HAAS AUTOMATION INDIA

C E R T I F I E D The largest machine tool builder in North America grew from a simple idea. In 1983, Gene Haas developed the first programmable rotary indexer to position parts for machining in his own shop. From that first product through the more than125,000 Haas CNC machines installed today, our philosophy has remained consistent:

Build the best products possible for the broadest market, and offer them at competitive prices. We have built on this concept for more than two decades. Our 1-million-square-foot design and manufacturing HAAS facility is evidence of the Haas commitment to our customers’ success. Haas Automation builds an extensive line of CNC (computer numerical control) machine tools, including vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables. Every American-made Haas machine is the direct result of a strong product vision, an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for AUTOMATION design innovation.

To control costs and component availability, while providing our customers with the best value in the industry, we manufacture all critical components in-house. By taking full advantage of today’s sophisticated state-of the art manufacturing technologies, we deliver machines that consistently exceed our customers’ expectations A Few Words... for productivity, reliability and affordability. The Haas manufacturing facility currently exceeds 1 million square feet, with a production We’d like to take this opportunity to wish all of our customers in India much success in your current and future business ventures. Haas Automation, Inc., has capacity of more than 1,200 machines per month. always been driven by the needs of our customers, and this has formed the foundation of our business model. By focusing our resources on providing quality To meet the growing worldwide demand for Haas products, production levels will continue to grow, products and unmatched service and support, we offer our customers a level of value they cannot find anywhere else. with a goal of building 1,300 machines per month by the end of 2008. In today’s highly competitive marketplace, companies must find ways to differentiate themselves if they are to maintain an economic advantage, and offering superior customer service can provide a distinct edge. What works today, though, may not work tomorrow. The industry and the world are continually changing, and it is evident that we must draw fresh perspectives from the knowledge and information around us if we are to adapt to that change. The next important step is to share that knowledge: It is the only way to bring together the successful achievers of today with the innovative ground breakers of tomorrow.

We are pleased to present this CNC Technology Trends booklet highlighting how some leading engineering companies in India are using Haas CNC technology in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to produce high quality products designed for a worldwide marketplace.

For more information about Haas Automation, please contact us at: [email protected].

Robert Murray General Manager, Haas Automation, Inc. VERTICAL VERTICAL MACHINING CENTERS MACHINING CENTERS

Office Mills 40-Taper Standard VMCs 50-Taper Standard VMCs Large-Capacity VMCs VMCs with APC Gantry OM-1A 8" x 8" x 12" (xyz) VF-1 20" x 16" x 20" (xyz) VF-3YT/50 40" x 26" x 25" (xyz) VS-1 84" x 50" x 50" (xyz) (Automatic Pallet Changer) SR-100 100" x 52" x 8" (xyz) 508 x 406 x 508 mm 2540 x 1321 x 203 mm 203 x 203 x 305 mm 1016 x 660 x 635 mm 2134 x 1270 x 1270 mm VF-3APC 40" x 20" x 25" (xyz) OM-2A 12" x 10" x 12" (xyz) VF-1YT 20" x 20" x 20" (xyz) VF-5/50 50" x 26" x 25" (xyz) VS-3 150" x 50" x 50" (xyz) 1016 x 508 x 635 mm GR-510 121" x 61" x 11" (xyz) 508 x 508 x 508 mm 3073 x 1549 x 279 mm 305 x 254 x 305 mm 1270 x 660 x 635 mm 3810 x 1270 x 1270 mm VF-3SSAPC 40" x20" x 25" (xyz) VF-2 30" x 16" x 20" (xyz) VF-5/50XT 60" x 26" x 25" (xyz) 1016 x 508 x 635 mm GR-712 145" x 85" x 11" (xyz) 762 x 406 x 508 mm 3683 x 2159 x 279 mm 1524 x 660 x 635 mm 5-Axis VMCs VF-4APC 50" x 20" x 25" (xyz) 1270 x 508 x 635 mm Toolroom Mills VF-2YT 30" x 20" x 20" (xyz) VF-6/50 64" x 32" x 30" (xyz) VF-2TR 30" x 16" x 20" (xyz) 762 x 508 x 508 mm TM-1 30" x 12" x 16" (xyz) 1626 x 813 x 762 mm 762 x 406 x 508 mm VF-4SSAPC 50" x 20" x 25" (xyz) 762 x 305 x 406 mm 1270 x 508 x 635 mm Mold Machines VF-3 40" x 20" x 25" (xyz) VF-7/50 84" x 32" x 30" (xyz) VF-5TR 38" x 26" x 25" (xyz) VM-2 30" x 20" x 20" (xyz) TM-1P 30" x 12" x 16" (xyz) 1016 x 508 x 635 mm 2134 x 813 x 762 mm 965 x 660 x 635 mm 762 x 508 x 508 mm w/Toolchanger 762 x 305 x 406 mm VF-3YT 40" x 26" x 25" (xyz) VF-8/50 64" x 40" x 30" (xyz) VF-5/50TR 38" x 26" x 25" (xyz) Super-Speed VMCs VM-3 40" x 26" x 25" (xyz) TM-2 40" x 16" x 16" (xyz) 1016 x 660 x 635 mm 1626 x 1016 x 762 mm 965 x 660 x 635 mm VF-2SS 30" x 16" x 20" (xyz) 1016 x 660 x 635 mm 1016 x 406 x 406 mm VF-4 50" x 20" x 25" (xyz) VF-9/50 84" x 40" x 30" (xyz) VF-6TR 64" x 32" x 30" (xyz) 762 x 406 x 508 mm VM-6 64" x 32" x 30" (xyz) TM-2P 40" x 16" x 16" (xyz) 1270 x 508 x 635 mm 2134 x 1016 x 762 mm 1626 x 813 x 762 mm VF-2SSYT 30" x 20" x 20" (xyz) 1626 x 813 x 762 mm w/Toolchanger 1016 x 406 x 406 mm VF-5 50" x 26" x 25" (xyz) VF-10/50 120" x 32" x 30" (xyz) VF-6/50TR 64" x 32" x 30" (xyz) 762 x 508x 508 mm TM-3 40" x 20" x 16" (xyz) 1270 x 660 x 635 mm 3048 x 813 x 762 mm 1626 x 813 x 762 mm VF-3SS 40" x 20" x 25" (xyz) 1016 x 508 x 406 mm VF-5XT 60" x 26" x 25" (xyz) VF-11/50 120" x 40" x 30" (xyz) VR-8 64" x 40" x 30" (xyz) 1016 x 508 x 635 mm TM-3P 40" x 20" x 16" (xyz) 1524 x 660 x 635 mm 3048 x 1016 x 762 mm 1626 x 1016 x 762 mm Mill Drill Center VF-3SSYT 40" x 26" x 25" (xyz) w/Toolchanger 1016 x 508 x 406 mm VF-6 64" x 32" x 30" (xyz) VF-12/50 150" x 32" x 30" (xyz) VR-11 120" x 40" x 30" (xyz) 1016 x 660 x 635 mm MDC-500 20" x 14" x 20" (xyz) 1626 x 813 x 762 mm 3810 x 813 x 762 mm 3048 x 1016 x 762 mm 508 x 356 x 508 mm VF-4SS 50" x 20" x 25" (xyz) VF-7 84" x 32" x 30" (xyz) 1270 x 508 x 635 mm Mini VMCs 2134 x 813 x 762 mm Drill/Tap Center VF-5SS 50" x 26" x 25" (xyz) Mini Mill 16" x 12" x 10" (xyz) VF-8 64" x 40" x 30" (xyz) 1270 x 660 x 635 mm DT-1 20" x 16" x 15.5" (xyz) 406 x 305 x 254 mm 1626 x 1016 x 762 mm 508 x 406 x 394 mm VF-6SS 64" x 32" x 30" (xyz) Mini Mill 2 20" x 16" x 14" (xyz) VF-9 84" x 40" x 30" (xyz) 1626 x 813 x 762 mm 508 x 406 x 356 mm 2134 x 1016 x 762 mm Super Mini Mill 16" x 12" x 10" (xyz) VF-10 120" x 32" x 30" (xyz) 406 x 305 x 254 mm 3048 x 813 x 762 mm Super Mini Mill 2 20" x 16" x 14" (xyz) VF-11 120" x 40" x 30" (xyz) 508 x 406 x 356 mm 3048 x 1016 x 762 mm VF-12 150" x 32" x 30" (xyz) 3810 x 813 x 762 mm Machines shown with optional equipment. Specifications subject to change without notice. Machines not shown to scale. TURNING HORIZONTAL ROTARY MACHINING CENTERS MACHINING CENTERS SOLUTIONS

