IMTEX 2019: Helping India gain a competitive edge

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IMTEX 2019: Helping India gain a competitive edge

IMTEX 2019: Helping India gain a competitive edge

IPF Specials
Mar 01,19

With participation of 1222 exhibitors and footfall of 91,446 visitors, IMTEX 2019 showcased technologies which are vital for moving the Indian manufacturing and machine tool industry forward, says Rakesh Rao.

IMTEX 2019: Helping India gain a competitive edge

IMTEX 2019, organised by Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA), created a new record with participation of 1222 exhibitors and footfall of 91,446 visitors. Marking 50 years celebration IMTMA introduced a series of new initiatives which were unravelled during the event.

Inaugural function

IMTEX 2019, along with Tooltech 2019, was inaugurated by H D Kumaraswamy, Chief Minister of Karnataka. Stating that the exhibition has been a gateway for attracting investments in Karnataka since IMTEX was launched in the state, Kumaraswamy said, “Bengaluru was historically a manufacturing hub and is making its mark as a startup and biotech hub as well. To give impetus to aerospace vertical Karnataka has announced an aerospace policy that has identified investment potential of around $ 10 billion in the sector during 2013-2023 which is expected to give a boost to the manufacturing industry in Karnataka.”

Some of the dignitaries present of the occasion were R V Deshpande (Minister for Revenue, Government of Karnataka); K J George (Minister for Large & Medium Scale Industries, Government of Karnataka); Vikram Kirloskar (VP, Confederation of Indian Industry); Ram Venkataramani (President, Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India or ACMA); Jamshyd Godrej (Chairman, Exhibitions – IMTMA); P Ramadas (President, IMTMA); Indradev Babu (VP, IMTMA) and V Anbu (Director General & CEO, IMTMA). This is the largest IMTEX ever and IMTMA is celebrating 50 years of IMTEX.

In his welcome speech, Jamshyd Godrej said, "IMTEX creates a welcoming environment to everyone who comes to the exhibition. It shows industry in a different light and IMTEX is an expression of showing a new India and what its industry is capable of."

R V Deshpande stated, "Karnataka has always laid out a red carpet to investors wanting to do business in the state. The state has a pro-industry policy, which has helped industries to thrive."

Supporting Deshpande's views, K J George said, “The state has been in the forefront of many ventures such as setting up the world's largest solar park, launching booster kit for start-ups, setting up an exclusive machine tool park, etc.” He called upon the manufacturing industry to do their business in the state including their capacity expansions.

P Ramadas said, “IMTEX is a must attend exhibition for technology enthusiasts. It is at IMTEX that latest technologies which are widely prevalent in overseas countries are launched and displayed live. The current edition of IMTEX will showcase advanced technologies like 3D printing, IoT, automation, Industry 4.0, etc.”

Given below are some of the examples that provide a glimpse of new state-of-the-art technologies needed to remain competitive globally.

United Grinding showcases Two-in-One machine

The Switzerland-headquartered United Grinding Group - one of the world's leading manufacturers of precision machines for grinding, eroding, lasering and combination machining – showcased its WALTER Two-in-One machine for the first time in India at IMTEX 2019.

“We operate in metalworking industry – ie where there is a need for high-polish surface finish on metal. Our focus at IMTEX is to connect with our existing costumers and find new opportunities in India. At IMTEX 2019, we are displaying WALTER 2-in-one machine, which is new for Indian market. This machine is used for grinding of HSS/carbide tools and rotary eroding of CBN/PCD (diamond) tools,” said Winfried Przybyl, Director - India & Russia, United Grinding.

Though this machine was launched globally 6-7 years back, the company is now seeing a demand for such machine in India. “Diamond tools are much harder and lasting, and reliable than carbide tools. In India, diamond tools are still not much in use. However, some of the tool producers in India are now coming up with an idea to go into manufacturing of diamond tools. So we thought that it was good idea to bring this machine here at IMTEX 2019. We have got some potential customers for this machine,” said Philippe Selot, Manager Marketing - Communication, United Grinding.

Through its eight company brands - Mägerle, Schaudt, Blohm, Mikrosa, Jung, Walter, Studer, and Ewag - United Grinding offers a broad application knowledge, an extensive product portfolio and a complete array of services for surface and profile grinding, cylindrical grinding and tool machining.

With automotive industry going for lightweighting, demand for diamond tools is expected to go up.

