IMTEX is set to showcase the best home-grown technology to the world | Team MT | According to Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers‘ Association (IMTMA) data, India stands 16th in production
and 11th in the consumption of machine tools in the world. The country is set to become a key player in the global machine tools industry and is likely to see substantial high-end machine tool manufacturing. Industry experts are of the opinion that the phenomenon is linked to the spurt in manufacturing, for which the machine tools sector serves as the mother industry Since, the manufacturing capacity is stagnating and the growth rate for the machine tools industry falling in developed economies, shifting machine tool capacity to low-cost high skill geographies like India, has become imperative.
Add to this the positive sentiment that has engulfed the industry and the ‘Make in India’ campaign that has caught on and you have a win-win situation at hand. AP Jayanthram, MD, Heidenhain agrees, “With a pronounced policy orientation on making the economy, industry friendly and an added accent on manufacturing, there are huge expectations and the positive sentiment has also percolated to the mother industry of machine building. If the “Make in India” campaign is brought to its logical contours, aided by policy initiatives and structural support, it is sure to help the economy grow and will build the market for machine tools and other engineering products.”
The overall environment has created a pro investment feeling in the industry. Also, the various initiatives announced by central government especially the ones relating to “Make in India”, thrust on infrastructure development, public private partnerships in defence and railway equipment manufacturing etc. is expected to boost the manufacturing segment. Seconding, Ravi Raghavan, CEO, Bharat Fritz Werner says, “Indeed this is true. The upcoming budget would be a crucial platform for the government to strengthen these initiatives.”
While it was clear that the new Government would require some time to put things in order and come out of the core issues affecting the Indian economy, the industry is now getting a bit impatient with no major reforms or decisions coming through. SG Ullal, CEO, Emuge India, testifies this statement. “In my opinion, there is a lot of ‘uncertainty’ still being experienced, which has its origins in the basic difference between the over expectations from the positive environment and the ground reality.
The upcoming budget would be crucial and define the direction in which the economy will head.” MohiniKelkar, MD, Grind Master Machines is of a similar opinion. She asserts, “Frankly speaking the actual effect of this upbeat environment in terms of the order booking is yet to be seen. However, the machine tool industry must prepare themselves to handle such an upswing.” ShaileshPrabhune, president, SandvikCoromant India avers that the actual industrial production index remains a worry but is hopeful that it will pick up in 2015. “The new projects will boost machine tool orders and consequently orders for the cutting tool industry.”
What will further result in boosting these orders would be the confidence that the home grown technology is as good as the international ones and the best place to see such products would be at IMTEX 2015. IMTEX 2015, the 17th Indian metal cutting machine tool exhibition with international participation is all set to make its grand entry on 22 January at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).
Organised by the IMTMA this seven day event will witness more than 900 exhibitors from India and abroad. Concurrent with IMTEX 2015, they are also organising Tooltech 2015, the 17th international exhibition of cutting tools, tooling systems, machine tool accessories, metrology and CAD/CAM at the same venue.
Talking on this year’s edition of IMTEX, Jamshyd N Godrej, chairman, exhibitions – IMTMA & chairman & MD, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company avows, “IMTEX in many ways is basically a platform to show what you can do and what your production and productivity is to the whole world. This is really a marketplace, a buyer seller meet in that sense.”
He further states, “IMTEX is always in demand and unfortunately we are unable to meet everybody’s requirement of space but I am told that the government has now finally approved the extension of BIEC. So, we hope that in the next two three years we will be able to build new buildings to accommodate the demand. Another good thing about IMTEX is that it has become more prominent on the global scene. The exhibition is specific for technology and machinery for manufacturing and the demand here is always very good.”
In terms of technology, in the coming years, it is said that the multi tasking abilities of the machines are to get enhanced significantly. “Yes, the idea is to be able to manufacture work pieces from ‘raw to finish’ in minimum set ups and with minimum movement on the shop floor. In this direction the technology trends would drive multi axes machining capabilities, merging of turning, milling, drilling processes,” asserts Raghavan.
He further adds, “The Indian manufacturing industry will look forward to the enhanced role of simple automation systems to get reliable and consistent throughput. Customers would look for ‘smart’ machines which have in built sensors to enable swift diagnosis -many times ahead of actual breakdowns. We expect to see some or all of these trends in the upcoming IMTEX exhibition.”
There is now a clear cut preference for robust technologies. The customer wants a low maintenance and trouble free operations machine that guarantees 100% results. All this is vital when we talk about making in India. “Absolutely,” asserts Kelkar. “In our sector, many installed robotic deflashing and fettling solutions are not in operative condition due to this reason. We are trying to bridge this gap by providing robust solutions for robotic deburring and fettling applications.”
Moving forward, components and processes shall be more and more complex making CAM supported simulation a pre requisite for efficient manufacturing. Providing the tool data in the newly formulated ISO 13399 standard will be must for all cutting tool suppliers. Prabhune seconds the thought, “New benchmarks and alternate machining methods and materials shall grow and put stringent demands on cutting tool as well as the machines. Also, the productivity and tool life shall go hand in hand and not either or.”
One will be able to see all of this and more at IMTEX this year. Elaborating on how important the trade fair is for Sandvik, Prabhune says, “IMTEX gives us an opportunity to meet old and new customers and strengthen our relations with them. Primarily it’s an exhibition for machine tool manufacturers and being a part of this we get to know about the latest developments in high end machines that will hit the market soon. Thus, it keeps up updated on how we can combine our tooling offer on these machines to give the best of the benefits to our customers.”
Godrej presents an interesting thought. He opines that events such as IMTEX help make manufacturing glamorous because it shows the importance of manufacturing to societies, the government and others. “If you look at the global machine tools industry it has come up on the back of innovation of smaller entrepreneurs who have new ideas. And this is what we have to do to encourage our entrepreneurs and IMTEX gives such an opportunity. And actually for SMEs IMTEX is their most important marketing tool.”
With technology being the obvious highlight at IMTEX we asked our industry veterans to enlist some best practices to be implemented by the machine tool industry in the New Year to compete effectively and leverage the positive sentiment. According to Raghavan, these are: enhanced thrust on product and technology development; striving towards execution excellence; customer service and connect and talent development and management.
Ullal opines that the tool industry will have to look at improved analytics, improved understanding of requirements and integration, faster turnaround, economical solutions with customisation, greater adaptability and improved customer engagement. Kelkar believes that continuous training and upgradation of manpower, developing special solutions and technologies to fill the gaps, perfection in product making and speed of growth would be vital contributors.
Jayanthram states that one has to defocus on cost fixation and adopt cutting edge technologies. “Manufacturers have to build hybrid machines that can perform multiple functions in the same set up, combine mechanical engineering skills with electronics skills, software and information and communication technology skills to make machines that can compete with the best.”
Prabhune says that the total cost of the component (not only tool cost per component) will gain importance since manufacturing will get more competitive. “Labour arbitrage will not be a significant competitive advantage, so automation and dependence on suppliers to provide complete solutions will increase.” So both machine tool builders and cutting tool suppliers will have to increase their competence and provide complete solutions for a reduced total cost.”