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The Steel Man of India 7 Software Wizards 8 Alumni's Adda 4 Sponsors In Spot Light 8

The Conrods Express gets the green signal

Avichal Bajpai & Nimesh Jhawar

F1 site under Hacker’s Radar

S.R.S.Shiva Sai

T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S P O R T A L O F T H E C O N R O D S

1

pages 12

A graffiti on the protest in Bahrain

From the editors‟ desk

The official Formula One website

has been hacked; a group that calls

itself Anonymous has claimed that it

has taken down the site in support of

protests against the decision to stage

the Grand Prix in Bahrain. There

have been protests in Bahrain

against the government's decision to

host the F1 race in the country,

scheduled on April 22nd, even as a

crackdown on activists,

professionals and opposition

members continues. The collective has posted a statement on its website F1

Racers denouncing the regime of King Hamad bin Al-

Khalifa. "For over one year the people of Bahrain have

struggled against the oppressive regime of King Hamad bin

Al Khalifa. They have been murdered in the streets, run over

with vehicles, beaten, tortured, tear gassed, kidnapped by

police, had their businesses vandalised by police, and have

tear gas thrown in to their homes on a nightly basis," says

the statement. "Still the regimen persists to deny any

meaningful reform and continues to use brutal and

violent tactics to oppress the popular calls for

reformation. Not only is the Human Rights situation

in Bahrain tragic, it becomes more drastic with each

passing day. For these reasons the F1 Grand Prix in

Bahrain should be strongly opposed. The Al Khalifa regime stands to profit

heavily off the race and has promised to use live ammunition against protestors

in preparation. They have already begun issuing collective punishment to

entire villages for protests and have promised further retribution "to keep

order" for the F1 events in Bahrain. The Formula 1 racing authority was well-

aware of the Human Rights situation in Bahrain and still chose to contribute to

the regime's oppression of civilians and will be punished."

"We demand the immediate release of human rights worker Abdulhadi

Alkhawaja who has spent over 70 days on hunger strike. He has committed no

crimes and is being punished by the regime for advocating people's basic

human rights. Free him and all other political prisoners in Bahrain. End

torture. Deport all mercenary police and stop the use of tear gas against

civilians," adds the statement. "We Do Not Forgive. We Do Not Forget.

Expect Us," is the warning that the group signs off with.

The Bahrain event was cancelled last year in the wake of the uprising and

the government crackdown that followed in which a government commission

said 35 people were killed.

"We Do Not Forgive. We Do Not Forget. Expect Us,“

is the warning that the group signs off with.

The year 2012 has turned out to be an amazing one for

The Conrods so far. After a long haul of celebrations and

press meets it was time to get back to work. We also bid

farewell to few of the finest engineers (a.k.a. Dadas) of

SRM.

As the very first few steps towards our mission: „Baja

2013‟ we conceptualized the idea of a news portal. After

four tiring days and three sleepless nights, with plenty of

knuckle cracks, spine twists, eye rubs and to top all the

above, long lasting yawns, we finally did it.

„The Conrods Express‟, a train of knowledge, ideas

and new age thinking. Its like this, consider yourself as a

railway coach, hook yourself to our engine

and Voila!! we have an express train.

Here at Conrods we believe that every mind

when given the correct direction results in a

„Eureka‟ moment. We definitely take the credit

for the hard work put in. We would also like

to extend our wishes to our seniors and colleagues for

their valuable contributions and not to forget our guide

and mentor Dr. Leenus Jesu Martin without whom

today „The Conrods‟ wouldn‟t have exist.

For the debut edition we have assembled a set of

assorted articles for our fellow readers. These include

recently occurred events to knowledge and wisdom from

our Alumni. You may also stumble upon some sort of a

quiz or real life experiences. From the rich history of

Baja to vintage automobiles of the Maharajas and

timeline of a visionary to an insight of The Conrods, we

have it all. We our privileged to be in the presence of

„Zeus‟, our very own Encyclopedia on Automobile. We

are clearly endowed to our Sponsors for believing in our

dream and supporting us throughout. We conclude this

edition‟s editorial column with what we believe in

‟Know Your Limits..Exceed Them Often‟

The Conrods Express

In 1837, John Deere, blacksmith and inventor, had little more than a blacksmith shop, a piece of discarded

polished steel, and an idea that would help farmers, changing the face of agriculture for all time. Since its

founding in 1837, John Deere has seen a great many changes in its business, its products, its services.

