RECD for Auto Component Factories: Retrofits Without Line Stops

An auto component plant works to a rhythm set by someone else. The vehicle maker’s assembly line pulls parts at a fixed rate, often in sequence, often with only hours of stock between the supplier’s dispatch bay and the customer’s line side. A missed truck can stop a car plant, and the commercial consequences flow straight back to the supplier.

Against that rhythm, taking a DG set out of service for an emission retrofit looks risky. It need not be. With enough notice and a plan built around the production schedule, an RECD for auto component factories can be fitted without a single missed dispatch. This guide is built as a countdown, from twelve weeks before fitment to four weeks after, showing who does what and when.

Why Auto Suppliers in NCR Are Acting Now

The NCR auto belt stretches across Gurugram, Manesar, Bawal, Dharuhera, Faridabad, Noida and Greater Noida. Tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers there often run two or more large DG sets, because grid reliability on industrial feeders varies and the cost of a line stop is high.

Under CAQM Direction No. 76 of September 2023, DG sets in NCR were assigned a route by capacity. Sets rated 19 to 125 kW were directed to dual fuel. Sets from 125 to 800 kW could adopt dual fuel or a retrofit emission control device. Sets above 800 kW were to be fitted with an RECD. Many auto plants run 1010 kVA, 1250 kVA or larger sets, which sit above 800 kW, so for them the RECD is the expected route. CAQM has also directed every sector in NCR, industrial units included, to follow a regulated schedule for DG operation. Before planning, check the current CAQM direction and your SPCB, since timelines have been revised. The GRAP stages explainer shows how seasonal restrictions add to the base rules.

Customers are also asking. Many vehicle makers include environmental compliance in supplier audits and sustainability questionnaires. A sealed DG set at a supplier is a supply risk that no purchasing team wants to explain.

Map What the DG Protects Before You Plan Anything

The first planning step is to know which lines and processes depend on each DG set, and what happens to them if power is lost while that set is out of service. In an auto component plant, losses are not equal.

Process	What a power loss does	Sensitivity
Gas carburising and hardening furnaces	Batch in the furnace can be scrapped; atmosphere safety purge needed	Very high
Aluminium high pressure die casting	Holding furnace cools; die temperature lost; restart scrap	High
Electroplating and ED coating lines	Parts in tanks can be damaged; bath chemistry and temperature drift	High
Paint shop ovens	Parts in oven rejected; restart takes time	High
Robotic welding cells	Cells stop mid-cycle; robots need re-homing; part on fixture may scrap	Medium
CNC machining	Spindle stops; part on machine may scrap; offsets usually retained	Medium
Press shop	Stroke stops; die may need clearing	Medium
Assembly lines	Line stops; restart quick	Low to medium
Stores, offices, canteen	Inconvenience	Low

Heat treatment, die casting and surface treatment are often called special processes, because their results cannot be fully verified by inspecting the finished part. They are also the processes customers watch most closely. Any plan to take a DG out of service must start by protecting them.

The Countdown Plan

The schedule below is illustrative. Adjust the weeks to your own lead times, but keep the sequence.

T minus 12 weeks: Decide and appoint

• Confirm the route. For each set, confirm the kW rating and the required route. Our DG set emission regulations page summarises the framework.
• Appoint a project owner. Usually the plant engineering or maintenance head, with a named deputy.
• Brief the plant head and production planning. The retrofit is a production event as much as an engineering one, and planning must own the dates as much as engineering does.
• Shortlist vendors. Check CPCB type approval for the models offered. Our guide on choosing CPCB approved RECD vendors lists the questions.

T minus 10 weeks: Survey and data

• Send nameplate photos and documents to shortlisted vendors. The DG nameplate photo guide shows what to send.
• Arrange the site survey. The vendor measures the exhaust route, checks space and access, and assesses supports.
• Share load data. Auto plants usually have good energy monitoring. Pull DG load history from the plant’s energy management system for the last few months of outages.
• Ask for the backpressure calculation for each proposed layout.

T minus 8 weeks: Choose the window

This is the most important meeting in the project. Production planning, engineering, quality, stores and the safety officer sit together and choose the fitment window.

