The name Micromatic has been synonymous with precision grinding in India since 1973. The Ace Micromatic Group is one of India’s largest machine tool manufacturers. With an installation base of 82,000 machines across the world, Ace is in an indomitable position to flex its muscle and poised to emerge as a truly global Indian multinational in the realm of machine tool solutions. The group has an ambitious target to be among the top 20 machine tool makers globally in the near future. With a multifaceted approach, the Group is actively engaged in crafting innovative business models and refining strategies across various dimensions including technology development, operational excellence, sustainability, and comprehensive initiatives in people and leadership development, reveal the top brass of the Ace Micromatic Group in an interview with Machine Tools World. Excerpts:
Q. Could you enlighten us on the standing and activities of ACE Micromatic?
Ace Micromatic group is the India’s largest machine tool group serving customers both domestically and internationally. With over 82,000 installations, we have a strong sales and service network with over 50 locations across India and 3 international offices. Our associate company AMS has now been formally amalgamated into Ace Designers and will continue its journey as the machining center division.
Q. What does your repertoire look like today?
I oversee the day-to-day operations of the company, ensuring that manufacturing processes are efficient, quality standards are met, and production goals are achieved to meet the ever-changing customer needs. This requires that we collaborate closely with other executives to develop and implement strategic initiatives that align with the company’s overall goals. Also optimizing manufacturing workflows, implementing new technologies, and ensuring the quality and reliability of the machine tools produced. Most of the efforts are currently directed towards building and enhancing capacities and capabilities to capitalize on the opportunities of Indian economic growth.
Prioritizing safety, sustainability, and compliance has become intrinsic to our pursuit of operational excellence. These activities serve as foundational elements of daily work management which is pursued by Genba Corner.
Q. Your Sliding Head Automat is quite popular. What makes it unique?
We offer a very wide range of Sliding head automats with bar feeder option.
We are the only Company in India to have provided unique tooled up solutions on sliding head automat; Modular, FEA Optimised & compact bed design to accommodate all the axes; Structural design is done considering easy chip flow & coolant flow. We have developed a range of SHA models to cater to various customer component requirements and sizes (Dia 3mm to Dia 32mm). Customer can choose based on his domain needs. Accuracy and Reliability goes hand in hand with higher productivity to save production cost and time. We have a strong Application support capability to develop complex parts in SHA. This has shortened the development time of the customers in their businesses.
Q. What is special about your Twin Spindle Chuckers?
Our Twin Spindle Chuckers stand out for their distinctive features. These cost-effective, compact, and thermally stable machines offer versatility across various applications. Notably, they provide the advantages of simultaneous machining, reduced setup times, increased throughput through automation, flexible machining options, and significant cost savings. This unique combination of features makes our Twin Spindle Chuckers a valuable asset for manufacturers seeking efficiency, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness in their machining processes.
Q. What are the outstanding features of your VMCs and HMCs?
Ace Micromatic Group excels in versatile Vertical Machining Centers (VMCs) and Horizontal Machining Centers (HMCs) designed for specific machining needs. VMC highlights include a diverse product line covering Drill Tap, Twin Spindle, 5 Axes, Special, and Double Column VMCs, meeting a broad range of machining requirements. Noteworthy VMCs, like the Simultaneous 5 Axes VMC (GV-60-5C) and the Aerospace Solution VMC (DM-800), ensure precision, efficiency, and extended tool life.
The Leader-400 XL boosts productivity with a column-moving design and a turning pallet table. Double Column VMCs are ideal for heavy-duty applications, offering full milling capabilities and efficiency. Our HMCs range from small, compact machines to high-performance, heavy-duty options.
Q. What are the comprehensive machining solutions you offer to the customer?
We provide all-encompassing CNC machining solutions, covering turning, milling, turn mill, and mill turn operations, along with tailored tooled-up solutions. Our clientele spans diverse industries, including the automotive sector, general engineering, aerospace, and defense. Additionally, recognizing a significant opportunity to enhance machine productivity, we offer infield automation for Ace machine tools. Our automation solutions are designed to be both simple and cost-effective, aiming to streamline processes and elevate overall productivity for our customers. The Infield automation is a unique solution to realize higher ROI for our customer.