The quality of a company is expressed through the quality of its leadership. For nearly 175 years,

John Deere has benefitted by strong, decisive leaders at its helm, dedicated to the core principles of

integrity, quality, commitment and innovation. One of the world's most recognized corporate logos, the

leaping deer trademark has been a symbol of quality John Deere products for more than 135 years.

It may be an understatement to say that they work every day to uphold our founder's core values. Because

integrity, quality, commitment, innovation are not ideals they work towards. They live them. They breathe

them. These values are the true essence of how they work and are in every product, service, and

opportunity they offer us. In addition, John Deere understands the value of a diverse workforce, dealer

organization, and supplier base. They are truly dedicated to an inclusive environment where diversity is

understood and welcomed. It's a commitment they see shared with and within all stakeholders at

John Deere: from employees to dealers to suppliers.

Its founder was best known for his work with the first commercially successful plow. And so it is today that

they're perhaps best known for our quality agricultural and turf equipment. The world‟s leading

manufacturer of farm equipment, as a matter of fact. They also take the lead worldwide in building forestry

equipment. They're a major force in construction equipment. And John Deere Financial is one of the largest

equipment finance companies. Not bad for a start-up company housed in a blacksmith shop.

Why Spark Plugs Need To Be Replaced Compiled by Sai Suhas Nama

2

The Conrods Express May 2 0 1 2

Industry Catalogue Compiled by Avichal Bajpai

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What motorists need to know is that spark plugs do NOT last forever, even the long-life 100,000 mile plugs. All spark plugs need to be changed sooner or

later. Here's why:

REASON #1: New plugs maintain peak engine performance and efficiency. Every engine will misfire occasionally. But as the number of misfires per mile

goes up over time, it increases exhaust emissions, wastes gas and reduces power. In the past, most motorist would not notice the gradual decline in ignition

performance until it reached a point where it created a steady miss, caused the engine to run rough, buck or stall, or made it hard to start. Not so today. All

1996 and newer vehicles have an OBD II onboard diagnostic system that tracks ignition misfires. When the rate of misfires exceeds a certain limit and causes

emissions to increase 50% over baseline levels, it illuminates a warning light. Too bad older vehicle do not have this watchdog system. So on older vehicles,

replacing the spark plugs at the recommended service intervals for preventive maintenance will reduce the risk of misfires and maintain peak engine

performance. For standard spark plugs, the service interval is typically every 45,000 miles. For platinum spark plugs, it is 100,000 miles.

A new set of plugs is not a cure-all for driveability and emissions problems, but in many cases a plug change can make a significant improvement. Changing

the plugs can reduce hydrocarbon (HC) emissions up to several hundred parts per million, which may make the difference between failing and passing an

emissions test.

REASON #2: New plugs improve cold starting. Bad plugs are often responsible for many cold weather "no start" service calls. Many times the battery has

been run dead while cranking the engine because the plugs would not light the fire. When the old plugs are removed and examined, they are often found to be

worn or dirty. New plugs reduce the voltage requirements on the ignition system, which decreases the chance of misfire while leaving more amps for the

starter and injectors. Wet fouled plugs can also prevent an engine from starting, but in many instances the fouling problem has nothing to do with plug wear

or neglect. If an engine is flooded with fuel while it is being cranked, gasoline can soak the plugs and bleed off the ignition voltage before it forms a spark. Wet

fouling tends to be more common on older vehicles that have carburetors because pumping the gas pedal can easily flood the engine with too much fuel.

Flooding can also occur if the choke sticks, the float is set too high or the needle valve leaks. The cure in all cases is to wait for the plugs to dry out, or to

remove the plugs and clean or replace them

REASON #3: New plugs minimize the risk of catalytic converter failure. A single misfiring plug can dump enough raw fuel into the exhaust to overheat and

damage the converter. The presence of higher than normal quantities of unburned gasoline in the exhaust will cause the operating temperature of the

converter to soar, which may lead to a partial of complete meltdown of the converter substrate. This, in turn, may form a partial restriction or complete

blockage in the exhaust that creates enormous backpressure and chokes off the engines ability to exhale. The engine may lack power, especially at higher

speeds, and deliver terrible fuel economy. Or, it may stall and refuse to run after it is first started. Replacing the converter will solve the restriction problem.