“While the material has to be lighter for reducing weight, it has to be tougher. We will need tools (like diamond) that can cut, grind tough materials. Aluminium blocks are tougher to mill than iron blocks, therefore we have to change our material (tools). Globally, most of the automotive companies are using diamond tools,” said Winfried Przybyl.

According to him, India is way behind other developed countries (and even China) when it comes to adoption of latest, automated technologies. “Indian customers are more focused on domestic market and are price conscious, and hence are reluctant to adopt new technologies,” he added.

Precihole expands portfolio of deep hole drilling machines

Precihole Machine Tools, a leading provider of deep hole drilling and hole finishing solutions since 1988, is expanding its product portfolio and launching new range of honing machines.

“Our focus on this niche technology over the last 3 decades has made us the only recognised brand in India with the most comprehensive range of solutions for deep hole drilling and hole finishing. We are increasing our product portfolio of drilling machines. We have also started to manufacture state-of-the-art honing machines for Indian as well as global customers,” said A A Qazi, Director, Precihole Machine Tools.

The company’s strength lies in offering creative and customised engineering solutions that are perfectly suited to the needs of the customer. This is by no means an easy task, since deep hole drilling and hole finishing solutions have over 150 different applications spread across more than 20 industries. “Today, Precihole has become synonymous with deep hole drilling - a niche technology that needs expertise. We even supply customised machines for the customers,” said Qazi. One of the products displayed at IMTEX was deep hole drilling machine with slant bed, instead of conventional horizontal bed. Qazi informed, “Due to slant bed, entire machine becomes accessible, and it is compact and easy to operate.”

Precihole machines, which are CE-compliant, find applications in industries like defense and firearm, oil & gas, automotive, aerospace, medical implants, seamless tube manufacturing, energy, die and mold, hydraulic cylinders, etc. The company exports to countries in Europe, America, South East Asia, etc, and international sales make significant contribution to its business.

Parag Kulkarni, Director, Sales & Business Development, Precihole Machine Tools, informed, “Imported deep hole machines are costlier. Our machines are not only cost-effective but also match global quality standards. Precihole machines offer high productivity, accuracy and reliability. Globally, we are selling to US, Europe, South East, etc. We do not want to get into low and medium level market, as we do not want to compromise on quality.”

In line with global trend towards Industry 4.0, the company is equipping its machines with IoT equipment. “Since high-end customers are demanding IoT enabled machines, we have also added IoT features in the machines, which are highly efficient,” disclosed Kulkarni.

Speaking about growth plans, he said, “Automotive, oil & gas and medical implants are the three industries that are contributing majorly to our business. Defence is a new area of opportunity for us with Indian companies venturing into manufacturing of defence equipment, which needs high precision components. No gun barrels can be made without deep hole drilling. We are quite hopeful on defence sector for future growth.”

Kabelschlepp showcases latest in guideway protection systems

Kabelschlepp, a member of the Tsubaki Group, showcased its latest range of Tsubaki products at IMTEX 2019. The company also introduced telescopic covers used for protection of guideways on machine tools. “At IMTEX, we are focusing on Tsubaki range of products. We are showcasing telescopic covers for protecting guideways on machines. Our guideway protections systems boast a high degree of operational reliability, a long service life, and make use of innovative technical solutions,” said P S Ganesh, Director, Kabelschlepp India Pvt Ltd.

Tsubaki manufactures and supplies a comprehensive range of products from industrial drive & attachment chains, conveyor chains, sprockets, safety devices, shaft couplings & cam clutches to chain drive systems for the automotive industry. Within the Tsubaki Group, Tsubaki Kabelschlepp is responsible for worldwide product areas for cable carriers, Totaltrax complete systems and Traxline cables. Kabelschlepp GmbH produces guideway protection systems and conveyor systems.

Tsubaki incorporated its India unit, Tsubaki India Power Transmission Pvt Ltd (TIPL), in May 2010. Since then it has been slowly expanding business. “Market for our chain and power transmission products in the region is growing. To meet the growing demand, we expanded our capacity two years back. We are also seeing demand for retrofitting of drive chains (cable management) as companies want to raise their productivity. We also undertake concept-to-commissioning project. While there is some uncertainty in 2019 due to the scheduled Lok Sabha election, we expect the market to pick up in 2020,” informed Ganesh.