Toolroom Lathes Servo Control Office Lathe Single Axis Dual Axis OL-1 12" x 8" (xz) TL-1 16" x 29" (max cap) 305 x 203 mm 406 x 737 mm HA5C TL-2 16" x 48" (max cap) HA5CS 6" Chuck Machines 406 x 1219 mm HA5C HA5C2 TL-3 20" x 60" (max cap) ST-10 11.25" x 14" (max cap) HA5C3 508 x 1524 mm HA5C4 286 x 356 mm HA2TS TL-3B 30" x 60" (max cap) ST-10Y 9" x 14" (max cap) Big Bore 762 x 1524 mm Compact HMC Extra-Large-Capacity 229 x 356 mm T5C TL-3W 30" x 60" (max cap) ES-5 40" x 18" x 22" (xyz) HMCs T5C Wide Swing 762 x 1524 mm 1016 x 457 x 559 mm T5C2 8" Chuck Machines HS-3 150" x 50" x 60" (xyz) T5C3 TL-4 35" x 71.5" (max cap) Several configurations available. 3810 x 1270 x 1524 mm T5C4 ST-20 15" x 21" (max cap) 889 x 1816 mm 381 x 533 mm HS-3R 150" x 50" x 60" (xyz) TL-4L 35" x 133" (max cap) 3810 x 1270 x 1524 mm HRT ST-20SS 10" x 21" (max cap) 889 x 3378 mm HRT110 254 x 533 mm Pallet-Changing HMCs HS-4 150" x 66" x 60" (xyz) HRT160 3810 x 1676 x 1524 mm HRT210 ST-20Y 12" x 21" (max cap) EC-300 20" x 18" x 14" (xyz) HRT210M Y axis 305 x 533 mm 508 x 457 x 356 mm HS-4R 150" x 66" x 60" (xyz) HRT310 3810 x 1676 x 1524 mm HRT450 ST-20SSY 10" x 21" (max cap) Dual-Spindle Machines EC-400 20" x 20" x 20" (xyz) HRT600 508 x 508 x 508 mm HS-6 84" x 50" x 60" (xyz) Y axis 254 x 533 mm 2134 x 1270 x 1524 mm DS-30 18" x 26" (max cap) EC-400PP 20" x 20" x 20" (xyz) HRT Dual 10" Chuck Machines 457 x 660 mm w/ Pallet Pool 508 x 508 x 508 mm HS-6R 84" x 50" x 60" (xyz) HRT160-2 2134 x 1270 x 1524 mm HRT210-2 DS-30SS 16" x 26" (max cap) EC-500 32" x 20" x 28" (xyz) ST-30 21" x 26" (max cap) HS-7 84" x 66" x 60" (xyz) 406 x 660 mm 813 x 508 x 711 mm 533 x 660 mm 2134 x 1676 x 1524 mm DS-30Y 18" x 23" (max cap) Indexing Table ST-30SS 16" x 26" (max cap) HS-7R 84" x 66" x 60" (xyz) HIT210 Y axis 457 x 584 mm Large-Capacity HMCs 406 x 660 mm 2134 x 1676 x 1524 mm HRT320FB DS-30SSY 16" x 23" (max cap) EC-1600 64" x 50" x 32" (xyz) ST-30Y 18" x 23" (max cap) High Speed Y axis 406 x 584 mm 1626 x 1270 x 813 mm Y axis 457 x 584 mm HRT160SS EC-1600YZT 64" x 50" x 40" (xyz) HRT210HS ST-30SSY 16" x 23" (max cap) HRT210SHS 1626 x 1270 x 1016 mm Y axis 406 x 584 mm HRT SP 15" Chuck Machines HRT160SP HRT210SP HRT310SP ST-40 25.5" x 44" (max cap) 648 x 1118 mm HRT A ST-40L 25.5" x 80" (max cap) HRTA5 648 x 2032 mm HRTA6 Trunnion TR110 High-Productivity Turning TR160 TRT TR160Y TRT160 Servo Bar 300 TR210 TRT210 TR310 (Available on all lathes except Toolroom Lathes)

Machines shown with optional equipment. Specifications subject to change without notice. Machines not shown to scale. Trunnion Dual TR160-2

Sidebar: The Logic of FDI - As recently as just 20 years ago, it was extremely difficult for an Indian technology company to source precision manufactured parts from a non-national company. Buying from a U.S. supplier, for example, meant paying in dollars, and since the Indian government had very small reserves of the currency, a bureaucratic and time-consuming approval process would often hinder or even scupper the transaction. Turbocam India Indian OEMs were frustrated, not least by the dearth of indigenous companies who could supply the high-quality parts they needed. This in turn prevented them from designing and creating products they could sell overseas, which meant, of course, they couldn't accrue reserves of valuable foreign currency. It's a problem common in developing nations, and one that held back India's economy for many years.

One way for a country to break this kind of circular economic deadlock is for its government to encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). By allowing foreign firms to open a fully owned, local factory, national manufacturers no longer need to buy parts from abroad, which circumvents the need for foreign currency. If the investing company also brings long-term vision, there are many other advantages, too – for the investor, the employees, and the host community.

Turbocam India- In the early 1990s, The order from CERN (the European But, I'll be honest, I really can't say that everyone U.S. precision engineering firm Turbocam Inc. Organisation for Nuclear Research) was worth voted to go with the Haas machines at that time.” on the westward side, the warm Arabian Sea laps was being urged by a customer in India to take over $1 million. Once the final parts were at beaches of white sand, where north-Europeans advantage of new, more relaxed FDI legislation, delivered, the Indian subsidiary found itself with By early 2006, the company still hadn't decided come to escape the frigid winters of home. and open a factory in the country. The reasoning the resources it needed for better and newer what machine tool to buy. Turbocam Pvt. was Between them, the twin blessings of tourism and was that the Indian company would have access CNC machines. convinced it should invest in the Haas machines, mining have made Goa the wealthiest state on the to the high-quality parts it needed, but would no but the head office in the U.S. had different ideas. Asian subcontinent, with a per-capita GDP at least “We were already in contact with the local Haas longer have to pay with foreign currency. In To build his case, Mr. Carvalho travelled to twice the national average. For Turbocam, it's an distributor, who told us about a local company exchange, Turbocam could gain a foothold in one Hannover to visit the Haas Automation Europe idyllic home, but the state's success also brings using a Haas machine – a VF-3,” notes challenges. of the world's fastest growing economies. It was a booth at EMO, the biennial European Mr. Carvalho. “We went along and had a look at it. long-term investment with a degree of risk, but the manufacturing show. From there, he flew on to the We asked the owner his opinion of the machine, “There are many growth industries here,” says customer assured Turbocam he would keep the U.S. headquarters in New Hampshire, where he and he was very enthusiastic. Personally, I was Mr. Carvalho, “so it's not that easy to get the new factory busy. met with his colleagues and presented his impressed with the spindle power and the control. people you need.” Those Goan workers who are argument in favour of Haas machines. They skilled often can't earn enough locally to keep up I compared it to other machines, I talked to other Subsidiaries are usually set-up in the image of the resisted. with rising living costs, so they look overseas for people, and the Haas seemed like a very a good parent company. Turbocam Inc. is a successful opportunities. It's well known that much of the price for a machine with its features.” “I told Terrence Miranda, Managing Director of and highly respected organisation, serving some labour that built Dubai's skyline came from South Haas India, that he had to convince the American's of the biggest and best-known names in the Asia. But the streets in the United Arab Emirates In 2004, the company bought a VF-2SS: the first of to buy the Haas machines,” Mr. Carvalho says. aerospace, automotive, industrial, and marine what would eventually turn out to be many Haas are not always lined with gold. The work is “So, he arranged with Haas Inc. to fly our technical notoriously hard, and appalling safety and living sectors with bladed production parts for turbo CNC machine tools. But, Mr. Carvalho director, Keith Bainbrook, and our main machinist, conditions have caught the attention of machinery. When it established Turbocam Pvt., remembers, it was hardly used for the first year. Elliot Wilkins, to the factory in Oxnard, California.” organisations like Human Rights Watch. If they the factory was equipped with a make of “Most of the work we were doing around then was CNC machine tools the group's senior managers Whatever their reservations, the visit changed had better options, perhaps some of these 5-axis. We didn't really have the work for the 4-axis their minds. The company management workers could stay home and still provide for their knew and trusted. Haas,” he says, “but we took the opportunity to returned to New Hamshire with a very different “They were really impressed with how the factory every single component – the guys on the lathe do families. learn how to get the most out of the machine, so “Back in the early days, we were very much point-of-view. was set-up. They saw how Haas builds its this – before we move it up to the milling process. we used the time well.” * “Turbocam is dedicated to investing in the people guided by the head-office in the U.S.,” says Finally, every one finished component in eleven is machines; they saw how many Haas machines and communities here. Of course, we want Savio Carvalho, Director at Goa-based Turbocam checked 100% in our air-conditioned CMM room.” Before long, Turbocam Pvt. was using the Haas the company uses on its own production line; they employees to be loyal to us,” says Mr. Carvalho, Pvt. “This included our choice of capital machine to rough-cut the turbines, and then were impressed with the spares and inventory Quality control is vitally important. Turbocam's “but the firm was founded on Christian principles equipment. However, I think a turning point came system, and the general philosophy at the finished them on their 5-axis machines. “We used customers are automotive companies like and the company's mission statement reflects its in 2001, when we got a large order through company. We resubmitted our proposal to the values.” In an open letter on its website, founder the Haas to rough in two setups,” says Chrysler, Volvo, and other well-known names. Turbocam Europe for 5-axis insulator segments Marian Noronha reflects on Turbocam's mission to Mr. Carvalho, “and as a result, our roughing times head office, and they decided to give us the go- “They want to be sure that every part can go for the Large Hadron Collider, in Switzerland. We “give(s) generously to help those in need, locally, decreased substantially. We saw that the Haas ahead. We placed an order for eight Haas straight to the production line,” says Mr. Carvalho, eventually made about 60,000 parts, after which nationally, and internationally.” The company's machine was fast and reliable; it passed that test, machines – two lathes and six mills. Incredibly, our “so our machining processes need to be robust I think we 'grew-up' in the eyes of our American philanthropic attitude is fundamental to the but we really needed to start using it to finish American office promptly followed suit and also and stay within the CPKs, the control parameters.” principal. They saw that we could do a lot here.” way it does business, but it is also, fortuitously, machine the blades.” bought eight Haas machines!” At the time of this writing, the company is self-serving. By coincidence, some of the orders the company expecting another delivery from Haas India. By A few years later and Turbocam owned sixteen Conditions in India are changing fast. As salaries received at that time were for less complex April 2011, it will have 23 Haas mills: 22 VF-2SS Haas mills and four lathes, all busy making up to and living conditions increase, inflation and costs turbines that could be machined using just four 14,000 of the Cummings turbine parts every and 1 VF-3SS. Plus, of course, the four Haas lathes. In a typical week, the machines are do so, too. Success, therefore, depends not only axes. From this point onwards, the Haas was a month. switched on at 6.30 am Monday morning and on having access to the latest technology, but also fully-fledged production machine. “In 2005 we cut switched off at 10.30 pm Saturday. Sundays are to a large extent on the education, skill level, and some test parts for Cummings,” says “Originally, we turned this part from bar,” set aside for preventive maintenance, and a well- well being of employees and their communities. Mr. Carvalho. “A little later, they gave us the green Mr. Carvalho explains. ”But it wasn't very cost earned break for the company's xx employees. With its strong sense of corporate responsibility, light, saying: 'We are planning to go into effective, and created a lot of waste. Now, we ask Turbocam is proving that FDI doesn't only make production in a year, and want you to produce the customer to manufacture the forgings and The southern state of Goa is surrounded by good business sense, but can also help a 10,000 parts per month.' We needed to tool up, get send us the components once they are rough treasure: Inland, there are the hills of deep red developing economy overcome more than just a some more machines quickly. turned, so we can do the final turning. We check earth, rich in minerals and ore deposits. Opposite, shortage of foreign currency. There aren't many conglomerates left in the world that are as successful in so many disparate market sectors as Mumbai-based Godrej. From humble beginnings in the late 19th century, this well-regarded company, Godrej with its ubiquitous tricolour logo, is probably one of the best-known brands on the Indian sub-continent, making everything from engineering products to vegetarian soap to refrigerators.

