With over 40 years of experience in designing, manufacturing & servicing machines and systems, Electropneumatics today has turned into a one- stop-shop for the metal forming industry. From single press or a turnkey system, Electropneumatics offers complete solution right from the concept to the overall planning and successful execution. Let’s find out more manufacturing plant in Chakan Pune.

Driving for about 30 kms from Pune as we reached Electropneumatics’s facility at Chakan, we were greeted by chirping birds in a lush green garden,  a sparkling fountain and a small pond.  Obviously maintaining the environment while manufacturing some of the most sought after metal forming technologies. Spread across 15 acres and built-up area of 15,000 sqm, the manufacturing plant also houses the head office.

A History of Success
Established in 1972 by Antony Rasquinha, Chairman & Managing Director, along with a team of five people, the company has come a long way.  The company started with a desire to innovate and develop new products and technologies that would benefit the Indian industry.

While giving me a tour of the facility, S K Saha, General Manager – Marketing, Electropneumatics & Hydraulics (I) Pvt. Ltd said, “The company started with manufacturing pneumatic valves, indigenously designed and developed as import substitutes. Today, the company provides customised machines and solutions for different forming applications such as deep drawing, trimming, hot moulding, powder compacting, honing, cold extrusion, hydroforming, tube/section bending and end forming, PLC/CNC systems, AC servo drives etc.”

We were also lucky to get a glimpse of the company’s history and milestones achieved with the help of some pictures. Later, Saha went on to give provide me a more detailed picture of the company’s activities.

From The Shop Floor 
The company is classified into three divisions – Machine manufacturing division, Component manufacturing division and Fluid power division that manufactures a wide range of products.

We started our tour from machine manufacturing division.

During the machine shop tour, Saha proudly said, “There are currently more than 5000 installations by us worldwide which itself talks about our strong commitment to building reliable quality products.”

We passed by workers who were engaged in assembling of the final products. The Machine Manufacturing Division offers products for different requirements of forming. Be it single press, an automated press line or a complete turnkey system, the company has the capability and the know-how to provide the same according to the need of its customers. Having built more than 5000 machines for deep drawing, trimming, hemming, coining, cold extrusion, moulding, plastics/composite forming, tool tryout, honing, powder compacting, tube bending, end forming and other such processes, the company’s experience in forming applications is diverse and all-encompassing. They are available in tonnages up to 15,000 tons and in bed sizes as per requirement.

A walk through the machine shop of Electropneumatics can also show one how space can be utilised in order to enhance efficiency.

Talking about the technologies available in machine shop Saha said, “We have a state-of -the-art machine shop consisting of CNC 5-axes machining centres, CNC floor borers, CNC turning centres, etc. of the world’s best makes. Our Motion Control Division facilities are the most modern to manufacture AC servo systems. Besides, we have well equipped material/component testing laboratory with modern instruments.  In general, we have procedures and control checks at different stages to ensure that our product is being built to the desired standards and specifications.”

Going further, we got a chance to know more about the component division that was established in 2002. The division offers innovative and cost-effective alternatives such as tube and sheet hydroforming, specialised pressing, tube bending and end forming, etc. to conventional forming, thereby providing customers the advantage of superior product performance-to-cost.

Saha said, “Almost all the Indian and various global automobile major (two-wheeler and four-wheeler) use our components. It includes Bajaj, Mahindra, TATA, GM, Volkswagen, Ford, Cosma, Bentler, Piaggio, Behr, etc. from automotives and Godrej, Renishaw and GEA Ecoflex among others.

Our next stop was the Fluid Power Division, the oldest division of the company. This division is engaged in manufacturing of hydraulic cylinders and power packs, pneumatic valves and cylinders for the last 40 years. Application segment includes plastic, textile, packaging, machine tool, automotive, general engineering industries and automation systems.

Quality check is one of the key processes in any manufacturing process, the same stands for Electropneumatics

Also Check: Visit to Electropneumatic & Hydraulics Shop Floor at Pune

Quality Control
Electropneumatics has a proper quality control system in place that is equipped with skilled manpower and sophisticated technologies. “We not only aim at the final product but work to build quality. From the time we receive an order to the various stages of production till the end result. Quality is built into our system and the final product is the result of our system. This is a continuous process which all of us, right from the top management work on diligently,” added Saha.

The company is ISO 9001:2008 certified, while the component manufacturing division is ISO/TS 16949:2009 certified. “More than a certificate against our name, we believe that our product and our service must speak of quality through our customer’s opinion and feedback, which we take seriously,” said Saha.

R&D Effort
Electropneumatics’s R&D unit has been recognised by the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India for its continuous effort towards innovation and new developments. Research & development is an integral part of the company and it invests heavily for new developments and continuous up-gradation. More than 50 qualified engineers were working at the Design office on various products and it was my turn to take a look at the futuristic solutions being developed here.

The company started with developing the 1st import-substitute pneumatic valve and since then the focus of the company has always been to indigenously develop new technologies, especially related to the field of metal forming.  This is evident from the numerous technologies that have been developed single-handedly by Electropneumatics such as PLC/CNC control systems, AC servo drives, CNC tube benders, hydroforming technology, servo presses and industrial robots way back in mid 1980’s when import duties were very high.