Schmersal: One-stop-shop for complete safety solutions

The Germany-based K A Schmersal GmbH & Co KG, which makes safety switchgear for personal and machine protection, is banking on growth in India as manufacturing sector gains momentum along with rise in safety awareness. “Awareness about safety is increasing around the globe. India is catching up very fast in terms of awareness about safety and Make in India initiative has just fastened the process. India government is talking about own safety norms - in line with globally acceptable standards. For Schmersal, which is into the business of turning workplaces into safer places for last more than 70 years, this is a big opportunity,” informed Michael Ambros, Managing Director, K A Schmersal GmbH & Co KG, during an interaction with IPF at IMTEX 2019.

The company not just provides safety products, but also completely solution for machine and industrial safety (the demand for which is increasing). Michael Ambros stated, “Machine builders have to incorporate safety features in the new machines in the development stage itself as it is difficult to incorporate such features in old machines. We are working towards creating awareness about this fact among Indian machine manufacturers. Also, we are seeing that more and more customers want complete safety solution, rather than just safety components.”

The Schmersal Group sees Industry 4.0 as a new business opportunity since it is important to ensure the protection of man and machine even in the smart factory. “Schmersal's products provide many diagnostic data which increases reliability of the machine, thus reducing downtime. We also provide intelligent cloud-based solutions. In Industry 4.0, safety and security start to converge as soon as safety components are connected to a network. Our products are not only safe but are also secure from cyber threat,” said Axel Schneider, who was appointed as Chief Technology Officer of Schmersal Group in December last year.

In April 2018, Schmersal India Private Ltd, the subsidiary of Schmersal Group, opened its first global support IT centre in Pune. The centre, which is first of a kind outside Germany, provides support for SAP implementation and software development to the Schmersal Group. To further strengthen its India presence, the company intends to add more skilled manpower to enhance its local R&D centre for developing more products.

Axel Schneider said, “We intend to increase our engineering team in India to serve not just the local industry, but also global market. Along with other global centers of Schmersal, India will be involved in jointly developing new products. Our future plans are to expand the team and grow production from India.”

Meiban Engineering ‘turning’ high-tech

Japan's Murata Machinery Ltd, a leading manufacturer of CNC machines with high end technology, displayed its latest turning machines at IMTEX 2019. “At IMTEX, we are focusing on high technology, high accuracy and automation. We have two machines on display - MW 120EX model and small machine (with twin gantry loader), which offers flexibility and gives various loader patterns. These two machines are displaying for the first time in India and are getting good response,” said A V Srinivasan, CEO, Meiban Engineering Technologies Pvt Ltd, an associate company of Murata Machinery Ltd in India.

Meiban Engineering Technologies Pvt Ltd is a solution provider in the field of automation and turn key projects for manufacturing automobile and sheet metal components. Srinivasan informed, “We give complete turnkey solutions. Auto components companies are our major customers accounting for about 95 per cent of our business. We are hopeful that demand for our high-tech machines to go up with automation catching up in India as customers are demanding consistency in quality and production.”

Muratec, a pioneer in twin spindle turning machines, is making constant efforts to give its customers high quality, latest technology. Since its inception in 2004, Meiban Engineering has been associated with Muratec and has achieved a consistent growth and received accolades from customers. With manufacturing companies adopting latest technologies to match international quality standards and remain competitive globally, Meiban Engineering expects sales of high-end machines to rise in the near future. “We operate in the niche, high-tech market. We want to double our turnover in the next three years, and for this, we are expanding capability of our local team by providing them training in latest engineering skill and know-how,” said Srinivasan.

Grind Master offers total solutions for surface finishing needs

At IMTEX 2019, Grind Master, a global technology leader in specialised turnkey machines for metal finishing, deburring, microfinishing, robotic machines and abrasives, showcased its prowess to provide total solutions for surface finishing requirements.

Grind Master displayed two of its premium products at IMTEX. ROBOFINISH Machine was inaugurated by delegates from Fanuc Corporation and Toyota Industries Engine India Pvt Ltd. This machine is equipped with advanced vision system. These machines are used for robotic fettling of ferrous and non ferrous castings, robotic machining and sculpting, robotic deburring and belt grinding.

The second machine on display was SUPRAMATIC range of machine for microfinishing of automotive powertrain, transmission, suspension and steering components. This machine is equipped with NANOSMART Controller - an IOT compatible ultra-user friendly system that has features such as tool management system, voice guidance, connection to smartphone, Rams for data logging and monitoring.

Grind Master is at the forefront of technology in microfinishing with a 30 people R&D team, over 20 design patents and over 10 technology patents in superfinishing. With over 5000 machines across 6 continents, serving a wide range of industries, the company brings a world of experience of over 35 years in machine technology & process knowledge.

