Industry 4.0 : To Make India a Manufacturing Powerhouse

In its consistent efforts towards zero-defect, increased productivity goals,the Indian manufacturing industry is embracing smart technologies that
herald an era of unprecedented benefits.

The manufacturing industry of India will derive optimum benefits from technologies that connect systems for intelligent production. Technologies that enable Industry 4.0, capturing data and data sources, communicating data between machines, sensors and data sources, 3D printing, robots and systems such as Internet of Things (IoT) have made manufacturing ‘smart’.

Indian companies are embracing these technologies and investing in the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) just as any other major economy of the world. The changes that machine tool manufacturing industry is witnessing in terms of scale and magnitude for increasing its productivity through Industry 4.0 is one which has never been experienced before.

Why the need for Industry 4.0

To begin with, companies initially focused on mass production and customized production. Now customers are demanding for customized production in mass. This necessitates production system and processes to be flexible and smart. Moreover, when production becomes capital intensive, the labor cost advantages of traditional locations shrink and Industry 4.0 becomes vital.

Relevance of Industry 4.0

Customers today demand for zero defect products and it is difficult for manufacturing industry to satisfy the demands of customers without embracing smart technologies. Industry 4.0 is relevant in this as it enables the industry to produce zero defect products besides increasing productivity. As the industry upgrades its machinery to modern ones which are compatible with Industry 4.0 we would see productivity levels scaling up.

India and Industry 4.0

Indian companies are offering first generation 4.0 solutions. An awareness is being built up on smart manufacturing throughout the industry workforce. Many individual companies are adopting advanced ERP systems which monitor production process in more detail and generate data for the management on real-time basis. Many companies in auto component and automobile sector are shifting to Industry 4.0. in production process.

Smart manufacturing

Smart manufacturing is envisioned as the future of manufacturing. It is a process that integrates human ingenuity with data and technology to revolutionize the development and application of manufacturing intelligence to all aspects of a business. To develop smart manufacturing and build intelligence in business processes, Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA) organizes a symposium on Smart Manufacturing in Bangalore. The symposium acts as a forum to address the queries and challenges in this area. Two Symposiums on Smart Manufacturing have been organized by IMTMA in 2016 and 2017.

Roadmap for future

The industry can leap forward with smart manufacturing. Industry leaders must provide a direction in this. In terms of cost and adapting to new systems, a phased approach will be practical. Companies need to assess the overall manufacturing facilities, plant integration, plant-wide optimization and manufacturing intelligence and knowledge for business transformation. This will enable the Indian manufacturing industry to become globally competitive.

Government support

Recognizing the importance of smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0, the Government of India has been promoting Industry 4.0 through various seminars and stakeholder discussions for showcasing its relevance for the manufacturing sector. The govern-ment is also committed to developing Industry 4.0 technology through national institutions such as CMTI and IITs, etc. The Department of Heavy Industry is also thinking of supporting Experience Centers for Industry 4.0 jointly with industry partners with multiple locations.

National Productivity Summit 2017

Companies are being constantly challenged to increase competitiveness in manufacturing to increase their growth, reduce cost of operations, enhance productivity and thereby, build a sustainable competitive advantage. With the growing merger of physical and digital manufacturing worlds, technological advancement is becoming a key facilitator in this pursuit. Companies need to adopt a highly structured approach to manage innovation, while at the same time, not losing out on time to reach the markets.

To champion the cause of productivity and enhancing competitiveness in the Indian manufacturing industry, IMTMA is organizing the 11^th edition of the National Productivity Summit on August 04-05, 2017 in Pune.

The summit will showcase the best practices in manufacturing. It will have inspiring keynotes from eminent speakers, seven case study presentations by manufacturing companies contesting for the IMTMA-ACE Micromatic Productivity Championship Awards 2017, and three plant visits to Spicer India & Bosch Chassis Systems India, Cummins India & Tata Cummins, and Mahle Behr India & Concentric Pumps to witness how productivity improvement projects are being translated into action. The Productivity Championship Awards will recognize and reward outstanding efforts from the shortlisted case studies of companies who have excelled in achieving superior performance and give cash prizes worth `10 lakh.

Delhi Machine Tool Expo 2017

IMTMA is organizing the second edition of its northern regional show, the Delhi Machine Tool Expo (DMTX) 2017, on August 10-13, 2017 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

The expo will also focus on Metrology and Welding: METROLOGY EXPO, an exhibition for testing instrument, metrology and equipment; and WELDEXPO, an exhibition for welding, cutting and joining, will be held concurrently.

DMTX will showcase state-of-the-art technologies focusing on manufacturing solutions for metal cutting and metal forming industries located in North India. Focus will be on the large number of small and medium enterprises spread across the states including Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.

Expressing his views about the expo, PG Jadeja, President, IMTMA, said, “North India has many industries, and is a hub for engineering and manufacturing. The first edition of the show held two years ago provided a common platform for manufacturers to expand their range. This show will also have presence from domestic and international machine tool manufacturers.”

Concurring with Jadeja’s views, V Anbu, Director General, IMTMA, added, “We expect a bigger level of participation and better footfalls for this edition from the region cutting across various industry sectors.”

DMTX 2017 will feature over 200 exhibitors occupying a gross exhibition area of around 12,000 sq mt in three exhibition halls. Seven foreign countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, the USA, China, Taiwan and Australia) are expected to participate.