Godrej employs most of its 10,000 employees at moulds and dies used to manufacture countless says Mr. Nayak, “until we discovered Haas. We its expansive headquarters in Mumbai. The die cast aluminium parts for its myriad products. couldn't believe how capable they are; we have no campus is home for much of the company's Godrej owns 18 Haas CNC machine tools, five of problems regularly achieving tolerances of 10 multifarious manufacturing activity and looks which are used in the tooling department, an microns.” more like an immaculately maintained suburb of operation overseen by Mr. S. M. Nayak, the country's second most populous city than the General Manager of Engineering Services. Several of the company's other Haas machines base of a prolific manufacturer. Along its wide are employed in its lock-making division, where streets are its factory blocks, each dedicated to a “Three of the Haas vertical machining centres are they operate 24 hours a day in a production different product or engineering service. Some of being used to make electrodes for our sinker EDM configuration for a line of products that Godrej has them are unremarkable looking concrete buildings machines,” he says. “The other two, VF-3s, are been making in one form or another for all of its of three or four stories. One or two are cavernous, used to make conventional moulds and 114 years. The division uses four Haas VF-2s, 100-foot-high hangars with gaping doors that look dies in steel.” two VF-2SS Super Speeds, and two SL-10 lathes. big enough to swallow an airship. Between them, they make pin cylinder locks in brass and stainless steel. Tolerances are typically is to do the right over the expedient, but without In one particularly neat enclave is the company's 20 to 50 microns and batches are 200 to 1000 sacrificing opportunity. Being privately owned glass-fronted showroom, where visitors can see units per shift, depending on the component being means Godrej can make its own judgement call. an example of each of the many domestic and machined. The VF-2 machines are fitted with two “We chose the Haas because we are always small-scale industrial products made nearby. In rotary tables on each table, with different types of looking for the top machines: good quality CNC “Our company provides its employees and their addition to DVD players, washing machines, fixtures to accommodate the wide-variety of part machine tools that are cost-effective, reliable, and families with extensive social support,” says Mr. microwave ovens, and kitchen tables, there are shapes and sizes. easy to operate,” says Mr. Nayak. D.K Sharma. “On our Mumbai campus there is a walk-in safes, vending machines, office chairs – purpose-built school, and a memorial hospital with even hospital beds. Products that aren't suitable In the company's Precision Engineering Systems 110 beds and a fully equipped intensive care unit. for display or won't fit in the showroom – animal (PES) division, Haas VF-3 machining centres are There's also housing and accommodation for all feed, edible oils, satellites, India's largest radio used to make critical components, such as the levels up to senior management, and even a hill- telescope, and components for the country's stator ring, hub, carrier arm, and disc rotor for wind top country club. space program, are represented graphically or Electrodes for EDM (electrical discharge turbines, one of Godrej's latest and fastest- using detailed scale models. It's a breathtaking machining) sinker machines create an imprint or growing manufacturing activities. “The future of our country depends on the array, by any standard. cavity in a machined workpiece. Electrode holders intellectual capacity and the learning capability of clamp the precision-machined, tungsten carbide “Haas machines are reliable, user-friendly, and the young India,” concludes Mr. Sharma. “Twenty- Our distinguished host for the day is electrodes in place to ensure a high degree of flexible,” says S.M. Nayak. “We're already five percent of our company's shares are owned Mr. D K Sharma, Vice President Tooling Division accuracy and repeatability. The process is achieving 65 to 70% cutting time, and we are by the Pirojsha Godrej Foundation Trust, which Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co Ltd. “Godrej is well-known typically used when the surface finish of a always looking for ways to make our operations provides communities around the country with in many different industries,” he says. “It is vitally component and the dimensions of intricate more efficient. We're also adding more capacity,” schooling, medical treatment, education, and important that we choose our technology partners features are critical, which means the electrodes he adds. “Later this year we will order two more disaster relief.” very carefully. We have several Haas CNC themselves have to be very finely machined. Haas VF-8 machines for our tooling division, and machine tools, which I'm glad to say are versatile, one for the MHE division.” Godrej's investment, relentless innovation and reliable and capable machines.” “Given the complexity of the electrodes and the wide-reaching philanthropy mean that it will play a accuracy we need to achieve, we originally The founding family and the senior managers very important role in the socio-economic and A short walk from the showroom is the company's thought we would have to buy high-end, at Godrej know that the company's future depends industrial development of India for at least another busy tooling machine shop, where it makes the expensive European or Japanese machines,” on helping India's disadvantaged. The challenge 100 years. Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. In India, cataracts are the most common cause of preventable blindness, and one company in particular makes the equipment Appasamy Associates Group the country's ophthalmologists need and rely on to treat the afflicted.

