EMPOWERING MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

The 6^th edition of the ‘Symposium on Automation & Robotics’ on October 5 and 6, 2023, at Hotel TipTop International in Pune, by IMTMA, was a successful gathering of industry professionals and leaders from across the manufacturing automation sector that provided an engaging platform for knowledge exchange and technological advancements. Here are a few glimpses of the enlightening event…

Held by Indian Machine Tools Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA), the ‘Symposium on Automation & Robotics 2023’ garnered an overwhelming response from over 250 delegates representing over 80 companies from 15 cities. A comprehensive experience was offered to visitors by housing an exhibition that ran parallel to the conference. The exhibition was for the visitors to explore cutting-edge products and technology related to automation and robotics, in addition to partaking in technical deliberations at the conference.

Inaugurated at the hands of Rajendra Rajamane, President, IMTMA, the symposium witnessed the gracious presence of the Guests of Honor Sunil Mehta, President, Automation Industry Association; G Sundararaman, Co-CEO, Wipro PARI Pvt Ltd, and Dr Sadashib Padhee, Director, Samarth Udyog Technology Forum.

Delighted at the unprecedented response received by the event, Rajamane said, “This edition of the symposium has witnessed the largest number of registrations and the participants are surely to benefit from the valuable insights shared. The overwhelming response of the visitors reflects their keenness to embrace automation, which will play a key role in the growth of Indian business.”

Underlining automation as a need of the hour

The IMTMA President emphasized the pivotal role of automation and robotics in enhancing manufacturing efficiency and product quality. He underlined the versatility of robots, which are increasingly becoming affordable and adaptable to automate intricate tasks and facilitate large-scale production. IMTMA’s contribution to developing indigenous industrial robots through its Advanced Manufacturing Technology Development Centre at IIT-Madras in Chennai was also highlighted.

The symposium delved deep into relevant topics of discussions and presentations in the arena of robotics and automation including artificial intelligence, automation, laser welding, sensors for Industry 4.0, robotics, machine learning for manufacturing, digital manufacturing, cobots, use of digital imaging, etc. The session also focused on the new developments in human-centric automation.

Insightful deliberations

The topics of the presentations included ‘AI at Edge - Making Automation Easier’; ‘Factory Automation’; ‘Laser Welding Automation - Case study on EV Battery’; ‘Hydraulic Muscle for Automation’; ‘Sensors for Industry 4.0’; ‘Digital Imaging based Intelligent Inspection’; ‘MSMEs on CLOUD nine’; ‘Welding Automation for Deskilling the welding process’; ‘Gripping and Automation Technology - Innovations for Simplified Adaptability’; ‘Robots with Intelligence’; ‘AI-ML applied to Manufacturing’; ‘Human-Centric Approach to Automation and Industry 4.0’; ‘Robots for Adaptive Automation’; ‘Success story and tips for Digital Manufacturing Implementation’; and ‘Globally Proven Strategies for effective Cobot application deployment’.

Panel discussions were held that brought forth highly insightful outlooks of the industry specialists from Mitsubishi Electric, Pepperl+Fuchs, Titan Engineering & Automation, Wipro PARI, Siemens, Google Cloud, Bajaj Auto, Ather Energy, InnovaPoint, Accurate Gauging & Instruments, Fine Handling, Ascent Intellimation, Trumpf (India), Bystronic, APM Technologies, and ISGEC. The topics were ‘New Technology Trends in Manufacturing Automation’; ‘Is Automation Driven by Push or Pull?’; ‘Affordable Automation; and ‘Automation in Sheet Metal Forming’.

What the industry had to say

Applauding IMTMA for its inspiring work and wishing it success in the Association’s future endeavors, Dr Padhee commented, “The symposium by IMTMA holds significance and it’s crucial that our young engineers embrace automation and robotics technologies.”

Mehta who is also General Manager, Mitsubishi Electric India Pvt Ltd & Director, Foundation for Smart Manufacturing (FSM), concurred, “This year’s ‘Symposium on Automation & Robotics’ has garnered an impressive response. Numerous participants have showcased their state-of-the-art automation and robotics technologies. Participants are sure to gain valuable insights into the latest technologies for smart manufacturing implementation. This edition of the symposium will prove both valuable and successful in every aspect.”

Visibly impressed by the substantial level of participation at the event, Sundararaman noted relevantly that the Indian Machine Tools industry is actively pursuing initiatives related to automation. “This evolution is essential as the machine tools serve as the foundation for comprehensive automation solutions, encompassing electrical, hydraulics, electronics, computers, and software. The industry must reinvent itself beyond traditional metal cutting, injection molding, grinding, and drilling applications, venturing into newer domains, notably electronics manufacturing, packaging, and palletizing, especially within the burgeoning e-commerce sector. There are great opportunities for IMTMA to work closely with automation system providers in taking these automation solutions forward for India,” he added.

Sridhar Neelakantan, Chief Executive Officer, Titan Engineering & Automation Ltd, had a fantastic experience at the symposium where the entire automation fraternity came together under the same roof. “It is an interesting opportunity to observe the ecosystem, share ideas, and explore new technologies. There are a lot of takeaways from the excellent presentations held on a wide array of topics on automation,” he added.

Since the association between Schunk and IMTMA spans more than a decade, marking a remarkable and highly fruitful journey, Ashwin Udayashankar, National Sales Manager, represented Schunk Intec India Pvt Ltd at the symposium, which the company has always been a part of. “The symposium offers a significant platform for technology leaders such as Schunk to connect with its users for meaningful discussions. We are eagerly anticipating our continued participation in future editions too.”