Eco-Smart Damper: Thai Rubber Innovation Set to Hit Global Railways 

May 8 , 2025

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), through the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC), led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Watcharapol Chayaprasert, Advisor on Logistics, Rail Systems, Future Mobility, and Digital Technology, along with Lt. Thammanoon Hengsadeekul, Assoc. Prof. Kittiphum Rodsin, Mr. Sukit, and other PMUC subcommittee members and staff, visited the research site to evaluate the success of the “Eco-Smart Damper” project at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) and the AUT Co., Ltd. factory in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.

This visit followed the project's conclusion and aimed to assess how well the innovation had progressed toward practical use and global market readiness. The KMITL delegation was led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somyot Kiatiwanichwilai, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Rattapoom Parichatprecha, Project Leader, along with the research team. Mr. Thoranin Na Chiangtung, Managing Director of AUT, also welcomed the visitors and presented the achievements.

About the Project:

The “Eco-Smart Damper” is a result of collaboration between KMITL (research institute) and AUT Co., Ltd. (private manufacturer and co-developer), with funding support from PMUC, under MHESI. This innovation focuses on reducing railway noise and vibration through the development of damping bars made from natural rubber and recycled tire materials. The project supports the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model, promoting sustainability while adding value to Thai rubber and reducing reliance on imported materials.

During the site visit, the PMUC team toured the vibration and noise standard testing lab at KMITL, established with PMUC support to ensure international-standard testing for the damper system. Asst. Prof. Dr. Rattapoom presented the full research journey—from lab-scale development (TRL 4) to real-world testing (TRL 8), where the damper demonstrated a noise reduction of 3–7 decibels. It has already been field-tested for over 18 months on Thailand’s Green and Red railway lines.

The delegation also visited the AUT factory, where the damper has reached industrial production (TRL 9). AUT’s executives showcased their production capabilities and proudly announced winning a 200-million-baht contract to supply over 400,000 dampers to the Netherlands Railways in 2025. This achievement positions AUT as not only a manufacturer (OEM) but also a global Tier 1 technology owner.

 Learn more about the project: https://pmuc.or.th/eco-smart-damper/

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