The first edition of the Machine Tools Manufacturing and Technology Expo 2020 was held in Mumbai. It had enterprises from different manufacturing belts of the country stake their claim with a show of excellence.
Story by: Deven Lad
The first edition of the Machine Tools Manufacturing and Technology (MMT) Expo 2020 was held from March 11-14, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, in Mumbai. With an objective of creating opportunities for large, medium and small enterprises from across the northern, western and southern industrial belts in Mumbai, the expo drew attention to the disruptive technologies and advancements made by the machine tools and manufacturing industry with a pan India exhibitor participation. Averred Yogin Chhaniara, President, Machine Tools Manufacturers Association, Rajkot, “MMT expo creates an opportunity for segments of India’s northern, western and southern regions to establish themselves in Mumbai’s machine tools industry. Rajkot has been the manufacturing hub of machine tools since decades and we are hoping MMT will give a better opportunity to Rajkot’s industries. This event will be a giant for the machine tools industry in the near future.” The expo drew diverse participation from stakeholder companies across applications like metal cutting and related tools, metal forming, metal presses and press brakes, laser cutting and waterjet manufacturing and allied industries. Stakeholders from metrology and measuring equipment, industrial automation, robotics and 3D printing, and general engineering also made their presence felt at the expo in a show of globally benchmarked practices adapted to India.
Together the exhibiting companies demonstrated their capabilities to cater to the requirements of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) especially pertaining to the tier-two and tier-three cities of the country. Applicable to both large industries and other Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), in hindsight, the B2B exhibition kicked off its Mumbai leg with a well-rounded representation from industries including the automobile, aerospace, general engineering and capital goods domain. The first edition proved itself as a forum to demonstrate the latest innovations and technologies in the field of both metal cutting and metal forming machinery, low-cost automation, material handling, and quality control systems. Together with off-the-shelf production aids, accessories, consumables, software and consultancy it proved to be a well-rounded display. Inaugurated at the hands of Shreegopal Kabra, Managing Director & Group President, RR Global, the expo proved its significance to key representatives and decision-makers including CEOs, entrepreneurs, mid-level management, senior executives, corporate planners and strategists alike. The exhibition also appealed to the R&D specialists, manufacturing managers and executives, shop-floor engineers, supervisors and technicians, agents and dealers. Among key exhibitors at the expo were industrial robot manufacturer Brabo, Flir Systems into the design and production of thermal imaging cameras, components and imaging sensors, machine tools companies Samkrish Group Kitamura and Precihole, precision presswork company Nakamura, flatbed UV printer, cutting plotter and laser welding machine manufacturer Angel Cad Cam. Also present were Sanjay Tools & Adhesives, DNE Laser, Mold Mender, Mehta Cad Cam, DMPL, Nimak, Roots, Leoni, Monotech, Singhal Presses, Gujarat Lathe, Accurate, Siddhapura, Dowel Machinery, Accusharp, SLTL, Sivisoft, Sterp, Glec and Bettinelli.
On the sidelines of the event, a session on the trends and technologies of additive manufacturing was discussed. The expo also witnessed live product demonstrations and masterclasses and training sessions aimed at helping enhance the skill sets of attendees from the machine tools industry. The show was supported by Machine Tools Manufacturers Association (MTMA) of Rajkot as the lead partner with support from All India Association of Industries, All India Confederation of Small and Micro Industries Associations, All India Manufacturers Association, All India Manufacturers Organisation, All India MSME Association, Capital Goods Skill Council, SME Chamber of India, Gujarat State Plastic Manufacturers Association, Nashik Industries Manufacturers Association, Ambad Industries Manufacturers Association, FICO Mega Machine Tool Cluster, Packaging Industries Association of India, Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Taloja Industries Association and the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC). ACI
Igus (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Igus (India) Pvt. Ltd., showcased a lubrication-free, two-component bearing iglidur Q2E. Used in construction machines, agricultural machines, utility vehicles and offshore installations, it claims to offer a better solution compared to standard bearings. The latter are known to face a problem in extreme conditions such as heavy loads. With the material iglidur Q2E said to ensure a tested high degree of wear-resistance coupled with the hard polymer shell to protect the heavy-duty bearing, the company is initially offering shaft diameters of 20, 25, 30 and 40 mm. Igus is working on expanding its range of bearings for heavy-duty applications. Among efforts are closing the gap between bearings and solutions made of metal and composites. For instance, the Q2E consists of high-performance plastics and is lubrication and corrosion-free. Sans lubrication it is claimed to allow a maintenance-free operation of the bearing points and is said to prevent machine failures. This in effect renders expensive central lubrication systems as outdated. With strong resistance to dirt and impurities, wear is minimised. It also plugs the excessive use of grease and oil leakage back into the environment. Less grease and oil escapes into the environment result in annual consumption of over 35 million metric tonnes of lubricant, according to RWTH Aachen University. The injection-moulding method used to manufacture the plain bearings is believed to be cost-efficient too.
