Plastics:
An Important Driver for the Test and Measuring Instruments (TMI) Industry
With
research and development taking place in plastic materials every day,
we are getting plastic materials exactly as we dream of.
Plastics
play a very significant part in success of every product development
and the lead time from concept to design to production have come down
because of use of plastics says Kamal Goliya CEO, Meco Instruments
Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai in dialogue with ET POLYMERS
# How
do you see the test and measuring instruments market in India and
how do you see it evolving from here?
The testing and measuring instru-ments
market is strategically very important for every industry to maintain
its competitive advantage. To win we have to perform. To know how
well we perform we have to measure. The testing and measuring industry
plays the role of the “umpire” to let the management know
how well their plant or facility is performing. Several inputs measured,
analyzed from the M.I.S reports generated, help the management to
decide their cost, consumption, cut-throat price and performance of
their entire operations. The testing and measuring instruments contribute
to close to 3-4 per cent of the total project cost in most of the
power projects. Though, not a very significant cost in terms of the
investment, it can make a lot of difference on the balance 96-97%
of the investments if one does not pay proper attention to it.
# How much
of plastics do you use in the manufacture of you instruments?
A major portion of our product development success in terms
of time and cost is attributed to the increasing use of plastics.
Plastics constitute form roughly over 30-40% by weight in most of
our products. We use from micro precision moulded parts, instrument
casings to packaging all made out of plastics.
# Has use of plastics
changed the functionality, safety and cost of TMI?
We have changed many components from metal to plastics - be
it A.B.S., polycarbonate, nylon, derlin or polystyrene. We have many
success stories. Cost control has been possible mainly with the increasing
use of plastics because of which prices of some of our instruments
have remained same for over a decade. We had to do a lot of re-engineering
and switch over from metal to plastics wherever possible.
# Product design
has gone through a sea of change in the last decade. How instrumental
is plastics in this change of design?
Plastics play a very significant part........
....contd.
TO
READ FURTHER... SUBSCRIBE TO
YOUR COPY TODAY!!!
