Motherson and NTU Singapore collaborate to industrialise Spinheat, a magnetic curing technology that accelerates coating and adhesive processes while reducing energy consumption in automotive and aerospace component manufacturing.
Samvardhana Motherson International Limited has partnered with Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) to advance and industrialise Spinheat, a magnetic curing technology designed to make industrial coating and component manufacturing faster and more energy-efficient. The collaboration will be led by MSSL (S) Pte Ltd, Motherson's Singapore-based subsidiary, and will explore applications across the automotive, aerospace and other industrial sectors.
The partnership combines NTU Singapore's research expertise in magnetic materials and polymer science with Motherson's engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Its primary objective is to move Spinheat from laboratory development towards practical industrial applications, particularly for curing coatings, adhesives and resins used in component manufacturing.
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Spinheat uses magnetic induction to generate heat directly within coating materials rather than heating an entire component in a conventional industrial oven. The process involves incorporating magnetic nanoparticles into materials such as adhesives and resins. When exposed to an alternating magnetic field, these particles generate heat, triggering the curing process.
This targeted heating approach is expected to reduce processing time and energy consumption compared with traditional oven-based methods. Early laboratory results indicate that the technology can achieve bonding strength comparable to a conventional 24-hour oven-curing process in approximately one hour. The development could also help manufacturers reduce associated carbon dioxide emissions by limiting the energy required for industrial heating.
The collaboration will examine how the technology can be adapted to demanding manufacturing environments, including automotive and aerospace component production. These sectors require reliable bonding and coating processes that meet strict performance and quality standards. The partners will work towards establishing suitable industrial applications and evaluating the technology's performance under real manufacturing conditions.
Dhruv Mehra, Director of Motherson Singapore, said innovation remains central to the company's manufacturing strategy. He highlighted the collaboration's potential to bring advanced material science into industrial production and support faster, cleaner and more efficient manufacturing processes.
Associate Professor Terry Steele from NTU Singapore's School of Materials Science and Engineering said the university's initial research demonstrated the potential of magnetic nanoparticles for directed-energy material curing. The partnership with Motherson will help the research team develop Spinheat around practical industrial requirements.
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The initiative also aligns with Motherson's proprietary SVAG E3 methodology, which focuses on improving manufacturing efficiency and sustainability. Through the collaboration, the company aims to explore new production methods that can reduce energy use while maintaining component quality and manufacturing performance.
The partnership represents an effort to translate university research into industrial applications, supporting the adoption of advanced materials and energy-efficient manufacturing technologies across global supply chains.