South Korean machine tool giant Doosan is demonstrating its die mould processing machine DNM II Series at the ongoing Die Mould India scheduled from April 06-09 in Bengaluru, India. Designed for high speed and high precision, the DNM 400 II 8k[12k] is equipped with a powerful belt driven spindle motor and the optional 12k utilizes state of the art direct drive technology. Advanced technological features and construction provide superior performance in any type of manufacturing environment.

DNM II series are available with a diversity of spindle specifications to meet various requirements. Roller LM guide enhances rigidity and extends service life. Utmost accuracy is achieved with direct coupled spindle structure and standard thermal displacement error compensation. The operator panel is redesigned to improve operator convenience. 

Key Features of DNM II Series: Doosan EZ Guide i conversational programming, User Friendly Operator Panel featuring single function HOT Keys, QWERTY key pad, USB port and Portable MPG, Roller-Type LM Guideways provides best-in-class rigidity and durability, 30 Pocket Automatic Tool Changer, Big Plus Spindle System provides superior tool holding rigidity.

Other die mould processing Solutions from Doosan:

NX Series
The NX II series aims to strengthen the spindle and have a long life compared to previous models series by adopting a static pressure spindle. Operation has been made more convenient by improving chip disposal, accessibility and reducing the installation space.

The NX II series takes performance and strength to a whole new level. With its double column design and high speed spindle, it provides the best stability and rigidity possible for today’s market demand for high-precision, high-efficiency part machining. The precision dynamic balanced spindle of the NX II series is result of years of machining industry experience. Assures lasting performance, high-stiffness and thermal control.

DVM Series
Developed to provide high precision and high performance for die & mold machining, the DVM II series seeks to make the spindle harder and last longer than the preceding DVM II series by opting for a static pressure spindle. The door width has been expanded to 2-door to make product installation more convenient. Furthermore, the quality of machining has been improved by standardizing the nut cooling ball screws of each spindle and the heat-shielding insulation in the columns in order to minimize heat displacement.

VM Series
The VM 960 is designed for long-term high accuracy and superior surface finishes. Classic manufacturing methods and ultra rigid construction are combined with advanced technological features to provide exceptional performance and value.

Main features of VM series include: Fanuc 31i-B control with USB Port, powerful 2 gear spindle motor, high precision spindle with one single-row cylindrical bearing and frour angular contact bearings, wide induction hardened and precision ground box way construction, servo motors mounted directly to oversized ball screws, pendant operating console, rigid tapping, cam type double arm ATC 40 tools, Metered piston distributor lubrication, Telescopic way covers, etc.

Makino plans to share its latest solutions for plastics processing March 23-27 at NPE2015 in Orlando, Fla. Booth S8125 is slated to showcase solutions for a variety of industries, including medical, automotive and aerospace molds.

“The global automotive, medical and packaging markets are growing rapidly, and this show is a great place for manufacturers to learn how to meet increasingly stringent requirements for quality and lead-times, such as lighter-weight vehicles in the automotive industry,” said Mark Rentschler, director of marketing at Makino. “Visitors to Makino’s booth will meet with our applications engineers to discover new machining and wire EDM process and technology solutions to meet such requirements.”

Sustained Dynamic Accuracy
Makino plans to include the D300 5-axis vertical machining center. The D300 is designed to deliver superior sustained dynamic accuracy in full five-face machining applications. Equipped with core-cooled ballscrews and temperature-controlled direct-drive motors and spindle, the D300 provides thermally stable machining conditions for the highest degree of precision and finishing quality. The design of the direct-drive rotary axes gives manufacturers the speed and positioning repeatability to be productive in a wide variety of complex, 3-D workpieces.

The machine comes standardly equipped with a 15,000-rpm HSK-A63 spindle with 120Nm (42Nm continuous) of torque for flexible, high-speed machining of various workpiece materials, including steel, aluminum and titanium. Optional spindle configurations consist of a 20,000-rpm HSK-A63 spindle and 30,000-rpm HSK-F63 spindle.

