementos. Show less

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  Mahindra Research Valley, Powertrain Division , Component Development & Materials Management

  May 2011 - now

  Senior Manager

  Since May’11 with Mahindra & Mahindra, Mahindra Research valley, Chennai –Power train Division as Senior Manager – Components Development & Materials Management –Transmission & Engines~ annual spend of INR 1200 Crores ( ~ 9% -12 % of Spend) with ~ 40 SuppliersEngaging in part development for new programs, raw material tracking and negotiations with suppliers, supplier development activities, etc.Participating in design reviews, planning for right sequence of processes and tools, gauges and handover to operations with PPAP. Accommodating engineering changes while supporting the original timelines of the programs.Handling dual sourcing of critical parts with better process and quality, & reduced costs. Analyzing the capacity of current situation and forecast (by OFP and VSM), taking actions for building / bridging gaps for the required volumes.Highlights: Challenging Journey, Right from Launch of the segment Creator – XUV 5OO, with many first time in product like Laser welding, Carbon lining in synchro, wire type shifters, Shift tower for indirect shift systems, A load carrier with multi-variant Jeeto, Scorpio Refresh, Supro, TUV3OO, to KUV1OO a very refined and tough NVH targets, evolving organization under the directives of First time right crusade, Grooming the team, creation of Centre of Excellence in Tooling , process and cost for the commodity handles mainly Gears and PDC, along with skinned understandings of shift system, interface issues , jury Feedback getting converting to engineering changes.Best exposed to and appreciated for capability of handling Multi location teams as well as multi location customer / satellite plants for smooth ramp up and hand over.Supported / integrated the process topics to the design consulting houses right from beginning converting the theoretical approach to a practical approach with ready reckoner data.Highest Employee engagement score in the division, an indicator of collective and pride in work of each team member. Show less

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  Mahindra & Mahindra

  May 2011 - now

  General Manager