Chennai: Rane Brake Linings, a part of the Rane group, leaders in automotive parts, on August 29 commissioned an indigenously developed full-scale 'inertia rail dynamometer' at its facility at nearby Ambattur to service its rail customers.

"The rail dynamometer developed and commissioned at a cost of Rs 3 crore will help us to test the rail blocks we make for Railways in its actual running conditions", Sundar Ram, president of Rane Brake linings, said on the occasion which was attended among others by N P Singh, senior executive director (STD) Wagon, Indian Railways.

The rail dynamometer can simulate different operating conditions and with the help of the state-of-the-art software, the data can be recorded and captured.

According to Badarinarayan, general manager, marketing, Rane Brake Linings, the dynamometer would ease the process of testing of products as it could be done within the factory premises whereas the actual field testing took long time.

Railways are a major customer of the company contributing close to a third of its annual turnover of around Rs 107 crore. The company, according to Ram, spends over two per cent of its turnover on R&D. "The company aims at 20 per cent of its turnover every year coming through new products developed in house" he said.

PTI