Factors to weigh:

1. Customer schedules. Does any customer have a planned shutdown? Vehicle makers often announce annual or mid-year maintenance shutdowns, and suppliers can align with them.
2. Model launches and PPAP runs. Avoid any period when new parts are in trial or validation.
3. Weekly off and TPM days. Many plants run three shifts six days a week with a weekly off, or a fixed planned maintenance day.
4. Seasonal grid risk. Summer brings frequent outages on some NCR feeders. Winter brings GRAP restrictions. Spring and post-monsoon months are often the calmest.
5. Redundancy. If you have two or more sets, can the others carry essential loads while one is out?

Fitment of an RECD usually takes a day or two of downtime per set, but survey and fabrication happen earlier. The RECD installation timeline guide gives a stage-by-stage view.

T minus 6 weeks: Order and record the change

• Place the order with agreed drawings, backpressure calculation and commissioning scope.
• Raise the internal change record. Most auto suppliers certified to IATF 16949 manage changes under the standard’s clause on control of changes. A DG exhaust retrofit is not usually a change to product or manufacturing process, but it touches utilities that support special processes. Record the change, the risk assessment and the decision about customer notification. A practical explanation of the clause is available in this guide to IATF 16949 clause 8.5.6.1, control of changes.
• Check customer-specific requirements. Some customers expect notice of any change that could affect supply continuity, even on utilities. Your quality team will know which customers’ requirements apply. For most retrofits of this kind, notification is about supply risk, not part approval, but document the reasoning either way.

T minus 4 weeks: Build the bank

If any line will run with reduced backup during the fitment window, build safety stock ahead of it. This is often called a bank build.

• Identify high-risk parts. Those made on special process lines or on single-source machines that depend on the set being retrofitted.
• Calculate the bank. Enough finished parts to cover customer demand for the fitment window plus a margin for an unplanned outage and recovery time.
• Agree overtime and extra shifts with HR and the union or works committee if required.
• Check storage space and packaging. Returnable packaging from customers can limit how much stock you can hold. Talk to the customer’s logistics team early.

A bank build costs money in overtime and inventory. Keep it proportionate to the real risk, which depends on your feeder’s outage history.

T minus 2 weeks: Prepare the site and the people

• Confirm material delivery. The RECD, supports, flanges, gaskets and insulation should be on site before the window.
• Prepare permits. Hot work permit, lifting plan if a crane is needed, and isolation procedure for the DG.
• Brief line supervisors. Each supervisor should know which loads lose backup during fitment and what to do if the grid fails.
• Set the load-shedding plan. If the remaining sets cannot carry the whole plant, decide in advance which loads are dropped first. Write it down and post it in the electrical control room.
• Arrange a rental set if your redundancy is not enough. Check that it can run legally under the GRAP stage in force at the time.

T minus 1 week: Final checks

• Re-check the grid outage pattern for the past two weeks.
• Confirm the bank build is complete and stored.
• Confirm heat treatment, die casting and plating schedules for the window. If possible, run no furnace loads that cannot tolerate an interruption.
• Hold a short go or no-go meeting on the day before.

Fitment day or days

• Isolate the DG, lock out, and confirm the remaining sets are available and tested.
• Keep the production planning lead and the electrical supervisor in touch throughout.
• Record start and finish times, any deviations, and the time the set returns to service.

T plus 1 day: Commissioning

The vendor runs the commissioning tests. Ask for:

• A load test as close to full load as the plant can provide. Auto plants often have enough real production load to test properly, but a load bank gives a cleaner result.
• Measured backpressure at that load, compared with the engine maker’s limit
• Exhaust temperatures at the device inlet and outlet
• A changeover test: mains failure simulated, DG starts and takes load within normal time
• Display and IoT data checked against local instruments

Our article on how to read an RECD test certificate helps you check the paperwork that comes with the device.

T plus 1 week: Return to normal

• Release the bank build back into normal stock rotation.
• Close the hot work and lifting permits.
• Update the DG asset register, the single line diagram if any wiring changed, and the preventive maintenance schedule.
• Train shift electricians on the RECD display and alarms.