Sanpar Industries to manufacture air compressors

Sanpar Industries, which is celebrating its Silver Jubilee in 2019, showcased new designs of its dryers and dehumidifiers during IMTEX 2019. As part of its expansion plan, the company intends to foray into manufacturing of screw-type air compressor. “Sanpar has always worked in energy conservation space and has developed innovative products for the same. The company intends to manufacture screw-type air compressor. While the prototype should be ready in the next three months, the commercial launch of our air compressors is planned towards the end of 2019,” said K S Sudhakaran, MD, Sanpar Industries Pvt Ltd during the IMTEX 2019.

The company caters to the Indian industries with clean and dry compressed air for their machineries used in production. Machine tools and metal cutting industries rely completely on pneumatics for their operations. Pneumatic components need clean and dry compressed air for their effective and reliable function. Sanpar dryer ensures that wet air does not enter their pneumatic components. The company plays a big role with its compressed air dryers, oil removal coalescing filters and safety features that are attached to its dryers. Cooling of the coolant used in metal cutting industry is where the company contributes with its expertise in refrigeration technology.

Automobile and machine tool industries have been major contributors to Sanpar’s growth. Through its tie up with major machine tool manufacturers (both nationally and globally), Sanpar dryers find their way into all the production units in India.

With defence production opening up for domestic manufacturing, the company expects to gain major orders. The company has been supplying air chillers for ground based radars for last 10 years. Now the company supplies compact liquid cooling systems (LCS) for airborne radars, which are fitted into Tejas - the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). “The company supplies airborne liquid cooling systems for the airborne radars which have been hailed by the aviation and defence industry. With innovative products and solutions, we want to make our presence felt in aerospace sector,” said Sudhakaran.

With Industry 4.0 and digitalization gaining momentum, Sanpar Industries eyes big opportunities. While the company has been taking annual maintenance contract (AMC) for its products, it is now planning to attach old machines with IoT system so that the condition of the machine can be known while sitting in office.

Sudhakaran informed, “IoT is all about sensors. We already have sensors, and now we are developing system to collect the data (from the sensors) and conduct automatic analysis to detect the problem and understand the root cause of the problem. This will help the company to take corrective measures to avoid machine break-downs.”

Mitsubishi Electric launches Cobots with payload of 5 kg capacity

Mitsubishi Electric’s Factory Automation& Industrial Division introduced its collaborative robot with 5 kg payload capacity at IMTEX 2019. "We plan to launch Cobots with payload of 5 kg capacity, as it is suitable to almost all the handling applications, where Human Machine Interface (HMI) can happen," said Madhusudhanan NS, Product Manager - Robotics Business Development, Factory Automation & Industrial Division, Mitsubishi Electric.

The Mitsubishi Electric cobots that can be programmed by direct teaching from the Arm itself. This helps them to learn how to move, as a human operator guides it through various positions. The LED light in the Arm indicates the current status of the robot dynamically so that it would be very easy for the programmer to understand while overriding the Robot. These cobots will be used in the inspection systems assembly, and for the machine loading/unloading, offering utmost ease in programming.

Mitsubishi Electric drive solutions contain 6 major products, including HMI, Motor Control, Robots, Servo, VFD and PLC that cater to the global machine tool industry. The HMI category is designed to optimize operator control and monitoring of device and line status. It includes GS21 Series HMI, GT21 Series HMI, GT14 Series HMI, GT23 Series HMI and GT27 Series HMI.

Besides, Mitsubishi Electric showcased its impressive range of CNC controllers such as M80, M800, C80 and E80 along with motors & amplifiers. It also showcased Industry 4.0 software application such as Factory View, Data Back-up tool, etc, which the company has indigenously developed in India as per the requirement of the local market.

At IMTEX 2019, Mitsubishi Electric also displayed RT Tool Box, which is 3D Robot simulation software that can be used for layout investigation and cycle time measuring. These two functions are vital for the CNC machine Loading Unloading Application. This would be a major support to the tool making industry for palletising and pick-and-place applications.

EOS: Providing new dimension to manufacturing

EOS, the world's leading technology supplier in the field of industrial 3D printing of metals and polymers, sees big opportunity in metal additive manufacturing (AM) as technology gets incorporated into production process. “We have been in India for 20 years. While AM was mainly used for basic prototyping in the first 12 years, we are seeing migration towards manufacturing in the last eight years (with big contribution coming in the last 2 years). There are two factors contributing to this trend. First, AM technology has been accepted as a tool for manufacturing, and second, there is a clear shift from prototyping to manufacturing especially in industries like aerospace, medical implants, tool & dies, etc,” said Prakasam Anand, Country Manager (India), EOS GmbH. He believes demand growth for metal AM to be faster than composites as more complex metal parts are being produced using AM.