But unless the spark plugs are replaced, the new converter may soon die from the same ailment.

Walking with my friends to class, I pass by the auto mobile lab every day. My eyes, for some split

seconds, are mesmerized by the machines there. But what astonished me most were a bunch of students

dedicated day and night, throughout the year (including semester holidays), in most hostile conditions to

fabricate a four wheeler that looks completely different from all the vehicles I had ever seen. A question

back then haunted my mind, “why those folks are building that weird shaped car??”

As days passed, my curiosity grew and finalIy came to know about an event called „BAJA SAE INDIA‟,

which is held in the outskirts of Indore and where teams from more than 100 engineering institutes from

across the nation, participate annually. They run their self-fabricated ATVs (all-terrain vehicle) and test

them against a storey of challenges. Even though, I had no knowledge of automobile then, the concept of

BAJA fascinated me a lot.

Building a vehicle is every Mechanical engineer‟s dream and here at SRM, turning this dream into reality

is “THE CONRODS”.

(P.S-team Conrods is Mahindra BAJA SAE 2012 champions)

The CONRODS (an abbreviation for „connecting rods‟) is a team of 25 engineering enthusiasts who

design and engineer the ATV from scratch. This requires a yearlong input of hard and smart work to

bring chunks of metal to life.

All of the above might sound tough stuff, but to be truthful, when you are a part of the team, you cherish

each and every experience. Even working for hours does not tire you physically nor mentally (unlike

studies) because you are living an engineer‟s dream and thus in the process you enjoy whatever you do.

Every task is like a small challenge; you put all your efforts to drive the maximum output from it and at its

completion the sense of satisfaction cannot be framed in words. Every day is an adventure. Working

together with the team, for the very same purpose puts you on a path of steady growth.

I would like to conclude with this, that after becoming a part of this team, I realized learning was never

more fun than it is now.

Mechanical design, as classically taught in engineering has centered on the application of stress analysis theory. While this theory is important, actual

industrial design is generally dependent...upon manufacturability, time constraints, and cost constraints as well as stress analysis. With this in mind, the

SAE Mini Baja® competition was originated at the University of South Carolina in 1976, under the supervision of Dr. John F. Stephens. Since that

time, the competition has grown to become a premier engineering design series. Three Mini Baja® competitions are held annually under the

sponsorship of SAE.

A precursor to the SAE Mini Baja® was the Recreational-Ecological-Vehicle (REV) contest conceived by Dr. William R. Shapton in 1973. The object of

this competition was to design and fabricate a two-man amphibious all-terrain vehicle (ATV) capable of negotiating 25 miles of virgin Michigan forest

and several hundred yards of deep water. The six entries in 1973 primarily altered and rebuilt existing commercially available ATVs. During REV 1974,

the eight vehicles entered included several built from “scratch.” The range of cost of the ATVs in the REV series ranged from $1600 to approximately

$5000. They were indeed one-of-a-kind race vehicles and not indicative of a project that would simulate the design of a mass-produced product. The

REV series was quite important in that it established the value of such competitions and demonstrated the interest in vehicle oriented themes (SAE

Technical Paper 780241).

There are multiple dynamic events, usually four per event, as well as a single four-hour endurance race. The dynamic events include hill climbs, chain

pulls, maneuverability events, rock crawls, and suspension & traction events. At one of the American SAE sanction events, (formally the East event) the

car had to be able to float and propel itself on water under its own power. This was changed for the 2012 competition due to safety concerns.

Baja International History compiled by S.R.S.Shiva Sai

Mission: BAJA 2013 The Conrods Express May 2 0 1 2

3

Animesh Shah

Static events, such as written reports, presentations and design evaluations are provided by participating teams. This is when the teams are judged on ergonomics

functionality, and producibility of their cars; ensuring that the final placement of the team does not rest solely on the vehicle's performance but rather on a

combination of static and dynamic events. Required reports detail the engineering and design process that was used in developing

each system of the team‟s vehicle, supported with sound engineering principles. Also, a cost report that provides all the background

information necessary to verify the vehicle‟s actual cost is used to rate the most economically feasible for production. These

reports are submitted weeks in advance of each event, where the presentations and design evaluations are given on site in the

presence of SAE design judges.

