Dwell on the beauty of life.
Watch the stars and see yourself running with them.
- Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome
My name is Ramakant Vatturi.
I am the Proprietor, Stargazer and 3D Modeler at Tranquility Base.
My father Gp. Capt. V.V.S.Prabhakar Rao served in the Indian Air Force, Army and Navy as a senior medical officer specialising in the areas of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology. From a very young age I was inspired by his passion for mechanical and electrical projects to make useful items.
I attended school in Indian government supported Kendriya Vidyalaya which instilled a feeling of pride and gratitude for my motherland.
Class 1 : Kendriya Vidyalaya Air Force Station, Srinagar (‘81 –‘82)
Class 2 to 5 : Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1 Delhi Cantt, New Delhi (‘82 –‘86)
Class 6 to 10 : Kendriya Vidyalaya No.2 Navy Nagar, Mumbai (‘86 –‘91)
Class 11 to 12 : Kendriya Vidyalaya ASC Centre (S), Bengaluru (‘91 –‘93)
In 1993 I was fortunate to obtain admission at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) which was established by the Government of India with technical and financial assistance from Germany. Being fascinated by aircraft from childhood, I joined the B.Tech programme in Aerospace Engineering.
Mrs. Kanak Bhatia was our class teacher and Hindi teacher in Class 5. She taught us so many beautiful lessons in life through stories and metaphors. She helped a worried and introverted student like me find happiness. She motivated me to develop my abilities in activities which make me happy.
It turned out that I just could not pay attention in any of the courses at IIT Madras which were purely analytical and struggled to pass in them. But I could spend hours at a stretch in activities of my interest like carving an aircraft model from stone. I realised that my interest was in hands-on work related design and manufacturing of physical parts.
I came to the conclusion that a job in the manufacturing industry was my only hope for being productive and happy.
In 1997 I was fortunate to get a job in the automobile industry. It gave me valuable experience and the opportunity to learn systematic methods of making 3D models and 2D drawings for developing physical parts using a sophisticated computer aided design software called CATIA. I started my career in India and was sent to work in 5 countries by my employersSouth Korea, Malaysia, USA, Germany and Austria.
Eventually I worked in the automobile industry for 18 years.
I like stargazing a lot. Watching stars, planets or craters on our Moon gives me a sense of wonder and adventure.
To watch the northern lights was a dream for me since I was 25.
Another dream which I developed in 2007 when I was 31 and diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) was to have an independent design centre in India where I can work as a 3D modeler with children and their creative ideas.
Meditation, positive thinking and contemplating spiritual ideas learned from Brahma Kumaris helped me immensely in life.
In 2010 I was fortunate to get the opportunity to work in Graz in Austria where the legendary off-road vehicle Mercedes-Benz G-Class is developed and built.
The G-Class is also known as “G-Wagen” (short for Geländewagen in German) whose motto is “Its own way - the only road it never leaves”
Working in Graz with the team of Mercedes-Benz G-Class was a life changing experience for me thanks to such caring and understanding colleagues and team leaders from Austria and Germany.
A few days before I returned to India in March 2013, my colleagues arranged an emotional farewell at the office and gave such thoughtful gifts and heart felt best wishes for my future.
My task of making 3D models of the complete wiring of the new generation G-Class launched in 2012 involved considerable effort but I liked the work a lot.
I could complete the task only through the support of my colleagues and the planning by my team leaders. The Electric and Electronics team gifted me this frame as remembrance along with their best wishes for me during my farewell.
At Mercedes-Benz in Graz, I was a contract worker and not a direct employee. The work that I did involved only 3D modeling. But all my colleagues, team leaders and the head of development for the G-Class, Mr. Günter Hauf gave me and my work so much regard. Their wonderful nature did wonders for my spirit.
Some of my colleagues at Mercedes-Benz in Graz knew about my dream to set up Tranquility Base in India and work with children. They also knew about my dream to see the northern lights which became true when I travelled to Tromsø in Norway from Graz.
During my farewell, along with these thoughtful cards with their best wishes, my colleagues gifted me money which they collected among themselves for supporting my dreams.