At present, China dominates the mass manufacturing space. For India to take a lead in global manufacturing industry, it will have to focus on developing knowledge-based engineering skills. “For this, we have to undertake initiatives for skill development. With AM, India can create a hub for value-based engineering. For developing knowledge about additive manufacturing at grassroots level, we are in discussions with some institutes to develop AM curriculum for skill development as well as upskilling. We are also focusing on creating a complete partner ecosystem for each of the industry vertical,” stated Anand.

Additive manufacturing is a disruptive manufacturing technology that requires no tooling for production. However, R&D cost to develop manufacturing processes using 3D technology is high. AM gives flexibility in the development stage itself (as, unlike conventional processes, AM does not have to go through time-consuming, multi-stage development processes). Industry 4.0 could also facilitate use of 3D printing into manufacturing since AM is based on digital workflow and can help in easy communication between machineries.

Speaking about emerging trends, Anand said, “Quality monitoring and throughput are two talking points in AM. Quality is manageable, but throughput (for mass manufacturing) is an area where a lot of work is still in progress. It is also important to develop AM technology which is cost-effective so that the cost per part (to manufacture) is not too high.”

Epson eyes to tap small-to-medium payload robots market

Epson, a leading global player in SCARA and 6-Axis robots, is eyeing to tap small-to-medium payload robots market in India for growth. Though the current market size for such robots is small, the growth potential is very high. The current robotic density (robots per 10,000 employees) in India is 3 compared to the global average of 74. Of the 3000 shipments of robot in 2017, 64 per cent was accounted for by heavy payload robots, small and SCARA types constituted 6 per cent and others constituted the remaining 30 per cent.

“In India, our focus is on small and medium payload robots (SCARA and 6-axis) - the market for which is currently is small (190 to 200 units per year). We dominate this market with 60 per cent share. We expect the market for these types of robots to outpace the demand growth for heavy payload robots in future. We are experiencing 40 per cent YoY growth in the last few years. We sold 108 units last year and expect to sell 221 units this year (that more than double),” said Niyazuddin S, Manager - Robotics Solutions, Epson India Pvt Ltd. EPSON delivers robots for precision assembly and material handling applications in the aerospace, appliance, automotive, biotechnology, consumer product, electronics, food processing, medical device, pharmaceutical, plastics, semiconductor and telecommunication industries.

With manufacturing activity increasing in industries such as electronic, automotives, etc the demand for small-to-medium payload robots is expected to increase manifold. To be competitive in the market, Indian manufacturers are forced to go for automation. Shipments of robots into India have been increasing 24 per cent YoY. To tap the needs of Indian manufacturers, the company is also planning to introduce collaborative robots next year.

“Many companies are shifting manufacturing activity to India. At the same time, Indian manufacturers are adopting latest automation technologies to develop world class products and compete globally. With technology evolving fast, cost of robots is coming down. Hence, we will see faster adoption of robots in India. To tap the growing market, we will launch 6-axis robots and cobots in India very soon,” stated Niyazuddin.

Rigibore focuses on hi-tech technologies

The UK-based Rigibore, a supplier of high-precision tooling solutions for use in CNC machining centres, is focusing on automation and high-end technological needs of Indian customers for growth. "For solutions that we provide the customer does not need to make additional investment. Our tools can be used in the existing set up. We have been witnessing 15-20 per cent YoY growth in India. The market for automated products is increasing across the board. While demand is more from large manufacturers, SMEs (who are tier 1 suppliers to OEMs) are also moving towards automation. Hence, automation and high-end manufacturing processes will be our focus for growth,” said Lalit Sharma, MD, Rigibore India Pvt Ltd.

In India, the company has been offerings its Smartbore technology for quite some time. It is a patented boring technology that electronically measures the actual movement of the insert slide and gives the diameter adjustment reading after confirming the movement. At IMTEX 2019, Rigibore showcased its next-gen technology - SmartBore PLUS – that offers precision performance, allowing operators to achieve bore sizes accurately and quickly, with no clamping/unclamping. This range of digital boring heads enables micron accurate adjustments between 15-68 mm on diameter.