The Conrods Express

Today, the activities and the achievements of the team

Conrods speak a lot more than what I can speak about it.

We have seen continuous improvement in all the

dimensions of the team activities and achieved several

important milestones. The team is ambitious and is

committed to deliver the best. The most important aspect is

that the team works with integrity and is ethical.

We should realize that this has not happened overnight

with some magical power. To reach this height, more than

100 students from various streams have put in their effort

continuously in a planned way for over 5 years with the

proactive support of the faculty members and the

university. I thank the University for providing the world

class facilities and support which has helped us to focus in

our competency and excel.

During our journey, we have also failed many times. But

those failures have made us stronger and the learning out of

that is recorded permanently. The team had started from

nothing other than the desire to engineer ATVs. Since then,

we have developed our own robust process, facilities and

product which are the reflection of our efforts towards the

team. Today, the team has taken a responsible position in

the University and the community.

The best thing is that the team has very high productivity

at system level. For the smooth functioning of the team, all

it requires is the motivated batch of students and financial

support to them. With these inputs, the team delivers a

batch of highly skilled and competent engineers to the

industry. So, if we see the productivity (Output/Input), it is

amazing. Because of this fact, the team is assured to live

and deliver for all the years to come.

I am very fortunate to be a working member of the team

for 3 long years. This experience has made a significant

impact on my career. This impact is clearly visible when I

work with cross functional teams in my organisation.

Though I had joined John Deere in July 2011, it feels as if I

am in this field for years. This tells us that the team

Conrods works very similar to the way companies work. I

can tell a lot more. However, I pause here by wishing the

team good luck for all their future endeavours.

What does it take to be successful in sales? Certainly

effort, hard work and dedication is important. An excellent

understanding of the sales process is also essential. But it's

more than that. The most successful people I know have a

slightly different outlook than their co-workers and

associates.

I recently worked with a group of people who,

collectively, had an extensive amount of sales experience.

And, for the most part, they all boasted a pretty successful

career. Even though they expressed some frustration that they

didn't close as many sales as they would like to, or that

prospects didn't always return their calls, they didn't bitch,

moan, whine or complain about it. In fact, I didn't hear a

single complaint during the entire session. After more than a

decade of conducting sales training workshops and programs,

I can say that this mentality is rare.

It was evident that this group of people possessed a

winners attitude. And I believe that this attitude contributed

to their success. So, just what is a winner's attitude?

A winner's attitude is the ability to focus on your long-

term goals even though your short-term results are not on

track. This is more difficult than it seems. Too many people

take their eyes off their long-term goal when they experience

a slow month or two and end up focusing on their lack of

results. As a result, they get side-tracked and their sales

continue to suffer

A winner's attitude means resisting the temptation to

blame the economy, competition, or current market

conditions when sales are soft. Winners focus on what they

can control unlike the average sales person who redirects the

blame to take the heat off him.

A winner's attitude is accepting the fact that you won't

close every sale. Winners recognize that a series of 'no's'

brings them that much closer to a 'yes'. Winners may not

enjoy losing a sale to a competitor but they're not going to

beat themselves up when it happens, providing, of course,

they can say that they did everything in their power to

capture that business.

A winner's attitude means learning from every sales

interaction to improve your future results. Winners take every

opportunity to learn. A sales manager once told me that he

evaluated every single sale when he first took on a new

territory many years earlier. This brief analysis and self-

critique helped him improve his performance so he didn't

repeat his mistakes. Plus, in each subsequent sales call, he

modified his approach slightly, and in a few short years, sales

in his territory increased many times over.

A winner's attitude is one of optimism and

enthusiasm. The most successful people I know

all have a great outlook. They know that every

cloud has a silver lining, and when 'stuff'

happens, they recover quickly. They look for

Ways to prevent 'stuff' from occurring because

they learn from every situation (see above

point). Winners don't dwell on the past-

they focus on the future because they

realize that they can't change what has

already happened. However, they do know

that they CAN influence what happens

from that point forward.

What are you doing to develop a winner's attitude?

Kishanlal Agrawalla

Prashant Kumar

The author is a Graduate Engineer Trainee at John Deere India Pvt. Ltd., Pune.

The author is an Intern at Mahindra in the Marketing department.