Flir Systems
Flir Systems drew attention to the latest in the design and production of thermal imaging cameras, components and imaging sensors. Emphasising how thermal imaging has the ability to complement Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), the company has developed several products to improve quality control in factories and streamline repairs. With efficient ADAS and autonomous vehicle (AV) systems using cost-effective thermal cameras, the company claims to produce the only automotive-qualified thermal camera in cars today. Through its tier 1 automotive supplier ‘Veoneer’, the company has equipped more than 700,000 cars with reliable night vision with pedestrian and animal detection. Among added capabilities is the ability to reliably classify objects in the dark and through obscurants including smoke, sun glare, and most fog in day or night. By providing non-contact precision temperature measurement and non-destructive testing, thermal cameras can ensure the health of both the automobiles being made and machines that make them. From thermal cameras to multimeters, Flir Systems also created awareness around its diagnostic instruments backed by vivid images and precise data.
BRABO Robotics and Automation Ltd.
BRABO Robotics and Automation Ltd (BRAL) showcased the Bandicoot 2.0 robot. Developed in collaboration with Genrobotic Innovations that signed an MoU with TATA Brabo for bulk manufacturing of the product late last year, the robot is aimed at elimination of manual scavenging. Using four advanced sewer cameras which work in day and light, the robot goes inside the manhole and mimics all the actions of a human scavenger. With two structures: robotic unit with an arm and four legs and a control panel unit, the unit takes advantage of a fixed, waterproof, night-vision camera that transmits 4K resolution videos and images in real-time. Claimed to have a high corrosion resistance, a light-weight carbon fibre body is an added advantage. With the help of sensors, Bandicoot measures different environmental parameters like manhole dimensions, material and chemicals inside the manhole besides measuring humidity and temperature. With a Degree of Freedom of five, the robotic has the capability of moving 360 degrees. A bucket unit of 18 litres capacity is attached to collect waste.
Dowel Machinery Pvt. Ltd.
Dowel Machinery Pvt. Ltd. (DMPL) showcased modem manufacturing equipment. As a leading manufacturer of hydraulic presses with capacity ranging from five-tonnes to 500-tonnes and more than 3200 machines in operation both in India and abroad, at the expo, the company showcased the PLC operated hydraulic press with a stroke setting of up to 0.25 micron and pressure setting of up to 0.5-tonne. Useful for precision and production work, the press is claimed to offer a rigid and robust frame structure. The company also showcased the two four pillar type hydraulic press useful in assembly work, die works and production work.
N Gandhi & Co.
High precision balls and roller provider, N Gandhi & Co. showcased metallic and non-metallic balls (ceramics, glass & plastic), S2 Balls, rollers and grinding media to serve the automobiles and aeronautics sectors. The company offers tailored solutions for precision balls with an over three-decade experience. It manufactures tungsten carbide balls available in different grades of 10 and 25 used in the automotive door assembly. Claimed to offer superior corrosion resistance with a nickel binder, over the standard tungsten carbide (Cobalt binder), it is more suited to operations under abrasive and corrosive conditions. The tungsten carbide nickel binder is made available in 10, 25 and 100 grades. The company also created awareness around its brass balls with good corrosion resistance, excellent electrical properties and low frictional properties.