For the past few decades, the Indian The company also has an office and lens Another successful, home grown Appasamy government's National Programme for the manufacturing facility in New York City - Ellis product is a YAG laser. After a cataract is removed Control of Blindness has been working to reach Opthalmics, near JFK airport, the output from and replaced with an interocular lens, it those afflicted with cataracts, all over the which is almost all imported back into India. sometimes happens that the capsular bag country. Mr. R.V Ravichandran is General becomes thicker and 'frosted' behind the lens, Manager for Operations at Haas customer, “Indian doctors want US made, imported lenses,” causing light to scatter before it reaches the retina. Appasamy Associates Group. “Thanks to the says Mr. Ravichandran, “even though they cost To alleviate the problem, a laser is used to government programme,” he tells me, “once more.” perforate the opaque area of the capsule, allowing someone with cataracts is in the system - even light to penetrate more readily. For 20-years, someone in a very remote location, they may only Other than lenses, almost all of the company's German optical company, Carl Zeiss, made the have to wait a week or two for an operation to milestone products and innovations over the only YAG laser available in India, until Appassamy The Appasamy Slit Lamp alone has 60 restore their sight. In the UK, by comparison, years have been those that met a local need at a designed and built a lower-cost version. components, some turned, some milled, made I gather it can take up to several weeks.” cost far lower than imported equipment. Formed A lot has been written in recent years about the from aluminium, stainless steel and brass. The 33-years ago, the company is still chaired by its “The YAG laser is another Appasamy success surge of technology that's swept across India, but company completes 350 assemblies a month, and Cataracts, he explains, are common in India for founder, P. S. N Appasamy. In the 1970s he story,” says Mr. R.V Ravichandran. “Carl Zeiss authors are usually referring to the Internet and aims to increase production to 500 a month. The many reasons. “Ultraviolet radiation is a principal worked in the USA for a contact lens manufacturer only ever sold around 1600 YAG lasers. In the broadband networks, which have permitted locals optical assembly for the operating microscope is cause,” he says. “People spend a lot of their lives and soon began his own company making a low- eight years since we launched our product, we children during the evening, night and early to access business opportunities that originate made on the Haas VF-1s. There are two models of morning. cost product to freeze the nucleus of an eye, ready thousands of miles away. Call centres in India outside in very bright sunshine, so by the time they have sold 1000 examples.” the finished product: one with continuous have transformed the customer-interface of every are elderly, many need surgery.” Poor diet is also for removal. At that time, a European company magnification, the other with step-magnification, “The women work the day shifts and the men work Appasamy counts more than 10,000 Indian cost-cutting insurance company and ticketing a cause, affecting all age groups, not just seniors. made the only similar machine capable of doing the drum of which is machined in aluminium to 5 the single night shift,” he says. “Many of the doctors as its customers, all of who are looking for agency in the UK and the US. As a result, Indian Diet for a great number of people in India varies the same job. The European machine was too microns on the Haas VF-1s. The Appasamy women join our company directly after school or lower-cost and simpler alternatives to imported college leavers can hold a white-collar position little from the national staples of Roti bread and expensive for doctors in India. Mr. Appasamy Keratometer, for measuring the curvature of the college and work here for three to four years, until with a western company without leaving their rice. Seafood is a principal source of Iodine, but in simplified the design and was able to sell a more products, such as ultrasound machines that used cornea, used to be made by a Japanese supplier they marry. Some return and continue, many stop native cities. inland areas where fish is scarce, Iodine suitable product for a far lower price. The new to cost $200-300,000, but that Appasamy now and imported into India, but is now also made by work to have children.” deficiency is common and as a result, even the machine became very popular in India and made supplies for just $10,000. Appasamy. EdgeCAM software. What's less documented is how engineering With a seemingly inexhaustible demand for very young can develop the milky, opaque clouds cataract removal a much more viable procedure, companies in India like Appasamy are taking The company's less-invasive system for replacing With so many parts and products, it's not clinical equipment and instruments, and with such that reduce to nothing their view of the world. particularly for peripatetic doctors taking their advantage of the best-available manufacturing interocular lenses eliminates the need for surgical surprising the company spends a great deal of an enormous, customer base of indigenous services to patients in rural and remote areas. technology, and in so doing are not only stitches, since the hole made to insert the lens is time and effort designing quick-change fixtures ophthalmologists, it's no surprise that Appasamy addressing the country's pressing social and smaller than 5mm. The replacement lens is furled and fittings. Batches are often as small as 2-5 has enjoyed uninterrupted growth for the past two Appasamy employ's over 2500 people: 1380 at health issues – such as helping the blind to see and injected into the eye, where it unfolds, like a components, and some of the machines are set- decades. Business is brisk, in no small part due to the Puducherry factory, with most of the others again, but are also quietly establishing innovative ship in a bottle. By eliminating the need for aside for development work, proving programmes the company's relentless development of based at plants in Calcutta, Chennai and Dehli. Indian products in growing, Western markets. stitches, the procedure is quicker and easier and - generated by its EdgeCAM software, and innovative, lower-cost products. Doctors in India The company's current annual sales are more What's good for eye patients in rural India, there's less chance that the eye will deform and reducing cycle times. On the day of my visit, a long are free to undertake their own private practice, so than US$2billion, and many of its mainstay it seems, is also good for eye patients in the line of new Haas machines, still wrapped after it is essential that equipment is affordable, which is products are made on a line of twenty Haas CNC lose its shape. As well as making the lenses, rest of the world. their journey across the North Pacific, were also why Appasamy runs a scheme to help machine tools as its Puducherry factory. Appasamy also makes the single-use syringes, whose moulds are machined on a Haas VF-2 waiting in an unused part of the factory to be doctors buy the equipment they need to undertake Super Speed. unpacked and installed. cataract surgery. A single Haas Mini-Mill, eleven VF-1 vertical Appasamy makes 80% of the interocular lenses machining centres and eight SL-10 turning used in India to treat patients with cataracts. A “We have sixteen new Haas machines here this But the company also exports its products, and replacement, interocular lens is a flexible, plastic centres, make, between them, the parts for1800 week,” says Mr. Ravichandran, “ten VF-1s, and six regularly attends trade shows in the USA and ST-10s. Eighty percent of our employees on the Europe. By doing so, it qualifies for lower taxes on insert with positioning and holding struts called different surgical instruments and pieces of production line are female and they like the Haas imported machine tools, under a government run haptics. The patient's own lens is removed – equipment in the Appasamy catalogue; products machines because they are easy to operate and incentive. usually after it is cryogenically frozen, and the new such as microscopes and slit-lamps used in clinics maintain. The Taiwanese machines we had before one is implanted inside the capsular bag of the and operating theatres, and tonometes, for testing the pressure of an eyeball. were big, complex and intimidating.” “Because we export a large part of our production, eye. Often, especially where the patient is elderly, import duties on the Haas machines are less,” the resulting vision is better than the natural lens Many Appasamy products contain fine, small says Mr. Ravichandran. “Our company has also before it became diseased. Appasamy produces “The tonometer is one of our best-selling products parts made on the Haas machines. been recognised and awarded for exports, by the 300,000 lenses a month, as well as the disposable and is our own design,” says Mr. P. Prakash, Mr. Ravichandran claims the women machine Indian government. We received The Engineering syringes used to inject them into the eye and an Deputy Manager CNC. “All of its 45 different parts operators have good manual dexterity, but the Export Promotion Council of India award enormous range of other instruments and are made on the Haas MiniMill. We make 150 main reason why they populate the lines during for the best performance under the category small equipment used in eye clinics and hospitals. finished units a month.” daylight hours is so they can be at home with their scale industries.” Business and industry journalist Matt Bailey took the short flight from Mumbai to Pune recently to visit one of India's Bharat Forge Limited – and the world's – most successful forge manufacturers.

Passing through the imposing gates of “We needed to prove that the Haas machines Pune-based Bharat Forge Ltd. (BFL), the roads could produce a die within the cycle times and become smooth and well tended. Immaculate quality requirements we expected,” he says. “At lawn edges and trim hedges border the long that time, we wanted to machine a connecting rod driveway leading to the car park, where small cars die from H13 tool steel (50HRc), so we passed the and scooters form orderly lines. challenge to Haas. The result was really impressive. In fact, it was no different to a set of As a company, BFL has grown from its origins as a humble hammer manufacturer 40 years ago, into benchmarking tests we had done on a Japanese one of the largest, most accomplished and machine that cost several times the price.” technically advanced forging operations in the That was in 2001. Today, BFL owns 23 Haas world. It is the flagship company of the $1.25 “We are immensely pleased with the performance machine tools: 16 VF-4 CNC vertical machining billion (US) Kalyani Group, and describes itself as of our Haas machines,” says Associate Vice centres (the five most recent delivered in a “full-service supplier” of engine and chassis President Mr. S. Rangan. “Before they were September 2005); two VF-7 machining centres; components. BFL is also India's largest exporter The turning point for BFL came in the late 1980s, Over the subsequent decade, the influx of orders installed, the cycle time for a typical crankshaft die of automotive components, and has two VF-2 models; one EC-1600 horizontal when management at the company (then only accelerated, but despite the success, a problem was 40 to 50 hours, now it is 14 to 15 hours. manufacturing facilities spread across six machining centre; one Toolroom Mill and one Mini selling to the market in India) decided to replace began to surface: The die machining shop was Similarly, a die for a connecting rod was machined locations: two in India, three in Germany and one Lathe. the ageing plant it originally bought second-hand struggling to keep pace with the forging lines. in 40 hours, whereas now it takes just four. Add to in North America. this the fact that there is no bench or polishing from a U.S. supplier, with modern technology that All of the Haas machining centres are fitted with “We knew we had to start looking at high-speed work, no tool marks or cracks, and it is easy to see would be the envy of forging shops the world over. 10,000- or 15,000-rpm spindles, as well as CNC machining centres,” explains Mr. Kalyani. why we are so pleased. The days of separate The investment included new presses, new through-spindle coolant and high-speed “At first, we only looked at various Japanese, roughing and finishing are also behind us. All of automation and the adoption of new machining options. In fact, BFL claims to have German and Swiss models – the ones we had our dies are now machined complete in a single manufacturing techniques, such as 5S and specified all of the available options on every heard of. But the quotes were very expensive. We setup on a single machine.” Kaizen. It was a bold strategy designed to make machine it has purchased. The machines even BFL a world leader in forging production. thought that must be the going rate, but then we came across Haas.” have air conditioning units fitted to the control Mr. Rangan states that two further forging lines are Mr. B.P. Kalyani – a relative of the company's cabinets to counter exceptionally high in-shop planned for next year, which will subsequently chairman – was given the task of implementing the Mr. Kalyani admits he had not heard of Haas temperatures. require yet more die-machining capacity. The new practices. To tackle the challenge effectively, previously, but says the machine specification-to- company is also considering the acquisition of two “We work the Haas machines very hard – 24 hours BFL created a Forge Modernisation Division, and price ratio was a real surprise. Only company more plants, one in Europe and one in China. He a day, seven days a week,” says Mr. Kalyani. today Mr. Kalyani is its Senior Vice President. policy, which demands that benchmarking tests says that this ambition is targeted toward take place between prospective supplier “Temperatures in the factory often can exceed improving “speed to market.” A decade ago, the “Our biggest challenge was to absorb the products, prevented him from placing an order 40°C (104°F). We can't afford to take any time taken from receipt of drawing to delivery of a technology,” he says. “It was all very new to us, but immediately. chances, so we use cooling systems. Some of our hard-forged sample was around two months. somehow we had to learn how to get the most from Japanese and German machines are also cooled, Today, it is a couple of weeks. BFL's two-year Over the years, BFL has invested to create state- it – fast.” but none cope as well as the Haas machines.” target is to reduce it to just three days! of-the-art facilities and world-class capabilities, Word soon spread about the company's Working around the clock, the Haas machines, In the company's training division, a Haas such as fully automated forging and machining investment, and new customers sought the run by five operators, produce a total of Toolroom Mill and Mini Lathe are used daily by lines comparable to the best in the industry. The company out. One such company was U.S.-based approximately 550 dies per month for forgings roughly 30 BFL trainees undertaking one-and-a- company's customer base includes virtually every half year apprenticeship programs. axle assembly manufacturer Arvin Meritor, which weighing up to 350 kg. Typical end products global automotive OEM and Tier I supplier, duly placed an order for 1,000 forged axle beams include crankshafts, connecting rods, front-axle including: Daimler Chrysler, Toyota, BMW, GM, per month. “We've never been afraid to invest,” says Mr. Volkswagen, Audi, Renault, Ford, Volvo, beams, rocker arms, steering knuckles, Kalyani. “From the very beginning, the chairman Caterpillar, Perkins, Iveco, Arvin Meritor and “We were able to offer them a product 20 percent transmission parts and hubs. In fact, BFL claims to invested the majority of profits back into the Cummins. Annual turnover of the 4,000- cheaper than their previous supplier,” says be the largest manufacturer of crankshafts in organisation. It's become a culture at BFL. Every employee, publicly traded company is in excess of Mr. Kalyani. “All of a sudden, the hard work and India, and the second largest worldwide, with company has the ability to define its own culture, $600 million. investment began to pay off.” annual production well in excess of 100,000 units. and this is ours.” Capiq Engineering is one of a growing number of similar, privately owned companies in India proving that when it comes Capiq Engineering to global business, almost no one is excluded, providing you invest in the latest technology and best practices.