T plus 4 weeks: Effectiveness review

Review the first month of IoT data. Look at backpressure and exhaust temperature against the hours and loads the set has run. Close the internal change record with this evidence. If the plant has more sets to retrofit, update the plan for the next one with what you learned.

Communicating With the Shop Floor and the Customer

A retrofit that is well planned in the engineering office can still go wrong on the shop floor if people do not know what is happening. Two short communications cover most of the risk.

Notice to line supervisors

Post a one-page notice in each production area a week before the window. Keep it practical:

DG Set 2 out of service: [date and time] to [date and time]

During this period, backup power for [list of lines] will come from DG Sets 1 and 3 only. If the grid fails, the electrical control room will shed loads in this order: [list]. Heat treatment and plating stay protected. Do not restart dropped machines until the control room confirms.

Contact: [electrical supervisor name and number]

Ask supervisors to brief each shift at the start-of-shift meeting. Night shift is where surprises usually happen.

Message to the customer, where needed

If your quality team decides that a customer should be informed, keep the message short and factual: what work is planned, when, how supply will be protected through stock and redundancy, and who to contact. Most purchasing and supplier quality teams appreciate early notice far more than an explanation after a missed delivery.

Running One Set Down: The N+1 Question

Auto plants with two or more DG sets often run them in parallel through a synchronising panel. That makes a retrofit easier, because one set can be taken out while the others carry the load. But only if the remaining capacity really is enough.

Work through this calculation before the window:

Item	Example (illustrative)
Number of sets	3 x 1010 kVA, about 808 kW each
Total capacity	About 2420 kW
Typical plant load during outages	1600 kW
Capacity with one set out	About 1615 kW
Margin with one set out	Very thin
Decision	Shed paint oven and non-critical machining during fitment if the grid fails

In this example, two sets can just carry the plant, with almost no margin. A sensible plan is to prepare a load-shedding sequence in advance: drop non-critical machining, office air conditioning and the canteen first, protect heat treatment and plating, and keep assembly running. Our guide on generator sizing for factories explains how to calculate this properly.

Sharing exhaust after-treatment between sets is sometimes suggested to save cost. It brings engineering and certification complications. Read whether two diesel generators can share one RECD before considering it.

Protecting Special Processes During the Window

Special processes deserve their own plan, agreed with the quality team.

Heat treatment

Gas carburising and hardening furnaces run long cycles. An interruption mid-cycle can scrap a whole load and, in endothermic atmosphere furnaces, triggers a safety purge. During the fitment window:

• Schedule loads so that no long cycle is running when the DG is out of service, or ensure the remaining sets can carry the furnaces with margin.
• Confirm that the nitrogen purge system is ready.
• Brief the heat treatment supervisor on the load-shedding plan.

Die casting

Aluminium holding furnaces and die heaters lose temperature quickly. If an outage occurs, restart scrap rises. Plan die casting production around the window, or keep holding furnaces on the remaining sets.

Plating and coating

Bath temperatures, rectifiers and agitation all depend on power. Parts left in tanks during an outage can be damaged. Plan plating batches so that tanks are empty or parts can be safely removed if power is lost.

Using the Load Data You Already Have

Auto plants usually have much better energy data than other factories, which helps the RECD decision.

The DPF inside the device cleans itself during normal running when exhaust temperature is high enough, and that comes from engine load. Look at your DG history:

• What share of outage hours did each set run at moderate to high load? In plants with heavy machining, presses and furnaces, sets often run well loaded, which suits passive regeneration.
• Do any sets mostly idle? In multi-set plants with poor load sharing, one set can carry most of the load while another runs nearly empty. Correct the load sharing settings before the retrofit.
• How often are sets exercised, and at what load? No-load test runs every week do little for engines or filters. A monthly test on real load is better.

Our post on understanding generator load factor and duty cycle covers the background. For sets that rarely run, see is an RECD suitable for a DG set that runs only occasionally.