4

Alumni‟s Adda May 2 0 1 2

The Conrods Express May 2 0 1 2

The company is located in Denmark 45 minutes. drive

from the capital Copenhagen. Zenvo sti Automotive

was founded with only one goal in mind - to produce

unique hand built supercars. Zenvo Automotive will

start a series production of the car, named the Zenvo

ST1. It will be a limited edition with only 15 cars to be

built.

The car is 100% built in Denmark. From its impressive list of mechanical specifications to

its striking pose the Zenvo ST1 is the result of clever Danish design. The car is 100% Danish

design. Denmark has always been known around the world for its cutting edge design and

for the first time "Danish Design" has been applied to a Supercar! The design of the Zenvo

ST1 is made from free flowing accelerating lines creating the shapes of the wheel arches, the

roof lines, side line and the lower side air intake. The front is designed around the hexagonal

trademark Zenvo sti grille flanked by the large front air intakes used for brake cooling and

housing the front light. The rear spoiler, mandatory for a car capable of extreme high

speeds, is partly integrated. The Zenvo ST1 is equipped with all modern facilities which

make the car usable for everyday use. When driving the head up display gives you a perfect

and safe access to driving information. When leaving the car it automatically locks. The

engine is a Bio Flex engine.

The car is standard

delivered with a manual 6

speed gearbox which is

specially developed to

handle the enormous torque

and power. We are also

offering an option of

delivering the car with a

paddle shift solution...Well,

that‟s exactly what

the Zenvo ST1 is, and it‟s built in the town of Præstø, just an hour‟s drive from Copenhagen‟s car-free Stroget district. Supercar from an unlikely place. Big ones. Read: 2011 Bugatti

Veyron Super Sport. If you‟re wondering why Zenvo‟s more powerful effort can‟t get closer

to that speed, the answer is twofold. Read: Italy's $1.4 Million Pagani Huyara Supercar, Yep,

that‟s right, 750 hp. Zenvo ST1s building just 15 cars and only three of them will be sold in

the United States.

The first supercar coming from Zenvo

Automotive is called Zenvo ST1. For the

engineers and designers within Zenvo ST1, a

clear list of criteria was made to ensure the

car would not only be a track worthy

supercar but a car that would be suitable for

everyday use. It retains the unique feeling of

driving a hand built supercar while still

delivering the needs of modern motoring and

safety.

5

22nd April‟12, another lazy Sunday start was it looking at the clock came to me as a

punch in my face sh*t I‟ve just missed the race. Pondering about the result I referred the

newsletters and the surprise came off, as Vettel was the one to cross the chequered flag

ahead of others. The newsletter did tried to give me the taste of all the actions that took

place in Bahrain, again making me realize of my ever increasing laziness. The article had

some eye poppers clicks by whom other than DARREN HEATH, a leading F1

photographer and mind you he is an Ace..!! (www.darrenheath.com)

The Conrods Express May 2 0 1 2

Ok I am not gonna talk about his history and achievements but then photography has always fascinated

me, and when it comes to subject what can be more interesting than fast cars to shoot at. Motor racing

has always been the most rewarding sports to photograph. One saying often heard about motorsports

photography is think about the 3 P‟s, Pre-focus, Pan and Practice. Ok this might sound technical but

then I am not talking to the non technical guys. So motorsports photography is all about fast moving

subject, outdoor light, lot of colors, high action and sometimes even glamour when your telephotos are

deviated by the super hot „chicks‟, when your shutter speed starts becoming slow and your focus shifts

onto the curves rather than the action on the track.

Coming back on to the topic I‟ll like to showcase my talent and enlighten you about the basics on how

to shoot your favorite driver, if your luck allows to do so. So here‟s what all you should keep in mind

and BTW it‟s not a child‟s play and need serious talent and expert guidance so don‟t hesitate to ask me

in case you have any problems in focusing the right objects. Jokes apart. Going technical here‟s what all

you‟ll need.

First thing first „appropriate equipment‟. Yes a good camera may get you some great shots. Any SLR

that shoots at 3fps or more would be just fine. Then comes the eyes, a good lens or should I say a good

Telephoto of around 70-300 f2.8 or more would give you a good start but then distance and action are

not always proportional as a matter of fact many photographers use multiple lenses of different f-length.

Add a monopod with quick release head and you‟re good to go.

Scouting the track is again what is a must for getting good shots. Look for the most dramatic corners

where most of the action is likely to happen.

