At Kennametal, we turn ideas into solutions
Kennametal is a market leader and a recognized innovator, providing solutions to complex problems for its customers around the world. Its innovation advantage stems from delivering differentiated capabilities in the areas of Material Science, Additive Manufacturing, Product Engineering and Smart Factory. Evolving trends that are influencing its technological advancements range from high-speed machining to the continued focus on sustainability and now e-mobility and the use of exotic materials, among many other factors. It engineers solutions to help customers exceed productivity targets in the wake of the increasing complexities. An R&D 100 Award Winner, Kennametal’s repertoire encompasses several ground-breaking innovations including the KENGoldTM, a proprietary next generation multi-layer CVD coating technology that has set a new standard for wear and productivity in steel turning, discovers Cutting Tools World in an exclusive interview with Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, Managing Director, Kennametal India Limited. Excerpts:
You are a formidable name in tooling and wear-resistant solutions. May we know more about your niche and standing?
Kennametal brings together materials science, technical expertise and innovation to deliver tooling and wear-resistant solutions across a wide range of industries including automotive, aerospace and defense, general engineering, transportation, earthworks, and energy. Our India team offers industry leading solutions through two segments: Hard Metals and Machining Solutions Group.
Our Hard Metals segment offers both Kennametal® and WIDIA™ brand metalworking solutions covering everything from milling, turning and holemaking, to threading and tooling systems. This business segment also offers wear-resistant solutions that deliver high performance and productivity in the toughest environments. We’re customer focused, providing superior service and support to help our customers solve their most challenging problems—avoiding downtime, preventing failures and in the end, achieving cost savings and increased productivity.
Our Machining Solutions Group manufactures special purpose machines (SPM), including vertical turning lathes, deep hole drilling machines, tool and cutter grinding machines, fixtures and tooling solutions through the WIDMA™ brand. Several customers are benefiting from the expertise of WIDMA and manufacturing the most complex components with precision, from small tools to large structural parts for the railways and construction equipment industries.
R & D is at the root of your innovations. Tell us something about your futuristic approach to need-based product development.
Kennametal is a market leader. We’re a recognized innovator, providing solutions to complex problems for our customers in India and around the world and transforming how everyday life is built. Our innovation advantage stems from delivering differentiated capabilities in the areas of Material Science, Additive Manufacturing, Product Engineering and Smart Factory. Evolving trends that are influencing our technology advancements range from high-speed machining to the continued focus on sustainability and now, e-mobility and the use of exotic materials, among many other factors. We engineer solutions to help customers exceed productivity targets in the wake of increasing complexities.
We work closely with our customers, anticipating their needs and innovating to drive manufacturing efficiencies and productivity. We’re helping customers achieve a competitive edge. The RIQ™ Reamer Stator Bore is a great example of how closely we worked with a customer to machine EV components and hit production targets. The RIQ Reamer recently received the Best of Industry Award (in Production & Manufacturing) from MM MaschinenMarkt– proof of its performance in the shop.
Kennametal was also named an R&D 100 Award Winner and received a bronze Edison Award for its industry-first, additive manufactured cutting tool designed with KENionic™ technology. The tool is 45 percent lighter and has demonstrated a reduced machining time by approximately 50 percent compared to conventional tooling solutions.
Starting your journey in India in 1964, you have come a long way spearheading innovations. What are the technological breakthroughs you have showcased recently and with what benefits to the end-user industry?
At Kennametal, we turn ideas into solutions. Our teams’ award winning innovations are driving growth in our target markets. We recently released KENGold™, a proprietary next generation multi-layer CVD coating technology. KENGold has set a new standard for wear and productivity in steel turning with the launch of our KCP25C turning grade. Another breakthrough is Road King®. Road King provides superior milling machine performance in road rehabilitation applications. In aerospace, Kennametal’s HARVI™ Ultra 8X helical milling cutter does what it’s designed to do—deliver the highest productivity at the lowest possible cost per edge. HARVI Ultra 8X consistently removes up to 20 cubic inches of titanium per minute with a tool life of one hour or more.
You champion in providing machining solutions. Which are the recent ground-breaking solutions you have come up with?
We’re focused on building general purpose standard machines capable of performing complex operations in the most demanding environments. We recently launched MacHX800, a standard horizontal machining center (HMC) designed for large part machining across commercial vehicles, construction and farm equipment, aerospace, and general engineering. Designed with advanced next-gen features including Industry 4.0 compatibility, this new WIDMA machine delivers the rigidity, productivity, accuracy, and versatility to machine a variety of materials in the toughest conditions.
Another recent breakthrough in machining solutions is our Skiving and Roller Burnishing machine that is remarkably fast and performs two-in-one bore sizing and finishing process. It is up to 70 percent faster than traditional honing operations, making it an ideal solution for finishing hydraulic cylinder tubes in high production environments.