(German and Hindi Words for Collaboration)
Working Together
From April 2013, I was asked by my managers to join Mercedes-Benz R&D India as a direct employee and continue working for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class project, travelling between Bengaluru and Graz until Nov 2015.
In April 2016, equipped with a license of CATIA V5 obtained with the help of EDS Technologies, I became a freelancer, settled permanently in my hometown Visakhapatnam and started Tranquility Base ...
… And my dream supported by so many well wishers become a reality.
Located in Visakhapatnam, Tranquility Base operates an amateur astronomy club called Starlight Explorers and an Engineering and Design centre called Creative Explorers for Dreamers and Explorers of all Ages.
Technology is the practical application of Knowledge. In human history, Technology emerged before Science.
At Tranquility Base, our aim is to develop benevolent Technology of useful and artistic physical products through Intuition, Imagination and the Knowledge of Science and Spirituality…Engineering and Ethics…Mathematics and Meditation
All the Energy we use is from the Sun or from the Stars.
Burning fossil fuels gives us much needed Energy, but it is from ancient sunlight.
The Technology of Solar Photovoltaic Systems gives us an opportunity to generate electrical Energy using new Light from the Sun.
It has been said that “Energy follows thought” . It might also be that thoughts follow the Energy we use.
In the present age faced with issues like air pollution and climate change, using the Technology of Solar Photovoltaic Systems will help the environment and lead to new thoughts and ideas for Peace, Happiness and Prosperity.
The Government of India has set separate ambitious targets for solar photovoltaic systems to be installed in India on the ground (60 GW) and on rooftops (40 GW) by 2022.
Ground based solar installations are progressing towards their target but installations on rooftops are lagging behind. It will be good to find solutions for the challenges faced by rooftop solar.
Rooftop solar has a unique virtue that the electricity generated by it is utilised close to the place of generation and hence it does not incur transmission and distribution losses. Large scale ground based solar installations which are in distant uninhabited areas do not have this virtue.
From an environmental standpoint this is significant because it means that 1 unit of electricity generated on the rooftop can eliminate the need for generation of more than 1 unit at a power plant which burns fossil fuels.
More residences adopting rooftop solar photovoltaic systems will be a heartening development because of the involvement of individual citizens in efforts to help the environment.
In all the presently available options in India for rooftop solar photovoltaic systems, the mounting structure for solar panels is permanently fixed on the roof.
In some cases home owners are keen to adopt rooftop solar but are reluctant not because of financial reasons but because of the functional or aesthetic implications of fixed solar panels. For example they might want to have their terrace remain unobstructed for family celebrations.
Creative Rooftop Solar is the name of the project which was started at Tranquility Base with the aim of developing a new rooftop solar panel mounting structure which could attract the interest of home owners due to its novelty, functionality and aesthetics.
Workplace for 3D modeling at Tranquility Base
Looking inward, upward and forward for inspiration and new ideas
The project Creative Rooftop Solar began at Tranquility Base with imagination of ideas for a solar panel mounting structure which can be retracted or disassembled to reduce the space occupied by the panels when the roof is needed for an alternate purpose. 3D model of the idea was made by Ramakant Vatturi using CAD software CATIA to develop the idea into a product. Aquarius was the name chosen for this product.
Aquarius CRS-1 was the first version of Aquarius made for the project Creative Rooftop Solar.
It was planned as a working prototype to be installed at Tranquility Base for testing the design.
Starting with a few sketches of the idea, a 3D model for its initial concept was made using CATIA V5.
The 3D model was shared with the collaborating partners in the project –
Mitra Enterprises (Based in Visakhapatnam)
For procuring and integrating solar panels, solar inverter and other electrical components
Aditya Drier Tech (Based in Pendurthi near Visakhapatnam)
For manufacturing the retractable modular solar panel mounting structure of Aquarius CRS-1
The design was improved and the changes were incorporated in the 3D model using inputs from Mr. Jagan Mohan Tejomurtula (Proprietor of Mitra Enterprises) and Mr. Ravi Kishor Rambothu (Director of Aditya Drier Tech)
From the updated 3D model, detailed 2D drawings of individual parts and assemblies were made by Ramakant Vatturi, using the skill he learned from Mrs. Renate Köther in year 2000 in Wolfsburg in Germany while working on projects for Volkswagen.