Now coming on to shooting, start off with a shutter speed of 1/500 second, this will

minimize camera shake while giving some wheel spin.

If you have rock steady hands or if you are using a monopod you may be able to

shoot slower. DOF (depth of field) is less important than shutter speed, f8 should be

a safe bet. If you like motion blur and love bokeh decrease it further depending on

the light conditions. Talking about the light since most of the action takes places

underneath a very powerful light source there is no need of higher ISO but again

increasing it would help you getting some bright, dramatic panning shots with vivid

colors.

So here you have the basics and now you should be able to get some good shots but

still practice is what is needed to get that „perfect shot‟. Now with these basics you

might get going, Head to your nearby track, search for action and shoot. Stay alert.

The moment you look away, there will be a spectacular crunch.

Don‟t relax until the racers have gone out of your sight and the most important thing

you got to is „BE AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT

THE RIGHT TIME’.

6

Vishal Baid

The Conrods Express May 2 0 1 2

Ratan Naval Tata is the present Chairman of

Tata Sons that is the Tata Group. He is also the

Chairman of major Tata Companies like the

Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Power, Tata

Consultancy Services, Tata Tea, Tata

Chemicals, The Indian Hotels

Company and Tata Teleservices. Mr. Ratan

Tata has never been married.

1937

2009

2008

2006

2000

1975

1962

2010

Born to Naval Tata and Soonoo Commisaria on

December 28, 1937 in Mumbai, he belonged to the

prominent Tata family of the Parsi community. He was

the great-grandson of the legendary Tata-group founder

Jamshedji Tata. He was raised by his grandmother

Lady Navajbai Sett.

He completed his B.S. in architecture with structural

engineering from Cornell University. He joined the

Tata Group in December 1962 and was the first to be

sent to Jamshedpur to work at Tata Steel.

He completed his Advanced Management Program from

Harvard Business School

On 26th January, 2000 Ratan Tata was awarded the

Padma Bhushan, the highest decoration awarded to

any Indian.

He was awarded with the first Award for Responsible

Capitals

Present

On 26th January 2008, he conferred the title

of Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian

honor.

He was chosen to be an honorary Knight Commander

of the British Empire.

He won the Legend in Leadership award from Yale

The

Steel Man

Of He owns a Falcon Jet which he likes to pilot himself sometimes. Mr. Tata has a metallic blue Maserati and Ferrari California.

Mr. Tata is a withdrawn man and rarely features in the society glossies. He is a man who walked on the path of the legendary

Jamshedji Tata and is contributing endlessly for the development of India. He is a suitable man indeed of the Prime Minister's

Council on Trade and Industry and the advisory board of RAND's Center for Asia Pacific Policy.

Compiled by Avichal Bajpai

s En-Lightening Bolt Tuning Carburetor by Ear

You'll need to find yourself a location to test where you won't be bothering anyone by going back and forth a

few times and you can let the engine wind up completely. Back roads and highway shoulders are great for this.

Turn the high needle so that you know it is running rich. (open it at least a half turn farther than you think you

need to)

Make a speed run where you let the engine climb as high as it can in the RPM range. (for the first run through,

you should feel the engine hesitate in the upper RPMs suggesting a rich condition)

Record your top speed, hum to yourself or otherwise document how fast you went.

Turn the high speed needle 1/8th of a turn closed. (this is about the width of a flat-head screwdriver)

Repeat steps 2-4 until you feel the bog of a lean condition, stop going faster or start going slower.

Re-open the high speed needle 1/8th of a turn and take another test run or two to make sure that you don't feel

the bog and that the engine is running well.

7

The Conrods Express

Over the years, the IPOL brand logo has evolved in line with the dynamic growth of the company. The new brand logo represents the

vibrant and friendly nature and the assurance IPOL brings to her customers. The upward arrow of IPOL is now propelled by a vibrant

vermillion which represents the energetic nature of the company, adding power to the efforts for betterment. The pure yellow is

characteristic of the optimism the company generates for its customers

IPOL as a “Value for Money” brand reflects commitment & excellence in the design, manufacturing & marketing of “All Performance

Level” Lubricants, Greases, Specialties and Oils. IPOL commands a respectable market share in the targeted Indian and Global Market

segments. It represents ethos, values, ethics and the “Clean & Green” culture of Sah Petroleums Limited and makes positive &

satisfying contributions to the lives & businesses of the customers, employees, vendors & all direct- indirect stakeholders.

