Shilpin Machine Tools Pvt Ltd, the Aurangabad (Maharashtra) based manufacturer of CNC machines, will showcase a host of innovative products at IMTEX 2023 such as robot integrated micro milling machine, improved micro milling and engraving CNC machines. With an aim to target aerospace, automotive and defense sectors, the company will showcase its prowess as a total solutions provider for all machining needs at the trade fair. In this interview with Rakesh Rao, Abhay C Deshmukh, Director, Shilpin Machine Tools Pvt Ltd, highlights on the emerging opportunities for Indian machine tools industry and key technological trends.

How is Shilpin Machine Tools supporting the growth of manufacturing industry?
Shilpin is a manufacturer and exporter of 3 and 4 axis CNC micro milling and engraving machines. Our machines find applications in various industries – in organised as well as unorganised sectors. Currently, Shilpin has the manufacturing facility at Aurangabad in Maharashtra. We are capable of manufacturing upto 100 machines in a year. After the tough times during Covid 19 period, Shilpin has experienced 25 per cent growth in its sales revenues during the year 2022-23.

We serve industries such as gear manufacturing, printing and packaging, plastic injection mould making, textile, jewellery, brass hardware, engraving, and die & mould making of various types. Defense and aerospace are emerging market for Shilpin.

Shilpin also has an engineering division that provides services to its Indian and European customers in the field of robotic automation, engineering services and CAD/CAM programming.

Which other end-user industries are offering high growth opportunities for your company?
Shilpin is identified by its customers as an end-to-end solution provider and not only a machine tool products supplier. We provide consultative sales, training, CAD/CAM programming and tooling support to our customers because many of them are micro or small manufacturing units with 1-2 people as the workforce at times including the owner/proprietor.

The customer can use very small tools of sizes (as small as 50 microns in diameter). The high precision, vibration free performance of our machines is providing us growth opportunities in micro machining area in diverse industry segments.

Could you please share with us information about your new innovations or products/solutions that you have launched in 2022?
Shilpin has developed a unique way of finishing hardened gears. During the heat treatment process, finished gears also develop dents and surface irregularities that cause noise in the finally assembled gear box.

One of the much-awaited developments by the market is a micro milling machine for graphite electrode machining. Shilpin has developed a machine and has delivered it to a customer. We are awaiting field trials on this first prototype.

We will be showcasing a robot integrated micro milling machine at IMTEX 2023. Hopefully this will attract a lot of customers for compact solution.

What is the effect of automation (including digitalization, Industry 4.0) on the machine tools industry?
I have always maintained that the world market will see all levels of Industry 1.0 to Industry 4.0 all co-exist simultaneously. In India, specifically, we also have Industry 0.0 where a lot of hand tools are used in manufacturing dies and molds.

The future of machine tool industry will depend upon how we, as an industry, respond to domestic customers and how we improve our image for exports. There is lot that desires to be done. We must make investments and clusters that produce basic elements such as ball screws, CNC controls, high RPM spindles, etc. These all are imported now so our costs are higher.

If the industry is able to attract young talent, then initiatives such as digitalization and Industry 4.0 will gather momentum. The average age of people working in machine tools industry must come down by 10-15 years with accelerated efforts on competency building in mechatronics.

What kind of changes are you witnessing in the industry?
I suppose additive manufacturing (3D printing) and allied technologies are becoming a part of this industry. Robot or gantry systems integrated with machine is another trend. Remote service support and sensitivity to customer satisfaction are trend that are welcome.

The lines between production and die & mould machines are blurring. Technologies such as cutting tools, coolants, work and tool holding, CAD/CAM, etc have taken quantum leaps in the last few years.

What are your plans for IMTEX 2023?
IMTEX is equivalent to Kumbhamela of machine tools industry in India. IMTMA does a tremendous job on promoting the event and bringing together visitors and exhibitors from all over the world. Team Shilpin gets a chance to showcase its innovations at IMTEX. This year, we will get to showcase our integrated articulated robot-micro miller combo to visitors.

Shilpin is going to launch industrial automation and robotics solutions at this show besides the much improved micro milling and engraving CNC machines. Team Shilpin is a solutions provider company focused on delivering desired results for various applications. We are aiming to target aerospace, automotive and defense sectors.

We look forward to meeting existing customers, Shilpin observers and new customers. My message to visitors is to look at us as one of the few machine tools companies that engineer your growth by providing a solution. Bring your problems and challenges in machining and productivity and we will try and deliver a preliminary solution at the show itself.

What are your growth plans for the company in the coming years?
Team Shilpin has a few key words that will make us grow – ‘target exports’, ‘specialise in micro machining’, ‘integrated robotics’, and ‘end-to-end solutions to solve the problems of our customers’.