A Versatile Solution
Also slated to be showcased is the U3 Wire EDM. Designed for ease of operation, versatility and low operating cost, the U3 is the next-generation solution for improved profitability in wire EDM processes. With the addition of Makino’s new HyperCut technology and Hyper-i control, even novice operators can program and produce leading-edge part finishes in the most complex feature geometries with the U3. A user-friendly interface similar to that found on tablets and smartphones makes operation very intuitive. This is a significant competitive advantage for shops experiencing difficulty replacing skilled EDM operators.

The U3 offers X-, Y- and Z-axis travels of 370mm by 270mm by 220mm, respectively. The U3 can accommodate a maximum workpiece size of 770mm by 590mm by 220mm, with a payload of 1,322 lbs. Other features of the U3 are reduced wire-consumption rates, dual digitally controlled flush pumps and a choice of two wire-guide configurations—conventional round or Split V guide system—to accommodate any material types and flushing conditions from 0.004″ to 0.012″Ø wire (0.1~0.3mmØ). An extensive cutting condition library provides optimized conditions for standard hard brass wires, high-speed coated wires and high-taper soft wires. The depth and versatility of the entire cutting condition library ensure that all applications can be machined at optimum productive levels.

What are the latest trends and demand in die mould industry?
Die mould industry is the back bone of every industry; its demand will not diminish or reduce. It will increase as the manufacturing industry grows. No one can manufacture anything without the help of die mould.  One needs to understand the fundamental of die mould first. What die mould industry does? They convert imaginative design into a real part.

Automobile industry has witnessed a slowdown, how much has it affected the industry?
I am the owner of a die mould company which is fairly known in the country. It has not affected me for the last two years. Whenever there is a fall in demand, people sit down and think what went wrong and then they go for renovation. So for any kind of renovation, new product development, new investment die mould companies get work. Probably the amount of work is less which might have affected some businesses but not everyone.

Today the die mould industry is more than Rs 20,000 crore, but import constitutes 50% or more than that, so where is the question of getting less work? In fact the tool room industry got a better chance because the import cost has gone up. So the Indian companies should get more opportunities.

What are the other emerging sectors for die mould industry?
Die mould industry is not only dependent on automotive industry, there are so many other industries who are creating good demand for the die mould manufacturers, like electronics, white goods, pharma and consumer durables among others.

Almost every manufacturer needs die mould, without tool room they cannot do anything, right from a tooth pick manufacturer to someone from aerospace industry, every product you touch is made in a tool room. It’s the mother of all industries; whatever you touch in your daily life has been touched in a tool room.

The technology level as compared to the western and Japanese counter parts…
All the technology that we are using to manufacture die and mould is from Japan or Germany, so we are very much at par with the Europe and Japan. We may be small compared to them, but we have expertise and technology both.

How has the emergence of south eastern countries affected Indian business?
It used to, but now since the prices have gone up due to currency fluctuation, India still has a better chance. We need not worry.

Education of Indian engineers, what’s your take on the same and what is TAGMA doing on the same front?
Although the engineers are trained in the institutes, but we manufacturers are far ahead of them as far as the equipments are concerned. We have to train young engineers and not only that, now that the complexity of the products has increased, it is becoming more difficult to thrive in the industry. Having said that, I also feel that apart from some big institutes, the practical training is missing in an average Indian technical institute.

TAGMA is working with heavy industry department and FICCI for skill development to bring out a proper course for skill development in the area.

What’s your take on 3D printing as a challenge?
As of now it’s not a challenge and in future too I don’t think it can pose any challenges to the die mould industry. Though we don’t know about tomorrow, but one thing is clear die and mould will exist throughout.

Please highlight the importance of Die Mould India 2014…
It is the best platform for the professionals associated with die mould industry to learn about the latest happenings in the industry, upgrade the technology level and connect with customers & partners. One can find the whole ecosystem of the industry be in tooling solution providers to CNC manufacturers, vendors to buyers, CAD/CAM to design, among others under one roof. Also being a focussed exhibition it attracts huge visitors from around the globe.

Looking at the scope for knowledge up gradation, it is good for visitors, exhibitors and customers.

The slow paced economy has also affected the die and mould industry. Various government policies are put in place to boost manufacturing to 25% of GDP by 2025. Initiatives like new policies, technology funds, training centers and subsidies are being taken. Collaborations are also being encouraged to bridge various gaps including technology adoption and latest manufacturing practices.