Produce leadership in all the areas of operation

Higher and continually improving levels of customer and employee satisfaction

Continuous improvement in business, operations and management processes

IT-enabled “Process” and “Service” orientation towards an outwardly-looking business

approach

In 1991, opening up of the petroleum sector to private enterprise spurred the company to expand with another plant put up in Daman

to back up the plant in Vasai to meet increasing demands. Sah Petroleums Limited became a listed company in 2004 to further meet its

expansion plans. The company made rapid strides into the Industrial & OEM lubricants, rubber process oils and export markets

In the year 2005 IPOL made a strong entry into the automotive lubricant retail markets, growing rapidly till date. IPOL has introduced

several specialty products over the years.

In 2008 Company joined hands with Navis Capital to further expand in the petroleum industry

Software Wizards!

8

MATLAB

What is MATLAB ??? MATLAB stands for MATrix LABoratory

which is a high-level language and interactive environment that

enables you to perform computationally intensive tasks faster than

with traditional programming languages such as C, C++, and

Fortran.

Well when I hear complex computing and coding it is something,

being a mechanical engineering student, that does not catch my

interest immediately. Its utility and scope seems limited and not

really useful in my field of work. But we are forgetting one simple

fact that a purely mechanical system or design has its limitations and

in order to take it to the next level we need the help of proper

analysis, simulation and testing. Not only this with the modern era

of computing and robotics taking over all aspects of our daily life we

also need an interface between the Mechanical System, real world

and the system response to its surroundings. These features are what

MATLAB provides me consolidated in one package.

MATLAB basically has two main parts one is the main MATLAB

workspace, which is the language for technical computing, and the

other part is the Simulink browser, which is used for simulation and

Model-Based Design.

The feature of MATLAB which I use most is Simulink. As one may

realise from the name itself Simulink is based on simulation. It is

primarily used for modelling, simulating and analysing multi

domain dynamic systems. Its scope is vast and varies from electrical

circuit designing and testing to aerodynamic simulation. It covers

almost each field and can find utility in all areas.

For modelling, Simulink provides a graphical user interface (GUI)

for building models as block diagrams, using click-and-drag mouse

operations. Simulink includes a comprehensive block library of

sinks, sources, linear and nonlinear components, and connectors.

You can also customize and create your own blocks for whichever

type of application one might desire.

After you define a model, you can simulate it, using a choice of

integration methods, either from the Simulink menus or by entering

commands in MATLAB's command window. The simulation

results can be put in the MATLAB workspace for post processing

and visualization. And because MATLAB and Simulink are

integrated, you can simulate, analyse, and revise your models in

either environment at any point. Models made in this environment

may even act as control algorithms when used in LabView and

XPC-Target.

Thus, I hope now one can see MATLAB not only as an software for

electrical and electronics students, as per popular belief, but also

view its different applications in

general. Its use in design analysis

and simulation. Its use in testing

and creating control algorithms,

the use of different block sets

provided to create our own

personalised systems for data

acquisition, image processing,

driveline simulation and many

other purposes.

Varun Jhaldiyal

May 2 0 1 2

Engine

An account of a Roadie

The Conrods Express May 2 0 1 2

My first real experience with the Activa was when I rode it from Bangalore to Chennai. Many people were against the idea and suggested

it‟s insane to drive a scooter on a highway and I would be stranded. I still had made up my mind for it and on 20th July 2011 early

morning I set off from Bangalore I was quickly out of the city and touched the highway. I had decided not to strain the engine and was

maintaining a constant speed of about 50 kmph. I travelled the 1st 80 kms to hosur where I had stopped for breakfast seeing the tank is

still nearly full I set off and drove on. The best thing about a two wheeler is you never have to pay toll.

I only had to stop near Ambur for quick refuel as Activa‟s tank could hold

only 5.5 litres of fuel. By the time I had so much of confidence on the

vehicle that I planned a detour to Elagiri and took the diversion of the boring

national highway onto the state highway and drove up the hill. Since I was

travelling alone the activa did not have any problem with the steep incline.

