With Electric Vehicles replacing ICE vehicles as traditional modes of transport, it becomes imperative to adopt data-driven, non-destructive and safer methods of failure analysis of automotive parts including high voltage components.
Aishwarya Srinath, our next pathbreaker, R&D Scientist at Traton (Sweden), uses CT (Computed Tomography) to inspect electric vehicles, mostly Trucks and Buses, to figure out why certain parts are not working .
Aishwarya talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about the disruptive nature of imaging technologies that save huge amounts of time and money by inspecting things using CT rather than doing physical teardowns.
For students, regardless of what you choose to do, being happy while doing it will reap far more benefits. So, set a goal, but focus on the journey!
Aishwarya, what were your growing up years like?
I grew up in Singapore and Mumbai, India. We moved many times as children which was stressful, but it helped prepare me for all the moving and relocating in my adulthood. I was ill most of my childhood, which affected my attendance and performance at school but you wouldn’t know that from looking at me now, as I have grown out of my childhood diseases. Growing up in developing countries with a lot of new construction meant my lungs constantly struggled. My parents divorced when I was twelve and this has molded my desire to lead a quiet life, but I am grateful they educated me and to my mother who looked after me when I was ill, because it has enabled the life I have now!
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I have a Master’s degree in Materials Chemistry from the University of Edinburgh, UK and a PhD in Materials Chemistry from Uppsala University, Sweden.
Can you talk about some of the key influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and unique career in Deep Tech/Research??
As a child, my early interest in Chemistry came from enjoying science experiments i.e. setting things on fire, watching them change colour, or simply enjoying the sound of an explosion. In university, I learned a broad curriculum from medicinal to physical chemistry. During my master’s project I worked on Perovskite materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). I enjoyed it but it was quite academic. I then got a job at a surface coating company, the Centre for Research for Engineering Surface Technology. There I ran a pilot scale anodising line where the objective was to develop different types of E-coatings on aluminium. E-coating on aluminum is an electrophoretic process where an electric current deposits a continuous, uniform, and durable paint film onto the part, providing excellent corrosion resistance and protection, even in complex shapes and crevices
I liked how applied it was, but most of the jobs I wanted required a PhD. 18 months later, I moved to Sweden to begin my PhD in Uppsala University in the area of corrosion in magnetron sputtered high entropy alloy thin films. I had really good supervisors, all three of whom brought something new and unique to my professional development and became very good role models.
I now work as an R&D scientist at Traton where we use high resolution 3D imaging with X-rays, also known as Computed Tomography (CT), to try and figure out how and why electrical components in a truck are failing.
I chose this career because I thought it would be a good fit for me. I really enjoy it and believe I have a future in business development within deep tech! I hope to use my talents in public speaking and technical writing to engage the interest of people from all walks of life.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Tell us about your career path
I have not been organized in my plan to do certain things but the vision has always been there.
I started with an undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Edinburgh University but found it was a bit restricted to a lab. Then, I worked for 18 months at a surface coating company in Dublin. I enjoyed it, but my plan was always to specialise in something useful, interesting, and fun.
This led to a PhD in metallic corrosion at Uppsala University, where I finally found a good fit for my talents. The general area of my research was developing new corrosion resistant alloys through magnetron sputtering. We would deposit metastable materials as films and then try see how corrosion resistant they were and how fast they corroded. High entropy alloys contain 5 or more metals in non-minor amounts, which is a new area of metallurgy, whose tunable properties have vast application as corrosion and wear resistant coatings.
After that, I worked briefly at a startup as a scientist in high-temperature corrosion (ironically the only job in my career I have ever been truly qualified for), where I realized the research practices were questionable.
I currently work on applications of Computational Tomography in the real word to address challenges in manufacturing.
