Sahney Kirkwood had been using Haas machines since 2012 when for the first time the company decided to use CNC machines. In 2017, Sahney again selected HAAS VF-I series machines for performance, precision, reliability and affordability. 

 

Several years ago, Sahney Kirkwood, a manufacturer of electrical insulation products located in Nashik (Maharashtra), was looking to buy CNC machines to improve productivity and quality. After carefully evaluating several products of CNC machine manufacturers, the company selected Haas vertical machining centers. In 2017, when Sahney Kirkwood was again planning to add more CNC machines, Haas was its natural choice. The company is the proud owner of Haas VF-2-I and VF-4-I vertical machining centres with India Value Package. Many optional advanced features available in VF-2 and VF-4 come standard with VF-2-I and VF-4-I.

 

About Sahney Kirkwood 

 

Sahney Kirkwood is an export oriented unit started in 1984. The company manufactures mica-based electrical insulators for the traction industry. Its main customers are locomotive manufacturers and repair shops, spread across the US and Europe. Sahney Kirkwood, Sahney Commutators, and Isovolta (India) are part of the Sahney Group’s engineering business. Headquartered in Bangalore, the company’s customers are spread in 5 continents and in over 25 countries. Isovolta (India) is a JV with Isovolta AG of Austria, a leading manufacturer of electrical insulation materials, technical laminates, and composites, having manufacturing facilities in 9 countries.

 

Sahney Kirkwood started as a mica electrical insulation producer. It has machines like mica laying machines, pressing facilities, wide web grinders, shearing machines, cutting machines, forming, and moulding machines. Later, they ventured into pre-preging and started manufacturing industrial laminates for electrical insulation. The company machines composite materials and has a full-fledged CNC machine shop, along with some conventional machines. Currently, it is machining glass reinforced epoxy laminates, polyester based laminates, and silicon-based laminates.

 

Initiating the journey with Haas

 

Amit Patil, GM (Operations), Sahney Kirkwood Pvt Ltd, said, “ Several years ago, we were in the market to buy a CNC machine and did a comparative analysis of Indian, Taiwanese, Chinese, American, and European machines. When buying a CNC machine, our only constraint was size, as the raw material we use is in the shape of flat boards, which is loaded on to the machine. It was essential for us to have bigger table sizes. The ease of operating the machine was the next crucial factor for us while buying a CNC machine as we did not have expertise in CNC machining technology.”

 

The company received very good feedback from its vendors about the quality of Haas machinery and its after-sales service. Also with Haas, customers find it easy, as Haas has its own control & they have to coordinate with the same team for any queries. In 2012, Sahney Kirkwood bought a Haas VF-3 vertical machining center (VMC) machine for manufacturing bigger parts & a Haas VF-2 to manufacture smaller components. 

 

The company now has 7 CNC machines and 1 CNC router. All their CNC machines are from Haas, which includes models like VF-2, VF-3, VF-4, and VF-5.

 

Selecting VF-2-I and VF-4-I 

 

In 2017, Sahney was in the market for 2 new vertical machining centers. Before buying any machine, the company always compares machines from different manufacturers. After thorough analysis, it narrowed down on the newly introduced Haas VF-2-I and VF-4-I models, as Sahney was already familiar with the machine and the company. 

 

The VF-2-I and VF-4-I are essentially the standard VF-2 and VF-4 configured with an India Value Option Package: an inline high torque 10,000 rpm 30 HP spindle, 24+1 Side mount tool changer, high speed machining package and Ethernet option. The powerful 

Haas spindle and high-speed machining options helped Sahney reduce the existing cycle times and improve accuracies. 

 

Patil informed, “I have visited many manufacturing facilities in India and found that the 1.5 million sq feet manufacturing facility of Haas Automation, USA, is a class apart. I spoke with the technical experts at Haas and also walked through the VF-2 and VF-4 production line (on which all models VF-2, VF-4, VF-2-I, VF-4-I are manufactured and assembled). Since the production line at Haas is automated and adopts flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), the stringent quality standards for every machine are maintained throughout themanufacturing process.” The purchase of VF-2-I and VF-4-I as with its earlier CNC machines was informed selections with the focus on quality, reliability and performance. 

 

After-sales service by Haas

 

The company found the hands-on training provided by Haas to be excellent and the employees of Sahney Kirkwood were able to operate the machines with ease. “Not only were the machines delivered on time, as promised by Haas, but they also provided comprehensive training to our staff, at our factory and at their training centre. This helped to make the machines operational the very next day after they were purchased,” said Patil.

 

The support backup and service from Phillips Machine Tools India who has a local office in Nashik, was found to be excellent. Phillips Corporation - with operations in the US, China, India and Europe - is a 55 year-old global supplier of manufacturing technology, products and services; primarily focused on CNC machine tools (metalworking) and additive manufacturing. In India, Phillips Corporation, through its subsidiary Phillips Machine Tools India Pvt Ltd, represents industry's leading global brands such as Haas, Hermle, SHW, Sunnen, Tsugami, Maple, Kent etc in the country.

 

The service team was cooperative and reliable. Haas has also trained maintenance engineers at Sahney Kirkwood for troubleshooting, and they are able to rectify the errors at the initial stage, without any assistance. 

 

 

For additional information, contact Nikhil Modi on email: support.india@phillipscorp.com