The activa which I had purchased was the non-deluxe version

and hence did not come with the nylogrips and also missed the

combi brake but it handles brilliantly as long as you drive below

60kmph after which the activa becomes nervous mostly because

of its small wheels. I really don‟t see the point of a combi brake on

activa as I feel it deprives the user of choosing the brake force and is

only suited for amateur riders. The new Activa‟s suspension is stiffer than the

old activa but is still quite comfortable for both the driver and pillion rider. Although it is

a heavy vehicle it definitely does not feel bulky when navigating through city

streets and going through the traffic. The brakes on the activa are as expected

for a scooter and drum brakes are always better as far as scooters is

concerned.

If you want to purchase a scooter there is

no better deal as of yet and it is a vehicle

which is very durable and can take in a lot

of abuse and if driven properly you can

even expect a good mileage and while the

acceleration is good you would definitely

feel the need for better top speed but I

guess that‟s good too considering it has

got just 110cc. So overall it is one brilliant

vehicle which is truly the top of its class.0

Verdict

The Trip V. Sai Sandeep

9

As with all Hondas

the engine is super

refined and is really

smooth once the

engine is tuned and

the 110cc of Honda

produces around 8

BHP of power and

0.9 KGM of torque but

in terms of performance

its much ahead of other

scooters like Access because

of its refinement and the

best part of activa is that the

acceleration is quite linear

throughout unlike other scooters.

If you are willing to push it you

can reach a maximum of 90kmph

and it is quite respectable for an

110cc scooter. The acceleration

too is not bad it does 0 to 60 in 10

seconds and the best acceleration

is between 40 to 60kmph.

what is the rpm limit of a formula one engine ?

May 2 0 1 2 The Conrods Express Prep Yourself

Which foreign car company set up its first dealership in Kochi ?

’Genesis of a Genius’ is a book on which famous automobile designer ?

Which company has the tagline ‘Shift the way you move ?

Troller is an SUV maker of which country?

Name the Worlds first luxury hybrid car

‘The whitbread round the world’ yacht race is sponsored by ?

which mahindra vehicle was the first to use a disc brake?

Identify the acrobatic biker

Send your answers to theconrodsexpress@gmail.com

Compiled by Avichal Bajpai

Identify the 3 drivers

10

if black and white stripes are called zebra crossing on road

then what is yellow and black called?

During the first half of the 20th century, deluxe motor cars became highly coveted among the Indian ruling classes. Cars have always

been a symbol of pomp and grandeur. Ever since cars first came to India, they have found big patrons in Indian royals. Like jewels,

royals vied with each other to collect the lean machines.

The collection is housed in the original

former Mewar State Motor Garage,

a glorious setting for such a fine assort

-ment of vehicles. The bougainvillea –

coated Garden Hotel and Restaurant,

a property of HRH Group of Hotels,

Udaipur, is also contained within the

garage‟s grounds. The semi-circular

motor garage with its forecourt is

housed within a greater courtyard,

creating a pleasant hideaway from

the bustle of the streets. One of the

original Shell petrol pump is not only

Still standing, but also in a usable con-

dition.The motor garage itself was built

at a time when the only cars in town

belonged to the Mewar State Motor

Garage and the present day surround-

ings make this garage as wonderfully

stylish as it must always have been.

The Vintage & Classic Car Collection is a car

collection and a museum with a difference. All

the vehicles on show have belonged to the

Maharanas of Mewar both past and present.

Despite some vehicles being over seventy years

old, each one has been painstakingly restored

so that they are in working order.

Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar with his 1946 MG-TC

Convertible

The Conrods Express Something…Something

11

Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, Chairman and Managing Director of HRH group of hotels and also the current maharana of Udaipur has

always been an automotive enthusiast from decades. Shriji was Chief Guest at the 4th Auto India Best Brands Awards 2011 held

at Mumbai Cricket Association, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai. The awards were presented for the performance of leading

auto brands of all cars and two wheeler manufacturers operating in India.

Accepting an invitation from, Mr. Neeraj Garg, Member of the Board Director, Volkswagen Group Sales India Pvt. Ltd.

Shriji attended the Blue Motion Technologies event at Jagmandir Island Palace, Udaipur

.

Blue Motion Technologies is an initiative by Volkswagen to promote eco-friendly

cars. The Indian Chapter of Blue Motion Technologies started with the

announcement of its first customer- dealers at their Annual Conference held at

Udaipur.

1946 Buick Super

Compiled by Akshat Lavania

May 2 0 1 2

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