By Ranjana Konatt, Editor – Brand Positioning
The Automation Expo 2019 is known to be Asia’s leading Automation and Instrumentation Exhibition. The event was held from September 9th to 12th, 2019 at Mumbai. The Automation Expo 2019 was visited by several representatives from the automation and robotics sector, and it proved to be a bustling platform to network with leading companies. The event saw approximately 50,000 visitors and 1,100 exhibitors across both big sized, medium-sized companies being represented from 25 countries. Exhibitors showcased their complex and simple robotic systems, and the overall sentiment was that the Indian automation and robotics sector has continued to show potential and increasing demand for products, services, and technology.
Here are a few excerpts from interviews conducted with companies represented at the Automation Expo 2019:
Shubham Vijayvargiya, Account Manager, Faro
“We have been participating in the Automation Expo for a long time now. Presently, we are showcasing our complete solution for quality inspection by our CMM machines, our laser scanners and our software’s. To explain a little about our products, FARO is well known for its portable CMM machines and its patented technologies. In the exhibitions, we are displaying Laser tracker, Portable Arm with 8th Axis solution, 3D Array Imager which makes quality inspection Quick, Precise and Effective. The 3D imager and the laser tracker are also used for robotic applications, 3d Imager is used for automizing complete inspection process & Our laser Trackers are being used by Robot Manufacturing industries for Calibration, ISO9283 Tests, Which ultimately is used to increase the accuracy of the robots by around We times, Making robots highly accurate to be used in precise applications.”
Farook Merchant, Chairman & Managing Director, Messung
“Our company was established in the year 1981. Between the years 2018-2019, we decided to introduce the concept of ‘Make in India’ as the products we were importing were unnecessarily expensive. One of the products showcased at the Automation Expo 2019 is the table which is electrostatic discharge free – this means that it discharges all electricity. All our products are economical and are tested for safety. Some of our present customers are BARC and Bharat Electronics. Our products are designed with ergonomics in mind. Also, we have a chair which is ESD free, it also has high voltage probes where the current is measured and where we can check the resistance. We majorly use German standards as we don’t have standards to adhere to that are based in India. Today, we have consultants who also specify what we should have as a part of our product range.”
Dr Amit Bhingurde, COO, Tata Motors Limited, Brabo
“We have completed four years in the automation sector and we are growing every year. We began with a team of four people and today we have 120 plus employees. Speaking about the penetration in the Indian market – presently robotics is not used widely. There is a need for Indian robots and automation in the Indian industries. Especially concerning small-scale industries, now people increase productivity and quality through efficiency. We began with a small robot of 10kgs and now we have moved to 20kgs, that are fast and accurate. Also, in the Indian market, the cost of ownership is low. Today we have a server-driven motor and these are server robots that are connected through IoT. We are showcasing the status of each robot and that gives us the data. We have several robots and we will go forward in a step by step fashion. From the client-side, we have developed in technology and we are also looking at demand from mid-level companies. Nowadays there is a quick change over and from an industry perspective there is also awareness around the robot.”
Harshit Kyal, Partner, Glory Auto Tech
“We are the distributor of a Chinese company and we have different kinds of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). In terms of application and automation, we are targeting textile industries and we have different kinds of PLCs through which we can control machines via SMS. Also, we are focusing on web-based solutions through which we can open IOS devices through apps.”
Viral Nagada, Assistant Manager – Sales, BCIL
“We represent applications within the manufacturing space where there are industries that want to know the stage of manufacturing. For instance – the automation and the pharmaceutical food industry. We also have our applications on barcoding ad RFID tagging. Today, the market is all about efficiency and we have everything by doing our job. Companies are willing to invest because right now its about efficiency and good customer experience. Internationally, we have offices in Columbo and Singapore, we also have a definitive market in Sri Lanka.”
Crystal Sung, Account Manager, Oring
“We are headquartered in Taiwan and we are the manufacturers of industrial networking devices such as switches, media, converters and wellness products, IoT and end-to-end gateways. Presently, our market focus is building automation, power substations, IP surveillance, intelligent transportation systems and oil and gas. As a part of our portfolio, we focus on data transmission and on how we communicate and take data sensors to the cloud. Generally, the main purpose is for it to go to the control centre. Speaking of the demand we see for this in India – today, India is focused on smart cities and things are developing in terms of infrastructure buildings for energy roads and cities. There are a lot of opportunities here, so mostly these are linked to the IP surveillance data and we need to build this and achieve this purpose. Data is sensitive, and It all depends on where the customer wants to place their server. So even if it is a local server, if we comply with an open protocol standard, we can still use the device to build the communication pass.”
Seong Kyun Ko, Motion Product Manager, Global Business Development, RS Automation
“Our company is RS Automation and it specialises in motion controller devices. In the past, we have worked with L & T on several projects. Our products are popular in Korea and we are specialised in flat panel display as well as in semiconductors. Furthermore, we are supplying in packaging, plastics, electronics, mobile, logistics and so on. The Indian market is price-oriented and we try to meet customer demand. India very often wants high-quality products at a low price. I think our products are compatible with those in the Indian market and are based on the competitiveness of the Indian market. We are continuously in the process of upgrading our products. The Korean market is strong in semiconductors and flat panel displays. Our products are focused on productivity and user convenience.
Fabricio Calvo-Silva, Application Engineer Motion, KEBA
“KEBA is an Austrian Supplier for electronic components and software for robot manufacturers all over the world. (Our customers) can focus their expertise on making mechanical robots, we from KEBA supply them with motors, drives, PLCs, controllers and the software. With KEBA as partner various Applications can be realized. We support welding, laser cutting, pharmacy, pick and place-based applications. Brabo, is making robots successfully and they are making it in India. As our customer they use high quality KEBA controllers, drives and panels. The Indian robotic market shows big potential and it’s also why KEBA decided to have a local subsidiary in Pune for local onsite support. India is a very cost-sensitive market and this is why KEBA expanded their portfolio with additional low-cost products. We have low-cost controllers, panels, drives which are much more compact and are cheap.”