Who Does What

A clear split of responsibilities avoids confusion on the day. An illustrative RACI:

Task	Plant engineering	Production planning	Quality	EHS	Purchase	Vendor
Route decision and specification	Responsible	Informed	Consulted	Consulted	Informed	Consulted
Vendor selection and order	Consulted	Informed	Informed	Consulted	Responsible	Informed
Fitment window	Consulted	Responsible	Consulted	Consulted	Informed	Consulted
Bank build	Informed	Responsible	Consulted	Informed	Informed	Not involved
Change record and customer notification decision	Consulted	Consulted	Responsible	Consulted	Informed	Not involved
Permits and safety	Consulted	Informed	Informed	Responsible	Informed	Consulted
Fitment and commissioning	Accountable	Informed	Informed	Consulted	Informed	Responsible
Effectiveness review	Responsible	Informed	Consulted	Informed	Informed	Consulted

The plant head is accountable overall. Adjust the split to your organisation, but write it down.

Common Coordination Mistakes

These are illustrative, based on the kinds of problems that come up when retrofits are rushed.

1. Fixing the date before asking production planning. The vendor’s availability should not decide the window.
2. Skipping the bank build because “the grid has been fine lately”, and then losing a day of output to an outage.
3. Forgetting the remaining sets. A second set with an overdue service or a weak battery is not real backup.
4. No load-shedding plan. When the grid fails, the electrical supervisor has to decide on the spot which lines to drop.
5. Materials missing on the day. A missing flange or gasket turns a one-day job into three. Our list of common RECD installation mistakes covers more.
6. Change record raised after the work. Auditors notice.

Illustrative Plant Profiles

These composite examples are for illustration only.

Tier 1 machining and assembly plant, Manesar, 2 x 1010 kVA

Machining lines, a heat treatment shop and an assembly line feeding a nearby vehicle plant. The two sets share load through a synchronising panel. Both are above 800 kW.

Plan: Retrofit the first set during the customer’s announced mid-year shutdown, when demand pauses. Retrofit the second set four weeks later on a planned maintenance Sunday, with a two-day bank build and a load-shedding plan that protects heat treatment. For specifications at this size, see the 1010 kVA DG set RECD page.

Tier 2 sheet metal and welding unit, Bawal, 1 x 500 kVA

Presses, robotic welding cells and an ED coating line. One set, falling in the 125 to 800 kW band.

Plan: The owner compares RECD and dual fuel, given the area’s gas availability, using our RECD vs dual fuel kit guide. Choosing RECD, the plant arranges a rental set for the fitment Sunday and empties the ED tank before isolation. The 500 kVA DG set RECD shows typical specifications.

Die casting plant, Faridabad, 1250 kVA

Several HPDC machines with holding furnaces and a machining section. One large set above 800 kW.

Plan: With no redundancy, fitment is booked during the plant’s annual maintenance shutdown, when holding furnaces are drained for relining. A rental set covers lighting and fire systems. The 1250 kVA DG set RECD is the reference size.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an RECD retrofit need customer notification under IATF 16949?

Not usually as a product or process change, but your quality team should check customer-specific requirements. Some customers want notice of anything that could affect supply continuity. Record the decision in your change record.

How long will the DG be out of service?

Fitment typically needs a day or two per set, depending on the exhaust layout. Survey, design and fabrication happen beforehand without stopping the set.

Can we retrofit without stopping production?

Often yes, if other sets can carry essential loads or the grid is reliable and a rental set is on standby. Plan a bank build for high-risk parts as insurance.

Should we retrofit all sets at once?

Usually not. Doing one set at a time keeps backup available and lets the team learn from the first job. Space the retrofits so each has a clean window.

Will the RECD reduce our DG capacity?

A correctly specified RECD keeps backpressure within the engine maker’s limit, so usable output should not change in a meaningful way. Our post on whether an RECD changes a generator’s usable power output explains why.

What about the OEM warranty on our generator?

Ask your DG maker and RECD vendor for written confirmation. Our article on whether installing an RECD affects a generator’s OEM warranty covers what to check.

Build the Retrofit Into the Production Plan

In an auto component plant, the retrofit itself is the easy part. The real work is fitting it into a production schedule that answers to someone else’s assembly line. Start twelve weeks out, let production planning own the window, protect special processes and build stock where the risk justifies it. Aceget supplies CPCB type-approved RECDs for sets from 25 kVA to 2500 kVA, with IoT monitoring that supports your effectiveness review. To plan a survey around your production calendar, contact our team or explore the retrofit emission control device range.