India. Inc,'s plugged in and
raring to go
GOURI AGTEY ATHALE
TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2003 12:38:50 AM ]

PUNE: Gizmos like an omelette maker (egg in, omelette out, served on your plate) or a kabab maker are the off-beat, even fun, avatars of automation. Industrial automation, with its sub-set of robotics, is increasingly gaining importance as more and more units target international standards.

Industrial automation is needed by any unit which manufactures over 500 units per shift: this size is ripe for automation. For such units, the payback period on investment is short, upto three years, Wing Cdr (Retd) VD Chattur, Infotech Resources, said.

With Indian companies increasingly setting their sights on global markets, quality is an issue. Ambar Karve, of Innova Technologies pointed to the liabilities an auto component manufacturer faces, even in the domestic market, as these OEMs begin implementing global practices. Since components are supplied on the production line, in a just-in-time (JIT) mode, product quality is a given.

Industrial automation is a matter of survival for auto component manufacturers. They can no longer afford to have even a single fault on a component: the costs are too high. If he is an exporter, any failure of the vehicle due to his component will make him liable for insurance damages as well. Besides, he will never again get an order. So, he has to move away from manual processes, Mr Karve said.

For some sectors, semi-automation may suffice, where the manufacturer, especially from the small scale sector (SSI) may want to keep his employees and still automate for quality and productivity reasons. The payback period is shorter when volumes are higher.

As a global sourcing hub, Indian manufacturers need to provide high quality and low production costs. This is forcing more and more units to go for automation, including robotics. The domestic automation industry is largely centred around Pune and Bangalore , the former known more for its innovative capabilities. Witness the omelette or kabab maker.

Western Maharashtra is home to about 1,000 units, including the capital goods manufacturers as well as their ancillary units. These units have invested about Rs 20 crore in their capacities, installing robotics worth Rs 200 annually. Automation in industry is growing at 70% annually and with the global demand for high quality and low cost of production, this could even grow at 100% annually for a few years.

India is seen as the systems integrator for the sector, since the robot arm is imported from global majors. The systems integration includes mounting the electronics on the robot and customising it for use. Several of the Pune units have capacities booked till January ‘05.

The city will host a ‘Robotsav’ from February 27 to 29, where 50-60 companies from western Maharashtra will showcase their products. The aim is also to get the SSI sector to scale up, apart from targeting students with innovative, even if zany, ideas. After all, the omelette and kabab maker are still part of the industry.