There are many points of view concerning the perceived threat to Western manufacturers posed by their Eastern counterparts. Perhaps the most commonly aired of which focuses on the apparent cost advantages they appear to enjoy. Mr. Bipin V. Chemburka, co-founder and director of Capiq Engineering, Vadodara, India, is direct and to the point when offering his counter- argument: Broker Mr. Chemburka and a business partner “It's not enough for Indian companies to compete established Capiq in 1991, and have built the on cost alone,” he states, emphatically. “Those company on a cultural bedrock of innovation and that do so are living in a fool's paradise. hard work. Originally a machine setter and operator for Crompton Greaves, a manufacturer “If, for example, a U.S. company is doing the same of fans, transformers and motors for domestic job as us, on the same machines, using the same products, Chemburka established Capiq as a number of people, we can't compete. Any And a lucrative niche it's proving to be. The broker, negotiating manufacturing contracts for economic advantage we have is wiped out by company is growing at the rate of 35 percent per others. Shortly after, he discovered a sizeable shipping costs and India's relatively high interest year, thanks in large part to the vision and market for the production and supply of precision rates.” determination of its founder, but also, components and assemblies, and quickly began U.S. Machine Tools undoubtedly, to investing in the very best CNC In fact, claims Chemburka, the only way we manufacturing operations to meet the demand. Like many of the manufacturing companies I met machine tool technology. The Haas SL-30 turning centre produces leaded- Indian manufacturing companies can compete during my visit to India, Capiq's machine shop Since those early days, Capiq has pursued its steel valve casings, machining a blank weighing effectively with the rest of the world is to works 24 hours a day, six-and-a-half days a week. “We're all competing on a global playing field,” stock in trade relentlessly, and with an 9.2 kg down to a 2.1 kg, finished component. do a better job. The components it makes range from relatively concludes Mr. Chemburka. “The technology, and indefatigable passion for quality. In the process, small metallic parts weighing a few grams, to At present, this is machined in three setups on the therefore the opportunities, are available to the company built a strong order book assemblies weighing up to 25 kilograms. SL-30, plus a further setup on another machine. everyone, everywhere.” for bespoke, high-value components and However, the company is currently considering assemblies. Thanks in large part to its overseas One way the company has prospered is through installing a Haas SL-30 with C-axis and live business, the company is now an ISO9001:2000 maximising the productivity of its available The Haas VF-2SS high-speed vertical machining tooling. This would reduce the number of accredited, $2 million turnover organisation machining capacity. It's not rocket science, but it's centre has made quite an impression at the setups to two. employing more than 90 people, many of whom surprising, says Chemburka, how few companies company. Capiq uses the machine to produce At time of writing, the company was working on a are English-speaking skilled engineers, actually make the most of their existing machine aluminium medical-assembly components, PCB mounting head consisting of a base plate and technicians and machinists. tools. reducing cycle times by approximately 70 percent over previous methods, and improving surface a piston moving along two parallel pins. The “We like to mount as many fixtures on a machine finish in the process. device is used to mount components on PCB as possible,” he says. “It's not unusual for us to cut boards at very high speeds. The tolerances are several different parts on the machine at the same “Haas machines are very good value for money, extremely tight, as any inaccuracy would cause time.” as they are very capable,” Mr. Chemburka says. excessive damage when moving at speeds “By taking care with tooling, fixtures and coolant, approaching 30 strokes a second. Early To meet growing demand, Capiq has recently we can consistently achieve tolerances as tight as development parts have been machined on the invested in several high-quality CNC machine ±2 microns. It just takes a little TLC (tender loving Haas TM-1 Toolroom Mill. tools, including a Haas SL-10 CNC turning centre care).” with high-pressure coolant system and bar feeder; “If the customer, a U.S. company, is happy with the a Haas VF-2 CNC vertical machining centre; Capiq's Haas SL-10 is currently employed part, the order will be for approximately 18,000 a a VF-2SS CNC high-speed VMC; another SL-10 producing complex flow valves that control the year.” says Mr. Chemburka. “Typically, U.S. and (with Haas servo bar feeder); an SL-30 movement of robotic arms, manufacturing some Chinese competitors are not interested in high big-bore CNC turning centre and a Haas TM-1 15,000 per month for one of the company's volumes accompanied by such strict quality CNC Toolroom Mill. U.S. customers. criteria. This is a great niche for us.” A Coimbatore precision engineering company has discovered that investing in people and world-class technology opens Diesel Machinery Works doors to worldwide markets.

Perunderai, Coimbatore: A dusty country road Haas machines on the factory floor. “In India, we are very proud of our engineering leads to the company's main gate, but visitors to The company's course in CNC Programming and capability. At DMW, we always look for Diesel Machinery Works (DMW) shouldn't be Operations has a curriculum defined in opportunities to grow and expand what we can fooled by first impressions. Inside the company's consultation with industry, and includes offer. Currently we provide sub-assembly whitewashed factory, high-tech manufacturing programming, operations, machine setting, production, CADCAM services, including solid operations are running around the clock, tooling and maintenance. modelling and FEA, reverse engineering, 3D/2D producing components for automotive, compressor, valve, pump and agricultural “We did consider other machines,” says drawing conversion, CNC code generation and customers. Much of the company's production is Mr. Shanmugam, “but the functionality, quality and raw material sourcing. To continue our success exported, a fact that owner and founder price of the Haas machines put them at the top of means investing in the best people and the best our list.” Mr. Shanmugam is particularly proud of. technology available.”

““Although there are many opportunities in India, Working Smarter The CNC Centre has two full time CNC trainers Industry here is very competitive,” he explains. In the company's workshop, stacks of completed who also teach students the principals of CAD and “We realised that to succeed in the long term, parts sit adjacent to the Haas machines. At the CAM. After course completion many of the DMW would need to export. The Indian economy time of my visit the company's Haas SL-30 CNC students migrate to Europe where demand for is open to the whole world and we wanted to target turning centre was employed turning a batch of CNC operatives with both qualifications and business from overseas customers.” wheel hubs for UK commercial vehicle experience is high. Most remain in India, with a few taking up posts with local companies. manufacturer, Leyland. DMW produces around Mr. N Shanmugam, his brother and three 225 cast iron wheel hubs every day on its Haas additional employees started DMW as a jobbing Mr. Shanmugam describes himself as a turning centre and each is inspected by the shop just 14 years ago. Since then, the company 'technocrat entrepreneur', a title, he explains, operator. The ISO9001:2000 accredited company has enjoyed significant growth and these-days which may not sound as complimentary to certainly doesn't skimp or cut corners when it employs a total of 150 people working three shifts, Westerners as it does to Indians. comes to doing the job well. six days a week. It is still located on the 20-acre The Next Generation Such has been DMW's success with CNC farm where Mr Shanmugam was raised, a place “Quality control is the most crucial part of our technology the company is using its newfound where his family lives in a newly built house work,” says Mr Shanmugam,. “Each process is adjacent to the 20,000sq.ft factory. knowledge to teach students at a recently built closely monitored using flow charts and statistical training facility known at the DMW CNC Centre. As methods. We also deploy 5S and TPM an ex-lecturer at the nearby Kongu Polytechnic procedures.” College (his wife still works there, also as a Across the factory, two Haas VF-3 CNC machining lecturer), Mr Shanmugam is particularly proud of centres are producing valve housings for a his latest venture. Of the 150 staff employed by the Canadian company and compressor housings for company, 25 are trainees. a US customer. Mr Shanmugam explains that the “The Haas machines are ideal for training valve housings would normally require the use of a purposes,” says Mr Shanmugam. “They are easy horizontal machining centre. However, using the to understand and very user friendly, even for Haas HRT310 rotary table as a fourth axis allows students with no previous hands-on experience.” DMW to use the vertical VF-3 instead, which represented a far smaller investment. Despite being less than a year old, the DMW CNC Centre is already making a name for itself. Up to “There is no doubt in my mind that the decision to 30 students a month pass through its doors. invest in Haas CNC machine tools was a turning Most are diploma graduates from the local point in the company's history,” he says. “It has colleges looking to add practical experience to allowed DMW to secure contracts from major theory. They spend half their time in front of a Haas customers that would not have considered using control simulator learning CNC programming, and our manual machine capability.” the remaining time training on-the-job using the Hyderabad-based Euroflex Transmissions (India) Pvt. Ltd. proves that, in the manufacturing sector, having the right Euroflex Transmissions Ltd. friends can be just as important as having the right ideas and the best technology.

