Sparkonix, Leading the way in EDMs!

Q. Please tell us about the focus areas of Sparkonix?
The Sparkonix Group consists of three entities. Sparkonix, is India’s leading manufacturer of Electric Discharge Machines. Artech Welders, a group company, is a specialist manufacturer of industrial welding machines with capacitor discharge projection welding machines, medium frequency (MFDC) spot and projection welding machines, stud welding machines and shear connectors. Our newly launched software business unit focuses on bringing highly innovative Industry 4.0 solutions to the Indian manufacturers.

Together, Sparkonix and Artech have an installed base of over 7,500+ machines spread across 32 countries. Sparkonix was founded in 1968 and has been a pioneer and leading the way in EDM technology for over four decades.

Q. What are Sparkonix’s plans for the upcoming IMTEX 2017?
Sparkonix has had a long association with the IMTEX Show. Out of the 17 IMTEX Expos so far, Sparkonix has participated in every expo, barring just one year. The upcoming, 18th in the series, IMTEX 2017 is very special for us. We have two big launches lined up for the show – the CNC EDM Drill and introduction of Industry 4.0 solutions through our new software business unit. In addition to these, we are also introducing a range of customised tyre mould EDMs that will open new opportunities for mould makers in India.

Q. With Sparkonix’s long association with IMTEX, how do you see the changing expectations of customers, over all these years?
IMTEX is a reflection of the Indian machine tool industry and a great place to notice small harbingers which are going to grow into the big trends of tomorrow.

We have observed and adapted to three changes in particular. Earlier, there was a trend to demand ‘do it all’ machines which is changing slowly. Today, everyone wants a smart machine that does the intended job well. The need for more specialised machines is growing across industries.

The other clear shift is awarding greater importance to life-cycle costs as opposed to just the cost of purchase. Third, today’s customers look beyond technical specifications and expect much more value from their machines. Starting from operator friendliness, compact construct, cost-effective maintenance, to safe and eco-friendly operations, many new expectations now take up greater importance, in addition to the specifications!

As one of the largest manufacturers of EDMs in India, Sparkonix is leading the way across all these areas. For instance, in just the last two years, we have added over 40 new features to our EDMs. Ours is perhaps the most eco-friendly EDM in the market. As of today, Sparkonix offers over 25 standard models of EDMs for general purpose applications as well as fully customised EDMs for specialised applications.

Q. Tell us a little more about your specialty in customised EDMs.
Sparkonix is probably the only Indian EDM manufacturer to design and engineer customised EDMs. Today, Sparkonix has a specialist application engineering team that has designed and built 100+ innovative and customised EDMs for highly specialised processes in automotive, machine tools, defense and space exploration industries.

With the trend for specialised manufacturing gaining traction, the demand for customised EDMs too is growing every year. Sparkonix’s four decade long expertise in EDM technology, coupled with the experience to cater to numerous applications, is the real strength of its application engineering.

Q. You mentioned about opening new opportunities for Indian mould manufacturers. Can you elaborate?
Recently, Sparkonix introduced specialised Tyre Mould EDMs in the Indian market. Again, it’s first such development by any Indian machine tool manufacturer and opens a huge window of opportunity for mould makers. The market for tyre moulds is rapidly expanding and mostly dominated by suppliers from China.

Sparkonix has developed full range of Tyre Mould EDMs capable of manufacturing cycle, 2/3/4 wheeler as well as off-highway tyre moulds. With availability of right technology, in-depth expertise and world-class service from Sparkonix, Indian mould manufacturers are now well poised to address the growing demand for tyre moulds, in domestic and international markets.

Q. How do you see the domestic market for Electric Discharge Machines evolving in near future?
Like in case of many other products, India is a very diverse market when it comes to EDMs. On one end of the customer spectrum, there are thousands of small one man job shops, while on the other side there are large, multi-national companies. Each segment has its own unique needs, demands and expectations. At Sparkonix, we have evolved to serve every company, small and large, by creating unique products that match their specific needs and expectations.

It also means, in the Indian market, there is a demand for all kinds of EDMs, starting from the very basic 25 A
microcontroller based EDMs to the highly advanced CNC EDMs. But clearly, in the last few years the demand is shifting to larger models, more advanced controllers with faster performance. In line with this trend, Sparkonix is launching its CNC EDM Drill at IMTEX to be held in January 2017.

Q. How will the soon to be launched CNC EDM Drill help customers?
Sparkonix is the first Indian EDM manufacturer to develop a CNC EDM Drill. But more importantly, it also marks a new beginning for thousands of mould manufacturers who can now gain access to advanced CNC EDM technology at an affordable price.

The development of CNC EDMs is a direct response to the need voiced by import dependent customers in the Indian market for an advanced, precision technology in EDM Drilling. While there are several international suppliers, end customers have reportedly faced repeated challenges in the service and spare parts supply chain.

Sparkonix’s CNC EDM is 100% indigenous development. It means, customers not just get the CNC technology or machine but, an entire ecosystem of application engineering expertise, spares, support is now available. In near future too, we see more and more customers switching to CNC based controllers & that remains a key focus area for us as well.

Customers also stand to leverage from Sparkonix’s nationwide service support managed through cloud-based tracking and monitoring applications. Recently, Sparkonix has also signed-up with Attendme, a highly innovative maintenance reporting platform, that connects your Operators to our service team for their queries, using a simple app on their phones.

Q. What is the focus for Sparkonix’s Software business unit?
The Industry 4.0 wave is rapidly unfolding in the Indian manufacturing sector. Sparkonix has established a strategic tie-up with System Insights, a US based predictive analytics solution platform for manufacturing intelligence.

The strategic tie-up with System Insights to bring their solution VIMANA to the Indian market reflects Sparkonix’s commitment to build new value frontiers for Indian manufacturers. With VIMANA, Sparkonix aims to bring a paradigm shift in the way companies acquire and analyse production data, opening new possibilities to improve productivity. We welcome everyone to Sparkonix’ IMTEX 2017 stall to know more about VIMANA.