3D model of the complete product Aquarius CRS-1 was made using the concept of Digital Mock-Up (DMU) in which every physical part used in the product, even the smallest ones like a nut or a washer is shown with dimensions of the actual component.
Ms. Petra Zoffmann from Mercedes-Benz in Graz in Austria taught Ramakant Vatturi the importance of maintaining an accurate DMU.
Kinematic simulation was done to ascertain dimensions of components for achieving the required movement without parts colliding with one another
Total number of drawings for all assemblies and individual parts for Aquarius CRS-1 was 60
Aditya Drier Tech (www.adityadrier.co.in) specializes in the manufacture of high capacity mechanical driers for paddy and is also one of the largest manufacturers of paddy parboiling and drying plants in South India. It was very kind and helpful of them to take up the manufacturing of the solar panel mounting structure for Aquarius CRS-1 inspite of their heavy workload. It was heartening that they liked and supported the purpose and novelty involved in this project.
Mr. Ravi Kishor Rambothu (Director of Aditya Drier Tech) reviewed all the drawings made by Ramakant Vatturi to plan the manufacturing process and material procurement.
Ms. Geeta Singidi (Project Engineer - Design) made separate manufacturing drawings meticulously showing all the required details using the conventions followed by their production technicians.
Mr. Siddartha Kotagiri (Project Engineer - Production) and his colleagues worked very hard to coordinate the numerous steps involved in fabrication and final assembly of the mounting structure. The mounting structure was built with the skill and hard work of so many production technicians. Among them, Mr. Ajit Kumar did several welding operations which required a lot of precision. The material used for the mounting structure of Aquarius CRS-1 was Grade 304 Stainless Steel.
Mounting structure for Aquarius CRS-1 being manufactured at Aditya Drier Tech
structure
Energy from Starlight…
Aquarius CRS-1 in operation at Tranquility Base presenting a beautiful sight of Light reflecting on its surfaces, generating electrical Energy and exporting it to the Power grid thanks to Mitra Enterprises, Rooftop Urja and Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh Ltd.
After the operation of Aquarius CRS-1 to demonstrate a working prototype of a retractable and disassemblable rooftop solar panel mounting structure, an improved version was designed at Tranquility Base.
It was given the name Aquarius CRS-2 “S-Wagen” inspired by the legendary off-road vehicle
Mercedes-Benz G-Class also known as “G-Wagen” .
Aquarius CRS-1 provided many learning opportunities by showing aspects of the design which could be improved. Changing the angle of the solar panels turned out to be a task which was difficult without the help of a second person who could hold the panel while the supporting members were adjusted.
Aquarius CRS-2 “S-Wagen” has a different mechanism for supporting the panels. This new mechanism has supporting members which fold on their own when the panel is being tilted. As a result, a single person should be able to easily fix the panel in the inclined position or bring it to the horizontal position. The automatic folding is achieved with the use of extra hinges whose position was ascertained through kinematic simulation during 3D modeling using CATIA V5.
A closer view of the supporting members which have automatically folded when the solar panel is made horizontal. The sliding latches are used for fixing the supporting members when the solar panel is in the inclined position.
Routing and fixing points for the wires have been chosen to enable retracting and extending of the solar panels without the wires getting entangled or stretched
Aquarius CRS-2 “S-Wagen” with solar panels in the retracted position when the roof is needed for an alternate purpose. The retracted position also ensures safety of the system in case very high wind speed.
When disassembled and stacked, the mounting structure of Aquarius CRS-2 “S-Wagen” takes minimal space.
This is a view of all the components of the mounting structure (except wheels) needed for 4 solar panels.
Patent for Aquarius CRS-2 was granted after its application was prepared, filed and published with the help of Novel Patent Services Visakhapatnam