Q. May we know your core strengths and competencies?
Our core strengths and competencies lie in our ability to offer tailored solutions to meet the unique requirements of a diverse customer base, ranging from small job shops to large corporations across various sectors. We excel in design, production, and application capabilities, ensuring a comprehensive approach to addressing customer needs. Our commitment to providing total solutions involves a highly responsive and agile supply chain, facilitating quick service delivery that enhances customer value and overall experience. This is achieved by prioritizing quality, timely delivery, and affordability in our offerings.
Q. We understand you have some 80,000 plus installations across the country. Which are the major industry segments you serve?
Certainly, our installations span across various industry segments, with automotive constituting approximately 48% of our clientele. Additionally, we serve the general and infrastructure engineering sector, accounting for around 35%. The remaining portion caters to a diverse range of industries, including aerospace, defense, medical engineering, and others. This broad industry coverage underscores our versatility and effectiveness in meeting the needs of a wide array of clients.
Q. Please throw some light on your manufacturing capabilities and wherewithal. Do you also harness industry 4.O technologies in your production?
Machine tool building is typically A type Product where synchronization of in-house and supply chain is the key for meeting customer needs. We have developed unique production system to meet the environment of MTS (made to stock) and MTO (Make to Order) catering 100+ variants of horizontal, vertical turning centers and turn mill centers. We have developed and built end to end manufacturing capabilities consisting of in-house manufacture of critical components, supply chain ecosystem with backward integration consisting of foundry to manufacture cast iron beds to deliver 6000+ CNC turning centers (and 2500+ machining centers).
The high-end machines for critical components machining such as spindle, beds, tables and column, etc. are installed across 3 plants with IoT enabled systems to monitor and improve productivity and efficiencies. Ace Manufacturing Intelligence technology (AmiT) our group partner is providing the necessary integration of IoT system to harness Industry 4.0 technologies in production. We are currently bolstering our ERP and PLM capabilities to optimize order management and fulfillment, aiming for heightened operational effectiveness.
Q. Tell us something about your quality policies and benchmarks.
Customer is at the center of our quality policy. It’s our policy to continuously aim at satisfying customers’ quality expectations. Our Objective is to provide customers with a Reliable Product, a cost-effective solution to their needs and to deliver it to them ON TIME with added assurance of Prompt Service. We have implemented and practiced the integrated management system consisting of QMS, OSHMS and EMS. Our focus is on achieving a “first-time right” approach in all our processes, emphasizing precision and accuracy from the outset. Regular benchmark with best-in -class across industry sectors focusing on first time right in all our processes and striving on continuous improvement to enhance customer satisfaction and experience.
Q. Service is critical in machine tool applications. Please shed some light on your service network and customer reach?
Service is paramount in machine tool applications, and Micromatic Machine Tools (MMT), the customer-facing entity of Ace Micromatic Group, prioritizes the 3S approach – sales, service, and spares. With strategic branches and franchisees in over 55 locations nationwide and 8 Technology Training Centers, our integrated yet decentralized network ensures a swift and effective response to customer needs. We take pride in our remarkably responsive customer service, boasting a Mean Time To Respond (MTTR) of less than 4 hours for any service call, demonstrating our commitment to providing prompt and reliable support to valued customers throughout the country.
Q. What are the emerging technology trends in machine tools and how do you keep in step with them?
We are continuously investing in developing new technologies such as diamond turning, multitasking and automatic chuck changers, and Bevel gear turning machines. Diamond turning machine is being developed with technology partnership with CMTI.
By regularly taking part in international machine tool exhibitions such as EMO and IMTEX, we keep ourselves updated with the developments in machine tool technology worldwide. We also foster partnerships with renowned academic institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology to collaboratively develop solutions and applications in Machine tools.
Q. What are your growth strategies and future thrusts? How do you envision the future of Ace Micromatic?
Our growth strategies and future thrusts are underpinned by a positive outlook, driven by the abundant opportunities in both domestic and international markets. Envisioning the future of Ace Micromatic, we are poised to emerge as a truly global Indian multinational in the realm of machine tool solutions.
With an ambitious target to secure a position among the top 20 machine tool makers globally within the next decade, our approach is multifaceted. We are actively engaged in crafting innovative business models and refining strategies across various dimensions. Our focus areas include technology development, operational excellence, sustainability, and comprehensive initiatives in people and leadership development.