Having said the above, there is a still a relative shortage of innovation and in-house development, we are still heavily dependent on foreign technologies. Sadly, not even 50% of the market is dominated by home grown manufacturers. We believe it’s high time, Indian die and mould manufacturers should invest in latest equipment and technical know-how to explore the market dominated by foreign players.

Given the current rupee depreciation against major global currencies, it has made import more costly and this can be an opportunity in disguise for the Indian die and mould manufacturers. This is the time to invest in the right technology.

Below we list some of the technological trends that the die and mould manufacturers can try their hands on:-

High-speed Machining
Considered to be one of the most promising technology, High-speed Machining (HSM) is known for reducing production times and improve surface finish in the machining of precision moulds and dies. HSM not only reduces the workload but also the costs of producing high precision surface finishes. The tool life is also extended, though proper care must be taken to tailor and balance the tool.

Right CAD/CAM solutions
Right design is a must for any product to be a success. Though various Indian companies use automated solutions, there are SMEs who still hesitate to adopt automated solutions. With the use of proper CAD/CAM solutions, the risk of errors drastically goes down as it automated eventually reducing human intervention.

Hot Runner Technology
This technology plays an important role when it comes to delivering the melt material from the injection nozzle to the cavity. Their application also helps illustrate the effect of gate quality on the overall part quality. It provides better process controls, like in thermocouple controlled nozzles, while on the other hand improved hot-runner nozzles allow for easier application and simple maintenance of hot-runner systems. These directly affect the quality, costs and the cycle times.

Rapid Tooling
Rapid tooling is responsible for reducing cycle times by 40% as compared to conventional machining. The use of conformal cooling, bimetal layering and better mould materials, like aluminium, allow quicker thermal conductivity in moulds. Also, the rapid processes allow for production of inserts and mould tooling in less than 48 hours. Rapid processes are also capable of producing modifications in the tool, like undercuts or side-action easily.

Aluminium Moulds
It is believed that aluminium tooling is capable of reliable and high-volume production. Aluminium moulds weigh one-third of the traditional steel moulds, reduce wear and tear and have a better thermal conductivity. The cycle times are also reduced by 30 to 50% allowing better production volume, saves on costs and also reduce the lead times by 10%.

As mould development shifts towards rapid production, it needs speed and efficiency both. With the growing demand, Indian companies need to act fast to stay in the competition.

P.S: Invest in R&D activities to compete global companies locally.

saurabh@mfgtechupdate.com

The Die & Mould segment represents a very small portion of the Indian manufacturing industry. However, it plays a very instrumental role. Primarily made up of small & medium enterprises (SMEs), these firms are mostly privately owned. These SMEs rely on continuous flow of new orders, but as the car sales remain sluggish, major automotive companies have cut down on production, adversely affecting these SMEs.   

Dies & Moulds are used across industries – from automotive to component manufacturers, from household appliances to fighter planes, it remains to be the fundamentals of manufacturing. But the economic downturn and changing consumer behavior has affected the industry, shaking its fundamentals.

If the production of any particular car is dropped, the component manufacturer would experience a similar drop in business. But when the whole project is cancelled or delayed, the die & mould makers witness a tremendous drop in their business. 

A Business Dry Spell
Die & Mould SMEs play one of the central roles in manufacturing innovation. Any manufacturer who is seeking to introduce any new product is expected to require very specific and customised Dies & Moulds. But what happens when the manufacturers decide to put their production on hold due to the fall in demand and change in consumer behaviour.
A similar situation has taken a toll on the Die & Mould industry. The major end user of Die & Mould segment, the automotive industry has been lying low for the last few months, affecting the SMEs in Die & Moulds. The dry run continues as the demand for passenger vehicles remained sluggish during the end of 2013, with six of India’s leading automobile manufacturers together posting a decline of 2.3 per cent in monthly sales at 153,618 vehicles in December 2013. 
This is not all; the Die & Mould segment suffers from various other snags, such as lack of skilled manpower and competition from other Asian countries including China, Taiwan, Korea and now Indonesia.