Flexible Friends New Ideas Today, the company produces in excess of 3,000 Mr. N. S. Shenoy has come a long way since Couplings were just the beginning. In the past few compressor blades per month for steam and gas years, the company has expanded its product launching his precision manufacturing business land-based turbines, as well as aero engines. The just 14 years ago. A financier by profession, range into rotor and stator blades for turbines. machining centres are arranged in pairs, with each Shenoy spotted a market opening for an Indian When Mr. Shenoy went looking for new pair operated by a single person. The company manufacturer of high-performance flexible disc opportunities, he typically put his customers' runs a 16-hour, two-shift system over six and a half couplings for high-power and high-speed objectives first. applications. The opportunity was sufficiently days per week. To meet future growth projections, In 1998, Euroflex Transmissions India promising that he left his previous employment – Mr. Shenoy anticipates the purchase of another approached a prospective customer and asked and profession – to set up a joint venture with four Haas machining centres every year for the for a sample turbine blade and the associated UK company Euroflex Transmissions Ltd. next five years! CAD model for it. The aim was to reproduce the blade at a lower price than the customer was At first, Mr. Shenoy had no staff, no factory, and “There are many reasons why we select Haas already paying – in the same or shorter lead-time, outsourced almost all of his manufacturing machines,” he says. “They are compact, user with no loss of product quality. Shenoy's operations. Today, the company is a $4 million philosophy of building a relationship based on friendly and competitively priced. Also, Haas enterprise with a promising future, and a trust was the key to eventually winning the is one of the few machine tool companies to reputation for innovation. Early Success business. It's an approach, he says, that helped develop its own control, which is married to the Like all business start-ups, the company's early put the customer at ease. machine perfectly. To me, this is the biggest years were filled with uncertainty. But in 1994, an success of Haas.” “We had no technology assistance or advice from Indian customer opted to try the services of Mr. the customer,” Mr. Shenoy says. “There were no Shenoy rather than buy direct from the UK. Two The company uses its Haas VF-2s to finish- costs involved, nothing in writing, nothing legal, years later, Euroflex Transmissions India was machine components in a wide variety of materials nothing binding. All we asked for was an doing well enough to build its own one-stop shop agreement that if we succeeded, they would to tolerance limits of around 20 microns, as well as for coupling production. consider buying the product from us. I appreciate perform roughing operations on parts Today, Euroflex India supplies flexible disc that the move from flexible couplings to turbine manufactured from cast iron, brass and couplings to a number of well-known OEMs blades may seem unlikely, but we're not afraid to aluminium. All components are inspected 100 around the world, including GE, Peter make mistakes. As they say, only those who don't percent at every stage to allow complete Brotherhood and Siemens – the latter specifying try never make mistakes.” traceability throughout the manufacturing Mr. Shenoy's company as one of its two preferred New Technology process, as you'd expect from an ISO 9001- looking towards further product lines to help vendors for this type of product. To make those early prototypes, the company certified company. continue his company's growth. These remain close to his chest at this stage, but he intimates It's a success story that reflects the endeavour and invested in its first US-built Haas CNC machine Shenoy claims that to repay his “debt” of gratitude that the next one may be another turbine-related entrepreneurship of a hard-working business tool: a VF-0E vertical machining centre with fourth to the UK parent company, he chose to merge the product, possibly alternators. professional with an eye for opportunity, and a axis and on-machine probing. After two years of proceeds from the new venture with his Euroflex strong commitment to relationships, trust and designing and making improved versions of the business. The company has four selection criteria for new mutual benefit. customer's turbine blade – machined on the VF- products: They must be technology – not price – 0E – Euroflex India was awarded its first “I placed my entire life savings into this venture,” “Although turbine-blade manufacturing has driven; have high margins and low volumes; have production contract for them in 2000. That event Mr. Shenoy says, “but I couldn't have done it nothing to do with Euroflex in the UK, I have a difficult entry barrier; and have a reasonable led to an order for five Haas VF-2 CNC vertical without the support of Euroflex Transmissions Ltd chosen not to separate the business's activities,” resale value in the event of failure. in the UK. Their 49% stake in my business enabled machining centres. In 2005, this already says Mr. Shenoy. “Euroflex UK therefore owns impressive armoury was boosted further by the me to finance the technology I needed to get 49 percent of my new activities.” “These are the reasons we are not in the high- started. Not many companies would have been as acquisition of an additional four VF-2 machines – volume automotive or telecommunications willing to do this, and it showed great faith in me. a model that Mr Shenoy says is the perfect size to Despite the phenomenal success of Euroflex industries,” says Mr. Shenoy. “It has to be a niche It's something for which I will be eternally grateful.” manufacture turbine blades. Transmissions India, Mr. Shenoy is already product. Otherwise, we don't want to get involved.” Parveen Oilfield is investing in U.S. machine tool technology to stay ahead of the competition in the booming oil Parveen Oilfield engineering industry. U.K.-based business and industry journalist Matt Bailey braved the monsoon season to investigate.

With the price of a barrel of oil at an all time high, and in order to meet burgeoning global demand, the world's big oil companies are embarking on major new programmes of exploration.

New wells are being bored, new pipelines laid, new rigs constructed, and new extraction and refinery equipment is being designed and manufactured. Compared to other industry sectors, the projects and their capital expenditure “The Haas machines have proved very reliable,” are frequently vast, and can mean lucrative explains Jeswani. “The company works around contracts for product and component the clock, so reliability is a key factor. We have manufacturers with the necessary technical also experienced improved productivity and capability and experience. higher output rates since the machines were installed.” The origins of Parveen Oilfield can be traced Parveen operates 24 hours a day, seven days a back to the year 1960, when the family business week. Where in western companies this would was founded to manufacture metallic conduits for “Our biggest challenge is keeping up with represent a three-shift system, astonishingly, electric cables. In 1983, the company diversified demand. Once a customer has placed an order, Parveen operates just two shifts, with employees to meet increasing demand from the Indian oil it's invariably required yesterday,” quips working 72 hours a week across six, 12-hour Mr. Jeswani. “We make everything to order rather industry. In the two decades since, it has grown to shifts, with just one day off a week on a rotation than for stock, so now that we have reliable be a leader in the design, development and basis. With labour already working at maximum The Parveen portfolio includes the design and The Technology Leap machines, meeting tight delivery schedules is far manufacture of oilfield equipment. Its name is capacity at Parveen, investment in CNC machine manufacture of a wide range of equipment – for Around three years ago the company decided the easier.” synonymous with quality and high-precision tool technology made perfect sense. cementing, coil-tubing pressure control, gas lifts, time had come to replace some of its older Indian- machining, and as a one-stop shop for its global With business swift, Parveen's Rabale site is at rotary drilling, sub-surface flow control, sucker manufactured machine tools with CNC customer base. Works Director Mr. N.H. Jeswani near capacity. An expansion representing an rods, well heads, Christmas trees, “fishing” and technology. Mr. Jeswani had seen Haas machines has been with the company from the early days. increase in floor space of 50 percent is currently Institute) licences to manufacture oil industry logging tools, and valves. In fact, the company at an exhibition in Mumbai, where the Indian Haas being commissioned. It will house the latest CNC products, which it claims is the largest amount does almost anything and everything needed Factory Outlet (based in Pune) had a stand. “Not long after our first few contracts with machining equipment, including a total of 13 new held by any company in India. Add all this to its 25 companies in the oil and gas sector, we started above and below the surface during all phases of “Cost and quality were the primary reasons why Haas machine tools, which are presently on order. years of experience in the oil sector, and it's easy oil and gas exploration. designing and manufacturing products we opted to purchase a Haas SL-30 big-bore CNC The company's order book is so healthy that Mr. to see why Parveen's services are so popular. ourselves,” he says. “We began by producing Jeswani is confident he can keep the new turning centre,” he says. “Of course, so many Around 70 percent of the company's production is basic wire-line service tools and pipe fittings for machines and extra staff just as busy. oilfield products and components are tubular that exported, sold via Parveen's extensive network of the oil industry in India, before gradually it made sense to start with a turning machine.” Low labour costs have certainly helped Parveen, agents. As an oilfield supplier, it should come as increasing our product portfolio for the export as has the relative abundance of young, highly no surprise to learn that the company's chief market.” Such was the success of the Haas SL-30 that skilled engineering graduates passing through export regions are the U.S., Canada and the Parveen recently added to its Haas armoury, India's university system. But its also the Middle East. Today, Parveen Oilfield has its headquarters – purchasing a further four machines in 2005: company's willingness to invest in technology and with 110 employees – near Mumbai, another another SL-30; an EC-1600 horizontal machining “Our customers are interested in quality, delivery quality processes that enables it to win and retain smaller facility in the older part of Mumbai, plus a centre; a VF-5 50-taper vertical machining centre and trust,” says Jeswani. “We have an ISO audit customers in the long term. further two in Delhi, where a third is shortly to be fitted with a Haas HRT-450 rotary table; and an every six months, and an API audit every two constructed. Across all facilities Parveen employs SL-40 turning centre with an SMW indexing Parveen has embraced CNC technology and is years. Price is less of an issue, given the high cost around 500 people, who help the company meet chuck designed specifically to allow machining reaping the rewards. The company has also of oil, a factor that is driving the entire sector, demanding delivery schedules for its range of of all the faces of steel valves in a single setup achieved ISO9001:2000 quality accreditation making it very buoyant and providing most around 300 different products. (see picture). status, and holds 13 API (American Petroleum suppliers with a profitable period,” he concludes. Matt Bailey visited a Rajkot-based precision engineering company to see how a combination of calculated risk and the application of the latest U.S. CNC machine tool technology has helped make the company a local and Patel Brass Works regional leader in manufacturing best practices.