“The advantage we offer to our customers is affordability of world-class technology which otherwise would have to be imported at notably higher prices. Our aim is to identify what our customers need in terms of part quality and complexity, productivity, reliability, etc., and to come up with ‘Intelligent Solutions’ for them,” said Saha.

Key Manufacturing Practises
After taking a tour of the sophisticated shop floor we went on to discuss more about the factors that led to the success of the company. According to Saha, their core strength lied in the fact that they are 100% indigenous in areas of mechanical, hydraulic, electrical & electronic design and manufacturing. This gives them an edge over their competitors and enables them to produce the latest of products without depending on others. Apart from this their capability of providing total solutions and executing huge turnkey projects for their customers and continuous efforts and investments in new product/technology development by foreseeing customer needs, irrespective of market condition has helped them stand apart.

With 650 employees and sales and service centers at Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Uttaranchal, Hyderabad, Nasik and Trichy to attend the local customers demand and a wide product range for industries like automotive, auto components, railways, defence, ship building, aerospace, power transmission, boiler etc, the company has a great future ahead.

Today, the users are looking for machines which are highly productive, energy-efficient, accurate and at the same time cost-effective. “The machines must incorporate the latest forming technologies and must often be tooled-up. In other words, the demand will grow for total solutions. Additionally, in our field, after-sales service plays a significant role of becoming an extension of our customer’s maintenance and production departments to help them run the machine effectively with minimum breakdowns,” said Saha.

Leading With a Visiosn
Electropneumatics has been working on newer technologies and products to provide its customers with ‘Intelligent Solutions’ that are environment friendly and suits customer’s requirement.

“Over the years, we have always tried to stay ahead in terms of technology. That is how we have developed many first-of-its-kind technology in India as import substitutes. We have kept pace with the developments in our field around the world and have always made sure that we can provide them to our customers at better price. The only hurdle that we often face is changing the mindset and convincing our Indian users as against a foreign supplier. It is always the question of the chicken and the egg, which comes first,” explained Saha.

As I wrapped up, I realised how the right vision, excellent manufacturing practises and customer centric approach can make an Indian company at par with the global technology providers. But having said that, the mentality has to be changed and people should understand that Indian companies can also provide high end technologies. According to Saha, Electropneumatics products are the answer to all those who feel Indian products still lag behing on the technology front.

nishant@mfgtechupdate.com

Indian Tool Manufacturers or ITM, a division of Birla Precision Technologies Limited, belonging to the Yash Birla Group is a pioneer in manufacturing and supply of high speed steel cutting tools in India.  Having been in the business for more than 70 years, it offers a comprehensive range of High Speed Steel (HSS) cutting tools to companies across the engineering industry. ITM products and solutions are widely accepted and known for thequality and performance not only in the domestic market but also various export markets.

Established in 1937, the company has pioneered the business of HSS cutting tools in India. The plant at Nashik was started in the year 1973, followed by its second unit that started in 1989-90 at Aurangabad.

The Nashik plant has played a vital role in the growth of the company. ITM Products popularly known as “Dagger Brand” made from the finest High Speed Steel and conforming to stringent international standards are exported to the European and American Markets apart from being sold throughout India through an extensive distribution network.

Product Offerings
ITM believes in constantly evolving with the technological trends, this has led the company to manufacture more than 10,000 different varieties of products including drills taps, reamers, milling cutters and tool bits among others. ITM undertakes production of cutting tools in various grades of HSS like M2, M35, M42 and T42 among others.

An extensive range of high seed steel cutting tools in various grades and various types of drills, milling cutters, reamers, taps and tool bits are manufactured in ITM’s well-equipped units in Maharashtra. The plant in Nashik is focused mainly on special tools are that are manufactured according to the customer demands, while the plant at Aurangabad manufactures standard catalogue products.

The company boats of manufacturing a wide range of drills, carbide tipped masonry drill to high performance drill, a customer can find everything here. One of the most sought after products from the ITM shop floor is the specially developed Carbide Tipped Masonry Drill for drilling of all traditional buildings material like concrete, stonework, bricks, tiles and marble among others.

According to the company officials, ITM is committed to manufacture quality cutting tools by continual improvements in process, by adapting innovations & creativity and by implementation of quality systems through involvement of all the employees. The company also believes in working towards achieving customer satisfaction through continual improvements in ‘timely delivery of quality products and services’.

Investing In Technology
Keeping in line with the technological developments in the machine tools industry, the cutting tool technology has also undergone various changes. This has also resulted in development of a variety of HSS, like powder technology and different types of coatings. Today the customers have a wide range of option to choose from. This has led to a competition among HSS cutting tools providers to meet the evolving demands and they have a huge task of meeting the improved norms of productivity and quality requirements. To meet these challenges, the ITM facilities are well equipped with CNC turning machines, heat treatment system, flute-grinding machines and friction welding machines.

