“Toolmakers, particularly in the machine tool segment, play a vital role in enabling smart machinery. One of the key contributions they can make is by developing customised machines. High levels of automation are best achieved when machines are tailored to the specific needs of an industry”, says Dr. Sandhya Pande, Senior Director at Philips India.
By Neha Basudkar Ghate
1. India has a unique mix of high-skill labor and semi-automated industrial setups. What structural or ecosystem-level shifts are needed to make automation and robotics adoption more inclusive and scalable across India’s MSME manufacturing landscape?
We do have high-skilled labor and a large pool of semi-skilled or unskilled labor. But automation primarily impacts the semi-skilled and unskilled segments. So, there are two key areas where structural changes are needed.
First, we need to focus on upskilling and reskilling the workforce. By doing so, we ensure that people can continue working alongside automation and robotics without losing their jobs.
Second, we need to identify the real need for automation. In my 25 years in this field, I have seen many automation projects fail simply because companies didn’t fully evaluate whether automation was necessary or beneficial in the first place. Key questions often go unasked like:
- What problem are we trying to solve?
- What are the manual costs vs. automation costs?
- What quality standards or productivity gains are we targeting?
Automation should be driven by clear goals. Unfortunately, many companies implement it without proper evaluation, leading to poor ROI or failure. Structural changes should therefore include frameworks for assessing the necessity and suitability of automation.
Now, when we talk about MSMEs, the conversation becomes even more nuanced. MSMEs can and should consider automation but it must be aligned with a long-term strategy. Let me give you an example:
Suppose a stamping component supplier in the auto sector automates loading, unloading, and stacking. That is great but what’s the next step in his roadmap?
If there is a clear vision and a phased plan to move up the value chain, then automation can become a growth enabler. But a lack of foresight or roadmap is often what holds MSMEs back. That is another area where ecosystem-level support is needed helping MSMEs build that vision.
2- What key technological advancements do you believe will redefine precision manufacturing and industrial automation in the future?
When it comes to the machine tool area, I see three major areas of advancement. On the shop floor, we often refer to certain equipment as class A machines. These are critical machines where, if they go down, the entire assembly line comes to a halt. They are premium, primary machines, so maintaining their uptime is essential. Avoiding sudden breakdowns of these machines is a key focus area.
To ensure this, preventive maintenance becomes very important. Once such machines are identified on the shop floor, companies can implement a predictive maintenance strategy. This is an emerging area in automation and robotics. By placing sensors on components that are prone to failure, such as bearings or motors, and continuously capturing data, it becomes possible to predict and prevent failures before they occur.
This approach helps in maximising machine uptime. Identifying such critical areas, understanding how they impact productivity and quality, and developing technologies to support consistent performance will be essential for the future of precision manufacturing and automation.
3- Predictive maintenance and similar technologies can be costly. There are no truly turnkey or zero-cost solutions. How can manufacturers manage this?
Solutions are evolving, and today, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has become almost a hygiene factor for machines. IIoT is no longer considered a high-cost solution. What really matters is identifying where and how you want to collect the data using IIoT sensors, and how you plan to analyse that data to maintain uptime, precision, and accuracy of your machines.
Most modern machine tools now come equipped with IIoT sensors. These sensors monitor data related to the performance of the machine, which plays a key role in ensuring consistent uptime, quality, and overall performance.
4- When we talk about machine monitoring, we are referring to tools like machine monitoring software or MES systems. If we are able to identify class A machines on the shop floor, the ones that are critical to production, can we focus monitoring efforts on those to maximise their uptime?
Yes, but to get the data into any machine monitoring software, you first need to install IoT sensors. That is where automation begins. Machine monitoring always works in conjunction with these sensors, which are known as IoT or IIoT sensors. This is a form of low-cost automation.
In an MES system, these sensors continuously send performance data. For example, in many machines, a common cause of failure is the bearings. Bearings tend to heat up or wear out over time. Now, how do we know a bearing is nearing the end of its life? There are three indicators: increased noise, heating, and loss of concentricity or outrun. Sensors can capture all these parameters and feed them into the MES.
In the MES, this data is represented through a normal distribution curve. The moment the values start deviating from the normal range, it signals that the bearing may fail soon. That allows you to schedule maintenance in advance and replace the part proactively. This helps maintain consistent machine uptime.
This is from the preventive maintenance point of view. But there is another level of automation known as predictive maintenance. Predictive maintenance uses historical performance data from the machine and relies on machine learning and artificial intelligence to make comparisons. Based on this, it can suggest maintenance needs before problems arise.
There is also a third level, called prescriptive maintenance. So, you have preventive, predictive, and prescriptive maintenance. Preventive is more basic, while predictive and prescriptive are higher levels of automation. In cases where machines are high-stakes assets, companies are increasingly opting for predictive or prescriptive maintenance strategies.
5- With the increasing convergence of CNC machining, 3D printing, and robotic material handling, how do you see these technologies working together to improve tooling times and accuracy in the tooling and mould-making environment?
In the tooling and mould-making environment, a typical production cycle involves three stages: loading the component, performing the operation, and unloading the component. The opportunity to reduce cycle time, and therefore increase productivity, lies in automating the loading and unloading processes.
This is where robots come into play. Robots can be synchronised with the machine’s operation time, so that once the operation is completed, the robot can immediately unload the part and load the next one. In many cases, a single robot can handle both loading and unloading tasks. This setup is often referred to as a cell or an operation cell. If this entire cycle is optimised, it can significantly improve the efficiency and productivity of that cell.