In my father's day, no one would have expected to “The local Haas representative had popped-in “Quality and accuracy was far better than our Cost Advantage find a world-class manufacturing company in once or twice before, so when we were ready, I existing machines,” he says. “Moreover, the local Like many Indian companies competing Rajkot,” says managing partner Mr. Mahesh Patel, gave him a call. Haas had recently launched the Haas distributor proved it could give good overseas, PBW has the cost of labour on its side, and although the country is not as cheap as China, who is responsible for production and quality. “Our machine, and from the specification and price, it technical support, and respond immediately if and it can offer quality, skilled labour, reliability and on- town has always been most famous as the place looked very tempting – so much so that we placed when assistance was required.” schedule deliveries to match western engineering where Mahatma Gandhi spent his school years. an order for two without even seeing one. There firms – at much lower prices. weren't any in our part of the country that we could Since then, PBW has added four more Haas machines to its workshop armoury: a Super Mini “However, the area now has a cluster view, so we had to make a leap of faith.” It's an advantage that Mr. Patel does not foresee Mill, a 5-axis VF-2 CNC vertical machining centre, of progressive industrial organisations, a changing significantly in the coming years, despite Whilst tolerances are tight at 4 microns, batch a TM-1 CNC Toolroom Mill and an SL-20 CNC development that we like to think has been the pressures of wage inflation. sizes depend on the size of the bearing. Most runs turning centre. The machines are part of a major encouraged by the success of our company.” are fairly short, so ease of changeover was one of investment programme that has seen the “Our country will always have a cost advantage,” Over the years, PBW has implemented a the key factors in selecting Haas. The machines company spend the equivalent of almost $1.5 he says. “I don't think it will ever become like programme of investment that has progressively also produce one-off prototype bearings that have million over the past two and a half years. Europe or the U.S., at least not in my working brought manufacture of its bearings in-house. been reverse engineered from customer samples, lifetime. Of course, the gap will close, but I think India will have at least another 20 years of very Following the purchase of raw material, PBW so the simple programming offered by the Haas CNC system is a significant advantage. favourable labour rates. Along with the best makes its own alloys, undertakes its own casting, manufacturing technology available, we at PBW machines its own parts and conducts its own “Four PBW operators are trained to program the intend to make the most of them.” inspection and test routines. In such a busy Haas control,” says Mr. Patel. “I've never seen the environment, the machining function is key, which Haas machines idle. I've seen all the other is why four years ago PBW undertook a project to machines stopped, but never the Haas machines. Patel Brass Works re-assess its in-house machine shop capability. They work 24 hours a day across two 12-hour Patel Brass Works (PBW), founded in Rajkot in shifts, six days a week. They never miss a beat.” 1948 by the late Mr. Shri Patel, is a global leader in Leap of Faith engine bearing manufacture. The company Before investing in his first Haas CNC machine Mr. Patel remembers that when the specialises in bi-metal and tri-metal bearings, tool, Mahesh Patel says that the company had machines arrived, they fulfilled everything the bushes and thrust washers for engines, three CNC machining centres, all supplied by catalogue promised. compressors, earthmovers, locomotives and a Indian machine tool companies. “We weren't wide range of other reciprocating and rotating overly happy with their performance, and so when machinery. PBW is ISO 9001:2000 accredited, we required additional capacity, we decided to has more than 300 employees and exports to 20 look at models manufactured by overseas countries. machine tool firms.”

By 1965, the company had gained significant PBW considered various German and Japanese experience in casting and finishing non-ferrous models of similar specification, but found these to components, and had begun to develop critical be much more expensive. “The cost-effectiveness components like bi-metal bearings to meet the of the Haas machines is underlined by the fact that demand driven by the local manufacture of they were selected over local competition,” says slow-speed diesel engines. Mr Patel, “despite the imposition of a 5 percent import duty by the Indian Government.” Today, its customers are a mix of blue chip OEMs and aftermarket spare parts stockists and it The company now operates six Haas CNC currently enjoys a 75 percent share of the machines. Indeed, its first two machines – both market for supplying Indian Railways with Haas Mini Mills – were purchased on the basis of bearings and bushes. the catalogue description alone. Journalist Matt Bailey recently visited India's leading manufacturer of mechanical seals to see how the company is using Poonawalla Group U.S.-built Haas CNC machining centres to supply the country's leading pump manufacturer.

Compared to the bustle of neighbouring Pune, the “We had seen Haas machines in operation at Five years later, in 2003, EPIL acquired a second Five Axes site of the Poonawalla Group headquarters is an Sealol, and they appeared to be very reliable,” Haas VF-3, which is now situated facing the older A key component machined on the VF-3s is an oil oasis of orderly calm. Its perfectly maintained says Mr. Chandran. “So when we next saw Haas machine in the same manufacturing cell. Both VF- seal housing: a complex part requiring buildings, modern factory and spacious office machines at the Imtex machine tool exhibition in 3 machines employ 5-axes: The latest machine is considerable milling, drilling and threading operations to take place at different compound interiors have the feel of a multi-national India in 1998, we decided to carry out further fitted with a Haas trunnion rotary table. Looking at angles, as well as machining on multiple faces. organisation, reflecting the company's success studies. We were particularly interested in the older machine, no one would be able to guess across a wide range of diverse activities. Using the Haas machines, the part can be replacing a CNC vertical machining centre of it had been working 24 hours a day, six days a completed in just two setups – considerably fewer larger capacity that we had at the time. However, week for the past seven years, such is its Perhaps best known as a UNICEF-approved than the company required previously for the when we compared features, capability and price immaculate condition. manufacturer of vaccines and serums for same part. everything from snakebites to MMR (measles, with machining centres from other manufacturers, mumps & rubella), the Poonawalla Group also has we concluded that the Haas VF-3 was the Typically, says Mr. Chandran, the 5-axis systems a strong engineering arm comprising three one to buy.” allow EPIL to machine virtually all components in a separate companies that represent around 20 single setup. Although 60 percent of the parts percent of its total turnover. One of these, Eagle passing through the Haas machines are produced Poonawalla Industry Ltd (EPIL), specialises in the in small batches, the company is managing to manufacture of mechanical seals. With a 40 save time by storing a few straightforward percent share of the Indian market, the company programs that are common to a range of is the country's leading mechanical seal producer. components. The operator can simply call up a program and use it as the basis for the part “We have achieved market-leader status through required. a combination of first-class engineering, design and manufacturing,” says Mr. P. Chandran, Operators are far more than “button pushers” at director (works) of EPIL. “Our production facilities EPIL, where the philosophy is to employ graduate are among the best this industry has to offer. In engineers with a minimum of one year's work “We believe a little maintenance goes a long way,” fact, we have all the credentials one would experience to run the company's 5-axis CNC says Mr. Chandran. “We insist that the operator we associate with a world-class manufacturing machines. EPIL finds it is then able to place employ to run the two Haas machines takes good setup.” considerable responsibility with the operator, care of them.” asking him to undertake programming, tool EPIL's busy workshop contains around 70 manual setting, inspection and maintenance tasks. It's Today the company uses the machines to produce machine tools and a handful of more recently one of a number of strategies that has helped EPIL components for what it describes as “engineered” acquired CNC machines, including two Haas VF-3 (still a family-owned company) grow by 26 percent seals. These represent almost all of the CNC vertical machining centres. in 2004, and approximately 30 percent in 2005. company's RS700 million turnover, and consist East meets West mainly of customer-specified mechanical seals for Mr. Chandran claims that EPIL owes much if its Poonawalla's first encounter with Haas large pumps used at chemical factories, success to its obsession with quality control, and technology was at a company called Sealol – refineries, paint factories and railway companies. investment in the latest technology and best based in Rhode Island, U.S. – with which it had a practices. The EPIL QA department is pivotal business collaboration until 1998, when Sealol Key customers include TATA Chemicals, Novartis, to the company's operations, as testified by was purchased by UK firm, John Crane. The move Colgate Palmolive and Asian Paints. EPIL also its ISO9000:2000 and ISO14000 quality ended the union for Poonawalla and for Eagle, a supplies engineered seals to all of the major OEM accreditations, and Kaizen and 5S deployment. capability is at the heart of this concept, and at the pump manufacturers with a base in India, Japanese company that had also collaborated heart of our manufacturing capability are the Haas with Sealol. However, the common technology including KSB, Sulzer, Kirloskar Ibara, KBL, BHEL “We are very good at retaining our customers,” machines. We are extremely pleased with how and expertise shared by Poonawalla and Eagle and Ingersoll Rand. Although the company has a adds Mr. Chandran. “Our professionalism, quality they have performed: They are built well, easy to meant the formation of EPIL later the same year strong export business, around 90 percent of its and competitiveness ensure they never have use and require very little maintenance. was a natural progression. trade is with Indian customers. a reason to look elsewhere. Our manufacturing We couldn't ask for more.” Sundaram The Haas machines have been tremendously reliable,” confirms Mr Radhakrishnan. “We've experienced no problems Fastners Ltd. whatsoever. The training provided was very good, and our operators had no trouble learning to use the control.”

The Autolec Division of Sundram Fasteners These various items are produced across six “These are critical machined areas. The Limited (SFL) is South Asia's largest different plants near Chennai, one of the main concentricity between the bearing bore and the manufacturer and exporter of water pumps. With ones being the factory near Gummidipoondi, seal bore has to be particularly precise for more than four decades of manufacturing located approximately 40 kilometres outside the alignment purposes. There is no margin for error.” expertise, it is widely recognised as the market city. Here, the company machines and assembles leader in India. around 45,000 water pumps, 6000 oil pumps and All parts are self-certified by the operators using a 6000 fan support assemblies every month. random sampling procedure. Both machines – SFL – part of the TVS Group – has an annual each deployed in a cellular manufacturing turnover of $160 million. Its parent claims to be configuration – undertake similar operations, India's largest manufacturer of automotive producing up to 250 water pumps every day. components, bar none. With a turnover in excess The plant operates a two-shift (16-hour) system, of $2.3 billion, it's a difficult claim to dispute. six days a week.