Adding To The Burden
The lack of interest in the youth to specialise in this segment, is slowly creating a huge need gap. There is urgent requirement for trained manpower from the Die & Mould manufacturers, but they have nowhere to go. 
Manufacturers express concern about a looming skills shortage in the segment. According to them, many in the workforce are likely to have learned and enhanced their skills mainly on the job but often do not have the technological skills required in the present competitive times; while on the other hand, not many technologically skilled and trained young people want to be a part of this section.

The area needs special concern so as to attract young talents to the segment due to its highly skilled nature and importance in manufacturing. 
Apart from this, the increase of imports from other Asian countries has posed a challenge in front of this section of the industry. 

Utilise, Update and Overcome 
While the SMEs suffer from major hurdles from various entities, there is still hope of revival. If predictions are to be believed, the automotive industry may see a better time during the middle of 2014. It might help the Die & Mould segment to pick up from where they left. Experts believe this dry spell is a boon in disguise for the SMEs; they can utilise this period to update themselves with the latest technologies and be well prepared for the competition ahead. 

Email: nishi@mfgtechupdate.com

How has the die & mould industry changed with the growing demand for speed and productivity? 
The industry has witnessed tremendous change in the way dies and moulds (tools) are made, in terms of how they are designed and the machines used to make them. Most of the tool rooms in India have adapted to these changes. They have all adopted the latest CAD/CAM techniques and also upgraded people skills required to use them. There has also been a constant upgradation of machinery used in most tool rooms across India.

The Indian economy is lying low, how are you tackling the situation? Has the rupee depreciation against major currencies affected your business?
This is a double whammy for a capital-intensive industry like tool making. On one hand, when the reduction in the number of orders is putting pressure on selling price, the depreciation of the Indian currency has made various machines much more expensive, resulting in postponement of crucial machine investments. Hopefully, the coming year will ease the situation by better order books.

How do you see the competition with south eastern countries?
The countries from this region that were competing strongly and will continue to do so are Thailand and Malaysia, but now Vietnam is also considered to be an emerging region. China and Taiwan have always been strong competitors, but they are not from South East Asia.

India has become home to various global tooling solution providers, how are you tackling the competition?
The only way to compete is to provide higher quality and better delivery times. This can only be done by continuous adaptation of the latest trends in tool making. This is specially true for methods of production. Particular attention must be paid to remove inefficiencies in the system, thus resulting in better usage of existing resources. This can be done by paying attention to work in progress and adoption of more productive methods to change tooling in machine tools and repetitive parts production.

As the biggest consumer of dies & moulds, automobile industry is in bad shape, which are the other sectors emerging as potential customers?Aerospace sector is emerging and has huge opportunities. The bio-medical sector is hardly developed here and could be an emerging sector in the time to come. For the plastic moulds, the FMCG and energy sector, as well as the appliances sectors are performing strongly. It should be a similar story for the sheet metal and die casting dies.

What sort of demands do you see in the tooling industry, particularly in India?
With constant introduction of new products in automobile, electrical, appliances and FMCG sectors, there will be demand for tooling. Once the economy is stable and new products are introduced in greater numbers, the demand for tools is bound go up.

Do you think SMEs is India are ready to adopt highly automated products?Yes, the SMEs are adapting to the automated production methods as this reduces the wastage in the system and improves the yield from the existing investments.

What are the challenges that the industry is facing in terms of adopting the latest automation solutions in India, considering the fact that we are a price conscious nation?
Undoubtedly, the price parameter is absolute low in India. This is being taken to absurd extremes with attention on price of buying only, rather than the total life cycle costs. This is particularly true for capital equipment including tools. The customers should start evaluating total costs of the lifetime. The more enlightened end users are adopting such evaluation, which helps toolmakers to modernise and deliver better tools at more competitive price.

In your opinion, what are the customers looking for?
High quality, dependable and timely delivery, good follow up service for the tools and of course price.

What per cent of your revenue comes from small enterprises? How important is this market for Unimark?
Around 30-40% of our business comes from the SMEs and hence it is an importnat segment for us.

Could you recall the year 2013 and what do you expect from 2014?
2013 was a very challenging year with lower number of orders and various projects being postponed. This may continue in the first half of 2014 with improvements following in the second half of 2014.

nishant@mfgtechupdate.com