The next decade manufacturing will focus on cognitive solutions

Satish Godbole, Head-Large Drives, Process Industries & Drives, Siemens Ltd

Please throw some light on Siemens' motor vertical?
Siemens has been a pioneer in motor manufacturing. The company's manufacturing setup in Kalwa is one of the oldest Siemens setups in India. It was also the first to manufacture the entire range of energy efficient motors (labelled as IE1 & IE2) in India in 2011. Since then it has been a trailblazing show with around 70 per cent market share in this category. In 2014, Siemens became the first company in India to manufacture and sell more than 100,000 IE efficiency class motors in India. One out of two every energy efficient motors sold in the Indian market is by Siemens making us the largest manufacturer of energy efficient industrial motors.

What is the present level of energy efficiency of electric motors in the Indian industry?
Globally, the industrial sector is the largest consumer of power. And, two-thirds of this energy is consumed by electric motors that move anything and everything from an assembly line, crane to an industrial pump. This makes it crucial to improve the efficiency of these ubiquitous motors which will reduce their operating costs besides improving productivity. The Indian Electric Motor Industry had its inception around nine decades ago. These motors are widely used for a range of industrial applications. Globally, mainly in Europe the norms for energy efficiency are IE3 and IE4. Currently in India, they are mainly IE2 and IE3. The migration to IE motors has picked up in the last one year with approx 35 per cent IE motors share in current year. The migration is faster for higher output motors. With the recent development of Quality Control Order from Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) effective from October 1, 2017, there is a huge wave of migration to IE motors. The non IE motors in the market might take approx 3 to 6 months to be consumed by consumers. Latest by April 2018, market will fully migrate to IE motors.

Are there any drawbacks of the unorganised sector when it comes to ensuring energy efficiency and adhering global standards?
There are as such no drawbacks to unorganised sectors when it comes to ensuring energy efficiency as there are third party testing facilities in India to test motors which these manufactures can use for testing.

Experts say that India has miles to go before reaching the high global efficiency levels - when do you foresee this happening?
This was the situation few years back; however with the quality control order getting effective from October 1, 2017, the situation will change and India will soon be an energy-efficient country for motors. The pace at which market has started demanding IE3 motors, we feel India is going to reach much faster than many countries.

What are the hindrances for adopting high efficiency motors across the board?
Energy efficient motors have higher costs compared to low energy efficient motors due to superior quality of raw material being used in energy-efficient motors. Majority of the customers in India are still price conscious and prefer motors based on price instead of efficiency.

On technical side, high efficiency motors having higher rated speed call for mechanical change in load. This also can be one of the hindrances.

Our outlook must change from low purchase price to low costs of ownership.

Are the available testing facilities sufficient to measure efficiency levels of motors?
The changes in global standards of efficiency have led to a host of changes in the Indian Electrical Industry. New standards have been adopted and demand for a new generation of motors with high efficacy performance has risen. The growing demands of customers today require the right mix of products and services combined with a value add for a wide range of technology-based services as well. In order to address this demand Siemens has set up its own testing facility.

Where and what kind of facilities...
Siemens was the first company to set up an Advanced Motor Test Centre (AMTC). The AMTC is a state-of-the art facility spread over 2,500 sq m at the Siemens Kalwa plant. The 8-test benches are equipped with precise instruments that eliminate the need for manual intervention. The fully automated data collection, accurate measurements and exact calculations allow accredited, repeatable results common with worldwide Siemens test fields. The AMTC meets the international standard ISO/EIC 17025:2005 'General Requirements of the Testing and Calibration Laboratories'. The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) has bestowed its prestigious accreditation to the AMTC, the first of its kind in India to receive this honour.

What measures are to be taken to expedite adoption of latest standards?
The mandatory quality control order will ensure faster migration of motors to energy efficiency. However; further strengthening the standards in step manner will increase the level of efficiency.

Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion under Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India has issued a quality control order no.165 dated January 19, 2017 for the use of energy efficient motors in India as per IS 12615-2011. This order will be implemented from October 1, 2017. As per the order, manufacturing or storage for sale, selling or distribution of motors below IE2 efficiency class will be forbidden through this quality order. Only motors with IE2 efficiency class and above can be manufactured and sold in Indian market effective 1st October 2017.

To a pleasant surprise to manufacturers, Indian market has also started demanding IE4 motors. At present there are no/few manufacturers having locally produced Squirrel Cage Induction IE4 Motors suitable to Indian industry requirements. The current standard IS12615 is also under revision for encompassing IE4 motors in Indian Standards. India is likely to take a lead in IE5 efficiency motors also.

Indian consumer is said to be too cost-conscious. How that tendency affects their purchase decisions?
Yes, it can be said that the consumers are cost conscious but things are rapidly changing. The next decade of manufacturing will focus on cognitive solutions that infuse intelligence into all processes-from a factory's floor to the finished product. This will bring into existence factories that will co-ordinate on their own to meet deadlines, optimise throughput, utilise capacity, and enhance product quality. Many manufacturers and suppliers in the country employ a large degree of digitalisation. However, the problem lies in the non-connectivity of their value chain. Manufacturers employ digitalisation in design and then move to automation while assembling, but the steps in between are not always connected.

- BS Srinivasalu Reddy