TVS comprises 25 companies and 27,000 “The Haas machines have been tremendously modeling. Product development programmes are employees producing a wide range of assemblies reliable,” confirms Mr Radhakrishnan. “We've initiated from customer drawings or samples and components for various vehicle parts. These experienced no problems whatsoever. The (through reverse engineering) or from concepts include axles, hydraulic brakes, clutch actuation training provided was very good, and our (“black box” design). systems, fuel injection equipment, engine and operators had no trouble learning to use the transmission components, turbochargers and control.” Autolec also collaborates with premier wheels, to name but a few. universities, institutes and technology leaders for The items produced by the Autolec Division of SFL advanced research and analysis. The company At the Autolec Division of SFL, however, the focus are used in passenger cars, heavy and light has entered into many ventures with global is very much on water pumps, an item that the commercial vehicles, off-road vehicles, tractors, leading OEMs to enhance its product offering and company has manufactured since 1965, when combine harvesters, forklifts, earthmovers, customer service, including Pierburg, NSK and Mr. K. Vasudevan, a local technocrat and marine engines, power generation engines and Bosch. entrepreneur, formed the company. Since then, two-wheeled vehicles. The company's many This ambitious growth target has been set on the “As a result of these tie-ups, we have been able to Autolec has grown to add a wide range of related international OEM customers inlcude Cummins, back of a rapidly expanding order book. To make establish our own in-house bearing manufacturing products to its portfolio, including oil pumps, Case New Holland, John Deere, Ford, Proton, sure that the entire manufacturing operation is division, our own seal manufacturing division and electrical fuel pumps, mechanical fuel pumps, US Machine Tool Technology Caterpillar, Dura Automotive, Perkins and Iveco. prepared for such rapid expansion, the Autolec a casting foundry,” explains Mr. Radhakrishnan. “It feed pumps, damper pulleys, auto belt Playing key roles in achieving these production Approximately 50 percent of Autolec's output is for management team places a great deal of means we can cast, machine, assemble, test and tensioners, belt idlers, rocker arm assemblies, volumes is a pair of Haas SL-30 CNC turning export. SFL as a whole topped an impressive $45 emphasis on company-wide quality. The cam followers, rocker arm levers, rocker shafts dispatch entire product assemblies to our centres – each with a capacity of 432 mm by 864 million in export sales for the year 2004-05. manufacturing facilities at the Autolec Division of and valve tappets. customers – a factor that has undoubtedly mm (17" x 34"), and both of which were purchased SFL are TS16949:2002/ISO 9001:2000 certified, Autolec is also the preferred supplier to a number become our core strength and major advantage from the local Haas distributor in March 2003. The while TPM procedures are followed in all its of OEMs with bases in India, including Fiat, over our competitors.” Haas machines are located in an immaculately plants. Evidence of this can be seen at Hyundai, Mazda and Suzuki, along with a number Gummidipoondi, where the walls are strewn with presented factory, and are run by similarly well of indigenous companies, such as Ashok Leyland, quality control posters and production schedules. turned-out employees wearing matching Eicher, Escorts, Greaves, Hindustan Motors and grey company shirts. One of these is Tata Motors. Yet, despite these impressive client R&D Partnerships Mr. R. Radhakrishnan, Autolec's Senior General lists, the company is always looking for new Autolec's customers also value its R&D Manager (Operations), who outlines the critical growth opportunities. infrastructure and capabilities. The company not role played by the Haas machines. only excels in new product development, but also “We are planning to double our turnover in the next in product redesign and validation activities. This “The Haas CNC turning centres are used three years,” states Mr. Radhakrishnan. “As a is made possible by adopting the latest to machine the mounting face, bearing bore result, we have already placed an order for several engineering concepts and techniques, such and seal bore on each water pump,” he explains. additional Haas SL-30 turning centres.” as CATIA design software for simulation and solid A lot of our success is because we invested our profits in reliable precision machine tools. Vasantha Tool Crafts Pvt. Ltd. Haas machines give me the value for money and accuracy that I need to win and retain prestigious orders.

Since it was established just 16 years ago, “Almost all of our customers have returned for Which is when he came across the Mini Mill CNC to have the confidence to invest. Something Hyderabad-based Vasantha Tool Crafts Pvt. repeat orders,” he says, a fact that he attributes to vertical machining centre from relative newcomer VTC has in spades. Ltd. has grown to become a well-known supplier the company's obsession with product quality, to the Indian market, U.S. machine tool builder “A lot of our success is because we invested our of mould tools to some of the world's leading blue- performance, service and overall value. Haas Automation. profits in reliable precision machine tools. chip manufacturing companies. Its uninterrupted Haas machines give me the value for money rise to prominence owes much to shrewd “Our strength lies in being a single-source turnkey “The Haas machine was very competitively priced, so even though the brand was not very and accuracy that I need to win and retain investment in the latest technology, as well as the provider, offering everything from mould design – familiar to us, we felt justified in taking a risk. Our prestigious orders. entrepreneurial energy of company founder, we have eight CAD/CAM stations – manufacture, Mini Mill was only the second Haas machine to be Mr. A. D. Reddy. assembly, testing and acceptance.” “Our future is very bright,” Reddy concludes, sold in Hyderabad, and the first of its kind.” “but we still want to grow the business further. “From the day I graduated, I dreamt of starting my Full Capacity For the past two years, we've been exhibiting own company,” Reddy explains. “After I completed Since the company built the first example in 2000, In 2001, just five years after the acquisition of the at Euromold in Germany. We realise we can my degree in mechanical engineering, I took a the Mini Mill has become one of Haas Swiss CNC mill, VTC started to experience the no longer rely on word of mouth alone to two-year post-graduate course in tool design and Automation's best selling CNC products. It has inevitable consequences of its success. stimulate growth.” manufacture, encompassing everything from created a whole new market segment for machine tools and – like all revolutionary products – has press tools and injection moulds through to die “We were working at full capacity,” says Reddy. inspired a number of copycat machines from rival casting, cutting tools and jigs and fixtures. Two “The Swiss machine was running constantly. We years later – in 1989 – I took the plunge and manufacturers, keen to cash-in on the company's soon realised that for small components such as started VTC.” success. inserts, electrodes and plates, using such a large Like many new companies, the first years were machine was far from ideal, so I began looking for Four years after he bought the machine, Reddy is about survival, a period when Reddy admits he another CNC machine, something which would be still very happy with his decision. “Considering the took every job that came his way: low-quantity more suitable for the small, quick jobs.” low cost, the Haas machine represents clamps, basic jigs and even small press tools for phenomenal value for money. It's very capable, sheet metal work. But as word spread, the and can handle everything we throw at it.” company began to win basic mould work, helping Blue Chip Such was the good impression created by the secure it financially for the following five years, The ISO 9001 accredited company's combination Haas Mini Mill that two years later in 2003, the before it reached what, in hindsight, Reddy of the latest technology and experience in company bought a Haas VF-2 CNC vertical acknowledges as its turning point. (unusually) both high-cavity and hot-runner machining centre. According to Reddy, this new moulds has allowed it to carve its niche as a “In 1996, we made a big decision to invest in a machine is frequently loaded with a base plate supplier to a growing roster of high profile, blue large Swiss CNC milling machine. It was our very containing 20 to 30 mould inserts, and left to run chip clients. These include the Indian factories of first investment in CNC, and I can honestly say unattended for 10 to 12 hours at a time. L'Oreal and Unilever, as well as Colgate Palmolive that all of our significant growth stems back to that India Ltd, Whirlpool India, Schneider Electric “The same year, we also acquired a Haas decision.” India, Siemens India, Johnson & Johnson and Toolroom Mill and a high-speed Haas Super Mini Faber Castel. VTC also has a growing list of The new technology was put to very good use, and Mill for our newly built facility, a kilometre from our export countries, including Germany, the U.S., word soon spread about the up-and-coming main plant.” Egypt, Iran, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Senegal. mould shop not afraid to invest in its own future. Some of the country's leading OEM's began to The company's success is mirrored by the take note, and orders followed. prosperity of surrounding Hyderabad, a city that has its business origins in the pearl trade. Today, Along with existing custom work, the new like many Indian cities, Hyderabad is home to business helped boost the company's turnover. a growing community of technology companies Much of its growth has been from repeat business, with their sights set on global customers which says a lot for Reddy's work ethic. and overseas markets. To compete means CIM Tools Haas Factory Outlets

Bangalore-based CIM Tools makes parts for some of the world's best-know aerospace companies using its Haas CNC machine tools, purchased from and supported by local Haas Factory Outlet (HFO) MANAV MARKETING PVT. LTD.

CIM Tools Operations Director, says:

“We've had our Haas CNC machine tools for four years and we are very happy with them. We bought Haas because we were looking for strong, robust and reliable CNC machine tools.

“We mostly make parts from aluminium alloy, but we also cut steel. In terms of accuracy and reliability, our operators rate the Haas machines as better than our more expensive, Japanese machines.

“We have a fifth Haas machine arriving soon: a VF-2SS. If we were not 100% happy with Haas Kolhapur machines and the service and support from Shop No. 2,3,4,6/2 Village Mauje Ujalaiwadi, MANAV MARKETING, we would not have Tal Karveer, Kolhapur. Tel : 0231-2677 979 invested in this latest one.”