Changing lives and creating opportunities: TANSAM brings tech to underserved

A hands-on education center gives underserved people in southern India state a chance to thrive using the latest Industry 4.0 product development, automation and manufacturing technologies.

The Tamil Nadu Smart and Advanced Manufacturing Centre (TANSAM) provides SMBs and students with the complete Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of solutions and services, giving them access to technology they could not otherwise afford. In its short existence, the center is already accelerating industrial innovation and driving economic growth by bringing newfound digitalization and automation capabilities to the area.

Partner provides grassroots support

The center is a joint project between Siemens, the Tamil Nadu government and Tamilnadu Industrial Development Corporation. Its vision is to incubate innovative start-ups and provide Industry 4.0 training to engineering students. After its grand opening in November 2022 — in which Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin officiated its inauguration — the center quickly attracted many aspiring learners. In less than a year, it has already trained more than 16,000 students, 700 professors and improved product development for over 2,000 SMBs and hopes to reach a half million students taught by the end of next year.

Siemens Partner Broadline Computer Systems, which has a focus on providing Siemens software for academic purposes, drove the implementation of Siemens technologies in the center alongside Siemens’ sales, presales and business development teams. Broadline Computer Systems, headquartered in Tamil Nadu, helps staff and provides ongoing support for the center, adding a local, grassroots flair to the TANSAM endeavor.

The 16,700-square-foot facility is broken into seven key functional research areas: product innovation, predictive engineering analytics, smart factory research, asset performance management, product lifecycle management, innovative manufacturing and AR/VR. The staff of approximately 45 employees includes one former TANSAM student.

TANSAM is industry-agnostic, focusing on providing students with practical skills demanded for employability across the state’s key manufacturing verticals. In addition to its cutting-edge portfolio of software and services, Siemens contributes hardware, field experts and training.

Innovation and entrepreneurs thriving at TANSAM

TANSAM is fostering the entrepreneurial spirit, with several prototypes brought to life and two patents registered due to breakthroughs made in the center. One startup company leveraged the center to develop its next-gen social robot for children ages 7-13. The robots help children explore technology and math by engaging them in fun activities that spur creativity.

TANSAM’s internal team is currently developing virtual-reality-based healthcare applications, and the Auto Component Manufacturing Association (ACMA) is working with TANSAM to help its more than 500 members pursue digital transformations. At its current pace, Tamil Nadu could quickly become a tech mecca. The attention TANSAM has garnered is already bringing new industrial investments to the state.

TANSAM recognized as a WvS award finalist

TANSAM’s meteoric ascent to its status as a resource and beacon of hope has landed it as a top-3 finalist for this year’s Werner von Siemens (WvS) award “Siemens Matters” category under the entry “Non-Profit Collaboration: Embracing Industry 4.0.” The WvS Siemens Matters award is given for projects that provide access to technology and education and that sustain communities by:

• Positively impacting society and the environment
• Promoting responsible business practices
• Going beyond our business activities and financial performance

The TANSAM center’s contributions and tremendous impact on the people of Tamil Nadu clearly merit its inclusion as a WvS award finalist. Other finalists in the category are “Creating a Home for Ukrainian Refugees,” which created a home in Poland for 160 refugees displaced by the war in Ukraine and “Empowered Communities: Digitalizing Aid with Mendix,” which developed low-code apps to help the Make A Wish organization overcome devastating setbacks caused by flooding in Germany and war in Ukraine.

While winning the award would bestow even more prestige, the real takeaway should be the good that the TANSAM center is creating. The same can be said for the other finalists in the Siemens Matters category.

This year, the WvS awards expanded from four to five categories. In addition to Siemens Matters, the other four categories include Customer Impact, Siemens Xcelerator, People, and Technology with Purpose.

Tune into the WvS Awards on Wednesday, October 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. (CEST), where you can cast your vote for the most deserving finalists.

To learn more about TANSAM, visit the center’s website.

*Update October 18, 2023 – TANSAM finished as first runner-up in the WvS Siemens Matters category. The “Creating a Home for Ukrainian Refugees” entry won the award.

About the author

Robert Lyons is a Communications Manager for Siemens Global Partner Program. With both an editorial and sales background, he focuses on content development and partner advocacy initiatives.