Computed Tomography is the principle of using X-rays on a slowly rotating object to generate images and then combining them to give 3D models which accurately depict the outside and inside in exact detail. Modern CT scanners have developed so much that we often make highly accurate measurements of parts, inspect them for faults, check for assembly etc. As the world will slowly shift to all-electric vehicles, we need safe methods to inspect high voltage components, which is where CT comes in, as it is entirely non-destructive. We save huge amounts of time and money by inspecting things using CT rather than doing teardowns. Traton, the company I work for, owns MAN, Scania, International and Volkswagen Truck and Bus. I have worked for Scania since 2023. We collaborate a lot with MAN and believed it was time to start CT based scanning of parts in Scania R&D, which is now Traton. About a year into my role at Scania, I went to MAN, Nuremberg for 2 months, where I learnt how the scanners are run, how to look for failures in different components, and how industrial tomography facilities run. We looked at battery cells, modules, gas tanks, flywheel housings, electronics, connectors, sensors etc. for trucks that had failed unexpectedly. Both MAN and Scania trucks are used for a wide variety of applications such as mining, public transport, material supply, delivery etc.
It took about 18 months to get the CT scanners sourced and built, and since then we have scanned hundreds of components within battery electric vehicles such as battery frames, power modules, sections of stators, many battery cells etc etc. We are a team of five experts in separate component areas who use CT scanning to conduct data-driven non destructive failure analysis of automotive parts. I am the lead for computed tomography and am responsible for ensuring everything from technical sourcing and reviews, installation, budgets, training of personnel to delivering key technical solutions for failed components goes according to plan.
How did you get your first break?
Honestly? Privilege. My first break was being born to a family with means and parents who could afford to educate me well. After I got out of school, I got jobs by showing people I was enthusiastic and capable even if I didn’t have the exact experience they were looking for. My boss at Scania, now Traton, was specifically looking for someone with expertise in failure of connectors. I had a background in failure analysis and corrosion, which got me the job. They had been wanting to get CT scanners for a long time due to the number of connector issues that had begun to pop up. As sourcing CT scanners is a long haul project, I was asked to take it on, specifically because I was assigned to investigate failure in electronics, which require high resolution X-ray vision to truly elucidate failure. A year in, this led to my short trip to MAN where I was there to watch and learn how they had been using CT.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
I am distinctly foreign, which can make it challenging to apply for specialised roles. I’ve had the privilege of learning Swedish, but it took time and effort. It took me a while to wrap my head around how Swedes do business, but it has really helped me to settle into my role.
Professionally, I suppose the biggest challenges have been encouraging a change in mindset from physical teardowns to adopting more digital methods like imaging ; but it is so far going very well. Installing large industrial scanners in very old industrial facilities also come with their own challenges, but you learn quickly how to work with builders and engineers to make things go smoothly. The hardest thing at the moment is that I get a vast variety of components to inspect, which can be challenging as I am required to help the design teams understand why their component has failed.
Where do you work now?
I work at Traton as an R&D scientist for Trucks and Buses, mostly electric vehicles. We attempt to figure out why certain parts, such as batteries, electronics, filters etc. are not working using CT scanning. Trucks require much higher tolerances than passenger cars because they carry heavier loads and drive longer distances in varied climate conditions.
No two days are the same for me. Some of the days I am in meetings about technical investments. Other days I am with engineering teams who are attempting to understand why a certain component is failing.
How does your work benefit society?
Electric vehicles reduce our dependence on oil and gas, which helps the environment. You’d be surprised how important heavy vehicles are to our economy. They carry out essential functions like delivering food and medication as well as providing public transport.
CT is a totally non destructive way of inspecting parts. It allows us to get eyes on the part during the R&D process, production, and also when they have broken down. You can check everything from symmetry, assembly, geometry, which helps you ensure your manufacturing quality is consistent.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
I can’t think of one single thing, but seeing my colleagues embrace imaging technology instead of physical teardowns has been very gratifying. Using CT scanners helps reduce the amount of human handling and the risks associated with touching high voltage components.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
Most of my life, I have prioritised my happiness. Its easy to get caught up in the world of grades and exams, and while that is important, developing character is worth just as much. I was not a perfect student by any means, but I am quite happy with my life. Regardless of what you choose to do, being happy while doing it will reap far more benefits than being constantly stressed or sad. So, set a goal, but focus on the journey!
Future Plans?
My future plans will involve merging business development and deep-tech to help people re-skill so that they aren’t intimidated by new technology. I love the social element to deep-tech because it makes a seemingly complicated thing more accessible!