BITS Pilani, through its Work Integrated Learning Programmes (WILP), today inaugurated its Smart Manufacturing Competency Centre (SMCC) in Bengaluru — the second in a planned series of Competency Centres that BITS Pilani WILP is establishing across India in 2026, following the launch of the Automotive Competency Centre (ACC) in Chennai in February. Designed as an integrated ecosystem that combines experiential learning, applied research, industry collaboration, and faculty development, the SMCC will enable working professionals, students, and faculty to engage with real-world engineering challenges and drive India’s capabilities in smart manufacturing and digital industrial transformation.
Bengaluru has been strategically chosen as the home of SMCC, given its position as India’s leading technology and industrial hub. With an ecosystem spanning aerospace, defence, electronics, automotive, and advanced manufacturing, the city brings together global leaders, Tier-1 suppliers, and agile MSMEs.
The SMCC is designed to directly address real-world manufacturing challenges through a combination of applied research, hands-on experimentation, and industry-driven projects. Its core focus areas, Mechatronics and Industrial Automation, IIoT, AI/ML for Manufacturing, Digital Twins and Virtual Commissioning, and Advanced Robotics, are not treated as isolated technologies, but as integrated tools to solve problems related to productivity, quality, downtime, energy efficiency, and process optimisation.
A key priority of the SMCC is to support MSMEs in their digital transformation journey, particularly in overcoming the financial and technical barriers associated with adopting advanced technologies. The Centre provides a platform where MSMEs can:
- Prototype and test solutions without disrupting their existing operations
- Access state-of-the-art infrastructure without significant capital investment
- Work alongside experts and students to co-develop practical, scalable solutions
- Evaluate ROI before full-scale deployment, reducing risk and uncertainty
To support this mission, the Centre is equipped with advanced laboratories in Mechatronics, Machine Vision, Industry 4.0/5.0 systems, Industrial Robotics, Extended Reality (XR), and Rapid Prototyping.
V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said in a statement, “The Smart Manufacturing Competency Centre in Bengaluru marks a significant step in BITS Pilani’s commitment to aligning academic rigour with industry needs. Located in India’s technology capital, the SMCC will empower organizations, working professionals, students, and faculty to confront real manufacturing challenges, drive digital innovation, and contribute meaningfully to India’s journey towards self-reliance in advanced manufacturing.”
G. Sundar, Director, BITS Pilani WILP Division, added, “The SMCC in Bengaluru is a pivotal initiative that reflects our vision of creating learning environments that evolve in step with industry. By integrating academic rigour with hands-on, laboratory-based experiences in the most consequential areas of modern manufacturing, we are equipping learners with skills that are immediately applicable and enduringly relevant. This Centre will not only serve our working professional students and their employers but will also contribute to the broader digital transformation of India’s manufacturing sector and its emergence as a global industrial leader.”
Seshnath B, CEO & MD, Walvoil Fluid Power, said, “The Smart Manufacturing Competency Centre at BITS Pilani is a decisive step toward shaping India’s industrial future, showcasing forward‑thinking technologies with strong proof‑of‑concept demonstrations. By putting future-thinking technologies on display and validating them through proof-of-demonstrates the depth of expertise one expects from a renowned institution and highlights a meaningful commitment to industry collaboration.”
Bengaluru has been strategically chosen as the home of SMCC, given its position as India’s leading technology and industrial hub. With an ecosystem spanning aerospace, defence, electronics, automotive, and advanced manufacturing, the city brings together global leaders, Tier-1 suppliers, and agile MSMEs.
The SMCC is designed to directly address real-world manufacturing challenges through a combination of applied research, hands-on experimentation, and industry-driven projects. Its core focus areas, Mechatronics and Industrial Automation, IIoT, AI/ML for Manufacturing, Digital Twins and Virtual Commissioning, and Advanced Robotics, are not treated as isolated technologies, but as integrated tools to solve problems related to productivity, quality, downtime, energy efficiency, and process optimisation.
A key priority of the SMCC is to support MSMEs in their digital transformation journey, particularly in overcoming the financial and technical barriers associated with adopting advanced technologies. The Centre provides a platform where MSMEs can:
- Prototype and test solutions without disrupting their existing operations
- Access state-of-the-art infrastructure without significant capital investment
- Work alongside experts and students to co-develop practical, scalable solutions
- Evaluate ROI before full-scale deployment, reducing risk and uncertainty
To support this mission, the Centre is equipped with advanced laboratories in Mechatronics, Machine Vision, Industry 4.0/5.0 systems, Industrial Robotics, Extended Reality (XR), and Rapid Prototyping.
V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said in a statement, “The Smart Manufacturing Competency Centre in Bengaluru marks a significant step in BITS Pilani’s commitment to aligning academic rigour with industry needs. Located in India’s technology capital, the SMCC will empower organizations, working professionals, students, and faculty to confront real manufacturing challenges, drive digital innovation, and contribute meaningfully to India’s journey towards self-reliance in advanced manufacturing.”
G. Sundar, Director, BITS Pilani WILP Division, added, “The SMCC in Bengaluru is a pivotal initiative that reflects our vision of creating learning environments that evolve in step with industry. By integrating academic rigour with hands-on, laboratory-based experiences in the most consequential areas of modern manufacturing, we are equipping learners with skills that are immediately applicable and enduringly relevant. This Centre will not only serve our working professional students and their employers but will also contribute to the broader digital transformation of India’s manufacturing sector and its emergence as a global industrial leader.”
Seshnath B, CEO & MD, Walvoil Fluid Power, said, “The Smart Manufacturing Competency Centre at BITS Pilani is a decisive step toward shaping India’s industrial future, showcasing forward‑thinking technologies with strong proof‑of‑concept demonstrations. By putting future-thinking technologies on display and validating them through proof-of-demonstrates the depth of expertise one expects from a renowned institution and highlights a meaningful commitment to industry collaboration.”