Growth On Cards
Nothing stopped ITM to invest in technology, not even the economic downturn. This reflects on its determination towards the commitment towards excellence in manufacturing and to their customers. Looking at the change in demand trends, the company will continue to invest in technology in an attempt meet the specific customer requirements.

nishant@mfgtechupdate.com

Precihole Machine Tools Pvt Ltd has perfected the art of making reliable deep hole drilling machines during 25 years of its existence. Precihole also provides precision machining and component manufacturing services for the engineering industry. Spread across a total of 150,000 sqft in enclosed building structures, Precihole is today market leader when it comes to state-of-the-art machine tools and special purpose machines. A visit to their facility proves why… 

Headquartered in Thane, near Mumbai in Maharashtra, Precihole has become a one-stop-shop for deep hole drilling technology. The company is now enjoying considerable amount of export as well. The Precihole story began 25 years ago when three experienced and seasoned technocrats got together with an aim to revolutionise the machine tool industry by providing custom-made machinery with cutting edge technology at reasonable costs.

Precihole is an industry leader when it comes to reliable and cost effective deep hole drilling solutions. The company also flaunts India’s largest and most versatile job shop for deep hole drilling services. Backed by skilled engineers and excellent sales and service, the company has several hundred machines successfully in production at several large and medium sized businesses around the world. The company has valued customers in the defense, automotive, aerospace, oil and gas exploration, steel tube, medical equipment, textile, machinery & machine tools, heavy engineering and general engineering industry.

The Precihole Advantage
To keep it short-Precihole offers the latest in cutting technology at affordable costs. The machines are well designed with the customer needs in mind. The machine tool range offered by Precihole covers most materials and hole sizes needed in the industry. The Precihole team considers that the effort being put by them for continuous innovation helps them lead. The team has been making constant progress on the technology front by innovating new designs and offering customers sophisticated product at affordable price each year. The company manufactures a superior quality range of deep hole drilling technology and these machines are available as per the customer’s specific demand. In order to meet this demand, the company standardises various modules. This ensures that the customer gets faster deliveries.

The Facility
The state-of-the-art facility is equipped with latest technologies backed by skilled work force. The company uses the best quality equipment’s to ensure reliable products for its customers. Quality assurance follows each individual part from initial fabrication through final assembly. The company also invests heavily in manpower development and training by conducting workshops and training sessions. “We believe in nurturing talent and continuously providing them training” says A A Qazi, Director, Precihole Machine Tools Pvt Ltd.

For every machine, depending on the specification and design requirement, there are 15 to 20 engineers working on the design alone, while almost equal numbers of employees work on the manufacturing process in the tool room and around 12 to 15 more during the assembling process.

In terms of specifications, drilling machines are built to handle components of diameters ranging between 2-150 mm typically, while 300-400 mm diameter machines can also be made. A machine weighs roughly around 7-8 tonnes and can be customised as per the need. Also, after dispatching the machine, Precihole appoints one engineer to the customer’s factory who takes care of assembling and training. The company maintains international standards at every step right from the shop floor practices to component manufacturing, end-product quality to dispatching.

Talking about the innovations in the company Qazi says, “We have a dedicated team for research and design activities, who continuously work for up gradation of our machines. We have exported various machines to counties like USA, Brazil, Austria and Canada.”

Variety of Products
The company’s complete line of deep hole drilling machines is designed to meet the needs of the modern machine shop today and for years to come. These machines offer a wide range of features and capabilities making them versatile to suit a myriad of applications in various industries. The multi-axis and multi-spindle versions boost productivity many folds without compromising on accuracy and rigidity.

The newly introduced next generation BTA drilling machines provide enough power to easily drill into solid metal up to 350mm (13’’) and lengths of up to 15m (45 ft.). Precihole also specialises in manufacturing custom designed special purpose machines that cater to complex drilling and machining needs.

Precihole has developed the largest Deep Hole Drilling job-hop in India. But there is much more to this, the company also has an in-house facility for Precision component manufacturing. With the latest machinery in place, Precihole has been able to provide customers complete solution for their product, from process designing to the actual finished component. With over 30 years of experience, Precihole has established itself as a brand in this niche technology.

Over the year, with its wide range of sophisticated deep hole drilling technologies, the company has earned huge number of customers in its basket. Precihole has customers in wide variety of sectors which incude Honda, Mahindra, TATA, Premier, Cummins, Escosrts, Bosch, Godrej and Sandvik to name a few.

Aiming High For The Future
During its inception, it was considered to be a local brand, but with continuous innovation and hard work the company has made its mark in global the market.
“We always try to make our products beyond the customer’s expectation so that we have more to offer. We also try new things and upgrade ourselves with the demand. We have incorporated lean manufacturing in our system, which is not only helping us reduce and identify unnecessary waste processes, but is helping us increase the volume of products being manufactured at our plant without any added cost or investment,” says Qazi.
Precihole is committed to providing the highest level of quality in all its solutions. The company has implemented 5S, Kaizen, TPM and other techniques of Lean Management in various departments to ensure continual improvement. The company also works on SAP B1, a world-renowned ERP system.

Precihole is one of those companies, who challenge themselves to upgrade their offerings. Looking into forward, Precihole aims to increase its market share in the global market by making foot hold and entering new markets.