Our Tool & Cutter grinding machines show the comprehensive range of our portfolio solutions range from entry level products for tool makers transitioning from a conventional to CNC setup, to high-end machines for producing small tools with laser sharp accuracy. Hobgrind HG200, a five-axis CNC machine,is built for gear manufacturers looking to perform high-precision regrinding of hobs of varying sizes and types in-house, with end-to-end quality control and benefit from reduced inventory levels and lead time.
We recognize the need to drive productivity via connected data and have integrated IoT into our machines to provide both intuitive and data-driven analysis of machine performance and meet customer requirements in an Industry 4.0 environment.
Please enlighten us on your trendsetting innovations in special purpose machines.
WIDMA’s expertise in Special Purpose Machines stems from a customer first mindset and solutions-based approach to the design and building process. We’ve produced several high-quality machines as a result of our comprehensive manufacturing process—from concept and design to assembly and after-sales customer support. Examples of our work include a 7-axis two-way special HMC that was delivered to a leading construction equipment manufacturer. This machine features servo pallet changer of 4.4 X 1.2 meter table size for accommodating and machining large components, weighing nearly 3 tons with quick change setup mechanism. In the die and mold sector, large machines are being increasingly used where size and complexity are in high demand. The WIDMA UGC Series Deep Hole Drilling (DHD) machine can help customers achieve deep-hole drilling depths up to 2 meters and 40mm in diameter in a single setup with high-accuracy. This machine specifically has the flexibility for multi-axis positioning, performing multiple operations like chamfering, milling and tapping operations, configurable up to 7-axes including a CNC rotary table and spindle tilting feature enabling customers to drill complex angles and structures. Another area is the machining of valves where our 5-axis CNC Multi-tasking, VU Series Vertical Turn-Mill center has been leveraged by a valve maker to machine the most complex triple offset butterfly valves meeting stringent criteria set by several global certifying agencies. This machine is ideal for components that have multiple operations to be covered with close relative tolerances between sections. The machine can cover 5 faces of the component in a single setup, optimizing productivity.
We understand you have come up with a special CVD coating for wear resistance and productivity in steel turning. What’s the significance of this development?
Our new KENGold™ CVD coating technology resists abrasion, provides a strong thermal barrier, improves edge toughness, and allows for easy detection of wear due to its gold flank. Kennametal has achieved consistently tight tolerance levels with this next gen coating technology given its extreme versatility when machining steel across turning applications and materials.
May we have a brief account of your wherewithal and infrastructural developments?
We have a state-of-the-art 29-acre manufacturing facility in Bengaluru developing products for both domestic and international markets. On the Bengaluru campus is also a dedicated for the production of inserts, this facility deploys advanced technology and equipment to uphold our commitment to Kennametal quality, performance, innovation and delivery. The facility, like others globally, also adheres to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards.
What’s your contribution to skill development in the country?
Kennametal India’s Knowledge Center provides a growing customer base with ongoing training. Our Metal Cutting Application Engineering (MCAE) course covers a wide variety of topics including the latest in manufacturing, tooling developments and strategies, tool selection and machining parameters for different applications. These highly informative and interactive sessions are conducted in person, as well as virtually to expand our reach in the Indian market and globally. This year, our Knowledge Center in India has conducted over 60 training sessions to reach more than 2,000 participants including direct customers, employees and channel partners.
So how would you sum up your core competencies, and competitive advantages?
Our legacy of deep material science and technical expertise has and will continue to give us a competitive edge. We’re problem-solvers. We design advanced solutions for our customers. It’s this customer commitment that leads to the development of advanced products that enhances and expands on our portfolio. Leveraging Kennametal’s global manufacturing facilities as well as our integrated factory at Bengaluru, we deliver performance driven tooling solutions and high-end machines; this, coupled with prompt technical support and customer service also continues to set us apart from competition.
What’s your outlook for the future of the metal cutting and metalworking industry?
The Indian manufacturing sector is poised to grow to 21 percent of GDP in the next 6 to 7 years; it’s expected to reach $1 trillion by 2025/26*. Aligning with this trend, the Indian machine tool market is poised for remarkable expansion with a CAGR of 10 to 12 percent between 2022 and 2027, which translates to approximately $2.45 billion USD. We expect this trend to benefit both our Hard Metal and Machining Solutions businesses. The gradual shift in focus towards aluminum machining, CFRP, usage of more non-conventional materials, and additive manufacturing will increase demand for cutting edge technologies in the machining space. Plus, manufacturers will seek higher levels of sophistication, with an emphasis on finishing and tighter tolerances. We’re positioned to maximize our sales and service footprint across the country to grow our customer base—while remaining focused on innovation and bringing products to market that drive our customers’ businesses.
What are your growth strategies and how do you envision the future of Kennametal India?
Kennametal’s growth strategy centers around leveraging decades of metallurgy and materials science expertise, application engineering and problem solving to drive customer-led innovation that delivers superior performance. Our goal is to drive operational excellence through continuous improvement to drive efficiency, leverage state-of-the-art processes and optimize our capacity. In doing so, we will sustain our ESG efforts and focus on people-centric practices while upholding Kennametal’s values and cultural beliefs.