However, there are some technical considerations. You first need to study the actual operation time. For example, consider a stamping machine. In some cases, the stamping must occur in two stages. During this time, the robot that has already loaded the part may have to wait until both operations are completed. Similarly, the robot waiting to load the next part is also idle.
To address this, you can split the operations across two different machines or stages. So, while the first operation is happening on one machine, the component can then move to the second operation on another machine. Meanwhile, the robot can load the next component onto the first machine. This way, you can synchronise the loading, first operation, transfer, second operation, and unloading more efficiently.
This optimisation process should ideally be done through value stream mapping, which helps determine whether the operation should be split or if the system can tolerate the waiting time between robot cycles.
6- What role can toolmakers play in India’s smart machinery industry, particularly as providers of precision jigs, fixtures, and moulds that enable repeatability and automation across sectors like medical devices, semiconductors, electric vehicles, and the emerging aerospace and defence industries?
Toolmakers, particularly in the machine tool segment, play a vital role in enabling smart machinery. One of the key contributions they can make is by developing customised machines. High levels of automation are best achieved when machines are tailored to the specific needs of an industry. For example, a machine used in medical device manufacturing may not suit the requirements of an automobile assembly line.
The first step is to move away from general-purpose machines and create customised solutions. This allows for improvements in operational speed, accuracy, and automation. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work. If toolmakers can justify and deliver industry-specific machines, they will add significant value across sectors.
The second important aspect is training. Building a machine is one part, but operating, programming, and maintaining it requires a skilled workforce. Localisation can help, but only if the technology is properly understood, deployed, and more importantly, sustained. Right now, sustaining the technology is a major challenge. Many organisations adopt automation enthusiastically, but without proper understanding and trained manpower, they struggle to maintain it. As a result, the expected outcomes are not achieved and the automation effort fails.
So, the cycle that toolmakers need to follow is clear. First, build a strategy: where, why, and how automation should be implemented. Second, understand which technology is most suitable. Third, adopt the right technology while building the necessary skill base. Finally, focus on sustaining the technology to ensure long-term success.
If toolmakers can follow this approach, they will be able to deploy and maintain advanced technologies effectively and deliver measurable results. This is especially important because these are high-cost technologies, and return on investment is often a concern. It is not just a challenge for toolmakers, but also for customers who invest in the machinery. Toolmakers must demonstrate that their machines can deliver returns, and customers must understand how to derive that return through effective use.
7- Sometimes this is where the big gap lies. We invest heavily in expensive machines, but we do not realise that it might take years before we start seeing the actual benefits. How should this be addressed?
I would go back to the same three points. First, understand your strategy and identify the areas where you want to introduce automation. Second, choose the right technology for your requirement. And third, plan how you will sustain that automation.
Sustaining does not only mean maintaining the equipment. It also means ensuring you are getting the desired output from the technology. For example, you may install a robot, train your staff, and set up an AMC contract. But if the robot does not deliver the expected results, you cannot say the automation is successful. Only when all three aspects are clearly addressed will automation deliver the return on investment.
8- Many tool groups struggle with automating short-run, high-precision jobs during the design phase. There is also a lack of standardisation due to customisation demands. What strategies or technologies can help in such scenarios?
You already mentioned the key terms ‘strategy and technology’, they and both are closely tied to return on investment. In cases of short-run or batch production, which is essentially make-to-order, the focus should shift towards building a flexible manufacturing system rather than a highly specialised one.
You need general-purpose automation that can handle frequent changeovers between small production batches. This is where Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS), come into play. While the concept is not new, it is highly effective in such scenarios.
A good example is the luxury automotive segment, where manufacturers produce a limited number of units across many models. Take Mercedes, for instance. Despite producing only a few thousand vehicles per month, they manage multiple model variants on the same line with the help of automation and robotics. This is a textbook case of flexible manufacturing.
Maruti Suzuki is another good example. They produce both high-volume entry-level models and low-volume premium ones. Their ability to manage this variety lies in using the same assembly line with changes in programming and fixtures. The robot remains the same, but its programming and the fixtures used to hold parts are adapted for different models.
The key here is reducing changeover time. If you can design fixtures that allow for quick adjustments and use the same robotic systems across models with just software changes, your line becomes flexible. Quick-changeover fixtures are already available in the market. The focus should be on designing automation that supports this kind of adaptability.
9- New product designs increasingly require components made from composites and high-hardness alloys or hybrid materials like plastic or graphite. How can Indian tool makers upskill and re-equip themselves to meet such tooling requirements?
I can give an example from my current experience in the medical device industry. In this sector, we do not use regular plastic, we use medicated plastic. However, there is currently no one in India who can produce components from medical-grade plastics. The reason is that our manufacturing processes and moulding systems are not upgraded to handle these materials.
The same applies to electric vehicles, where ultra-light materials are used to reduce weight and increase battery efficiency. Many companies are now investing in ultra-light metal composites, but the challenge is in processing these materials, which requires completely new technologies.
Another example is metal printing. For small batch sizes, instead of investing in expensive tooling, metal printing offers a more practical solution. This technology is particularly useful for short-run production.
Each industry has different requirements. Aerospace materials are different from those used in electric vehicles or medical devices, and each requires different processing techniques. The key is to understand both the material and its processing needs.
At present, the Indian industry is not fully prepared to serve these specialised sectors like aerospace, medical devices, or semiconductors. Our R&D and development efforts are still largely focused on the automotive sector.
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