Sharma informed, “For efficient production, machine and tooling have to complement each other. While SmartBore has been in India for a while now, we are now introducing SmartBore PLUS. We also offer customised solutions depending upon customer needs. All these tools are part of Industry 4.0 solution, the demand for which is increasing.”

According to Richard Bennet, Production Director (UK), Rigibore Ltd, customers in India are still price-sensitive, which is a challenge for the company. He added, “Though our products are priced on the higher side, they are much easy to operate, maintain and help to improve productivity of the user.”

Going forward, Rigibore is quite upbeat about growth in India. “Manufacturing activity in India is growing as the companies shift their production base from developed to developing countries. This trend augurs well for Rigibore as the technologies offered by us are unique and nobody can replicate it,” said Richard Bennet, for whom it was first trip to India.

Automation & robotics

The small &medium enterprises (SMEs) segment is expected to play a significant role in the growth of India, which is emerging as one of the fastest growing economy in the new millennium. Many companies at IMTEX focused on offering automated solutions for SMEs to empower them for further growth. For example, Bharat Fritz Werner Ltd (BFW), a leading machine tool manufacturer in India, announced collaboration with Universal Robots, a pioneer in collaborative robots (Cobots), to penetrate the SME sector with new and affordable automation solutions.

BFW and Universal Robots aims to redefine the production processes by deploying the robotic arms through modular, flexible and user-friendly integration solution platform – Arjun. Advanced user-friendly and light industrial robotic arms will dramatically impact productivity, quality and working conditions in SME segment as it will automate and streamline repetitive industrial processes efficiently thus empowering the shop floor for higher value creative activities.

Systemantics India Pvt Ltd, an industrial robots maker based out of Bangalore, launched its flagship Made in India 6-axis industrial robot, ASYSTR 600. The ASYSTR 600, built on the principles of sensible robotics, is the first industrial robot designed and manufactured in India. With several design innovations that drive a superior ROI, this future-ready sensible robot is set to transform the shop floor.

"We are seeing significant traction in the market, particularly in the auto-component industry where the ASYSTR 600 is seen as a viable option to automate tedious repeatable tasks such as CNC Machine Tending. Our key innovations that help lower cost and make the robot easy-to-use resonate well with manufacturers," said Harsha Lal, CEO, Systemantics.

Cutting-edge technology on display

Tooltech showcased machine tool accessories, metrology and CAD/CAM cutting tools, tooling systems and current trends in the tooling industry. Sandvik Coromant, a leading supplier of cutting tools, presented new digital machining solutions designed to reduce waste and increase efficiency for customers at its stall in IMTEX. The company also displayed latest technologies in the fields of turning, milling and drilling at the stall. These innovations included CoroPlus process control, tool guide, tool library, among others.

For the first time at IMTEX 2019, the CERATIZIT Group presented its new cutting tool competence unified brand structure for the Indian market. Under the umbrella of the CERATIZIT Group, the company has four competence brands Cutting Solutions by CERATIZIT, KOMET, WNT and KLENK. "India is an up-and-coming key market for the CERATIZIT Group. In the future, as a result of the cutting tool division being reorganized, customers will benefit from the bundled know-how of the four competence brands and access one of the most complete product portfolios in the industry," said the company official.

Renishaw, a precision engineering and manufacturing technologies company, presented its latest smart factory solutions at IMTEX 2019. The company demonstrated its range of smart factory process control solutions, which are proven to help machine shops across many industries transform their production capabilities. Renishaw’s product portfolio supported the full spectrum of industrial metrology applications, delivering benefits in speed, ease-of-use and flexibility, which help manufacturers integrate smart factory technologies into their existing operations.

At the expo, Renishaw showcased how the new Equator 500 accommodates larger parts and the introduction of IPC (intelligent process control) software allows manufacturers to automate process control and tool offset correction directly to CNC machines from any Equator gauge.

The revolution continues

IMTEX this time is significant as the exhibition, which began in 1969, crossed a milestone of 50 years. Commemorating 50 years’ journey IMTMA organised two seminars Factory of the Future - Industry 4.0 (showcasing digital technologies which are revolutionising the manufacturing industry) and Additive Manufacturing Expo (showcasing the latest developments in 3D printing).

With manufacturing showing signs of strong growth, the industry now needs to tap opportunities in defence, aerospace and other sunrise sectors. This will be possible because of a vibrant machine tools industry. IMTEX will continue to provide a platform for Indian companies to witness state-of-the-art technologies and incorporate them in their manufacturing facilities to raise efficiency and remain competitive globally.