Netalkar Group of Industries is a reputed manufacturer of automotive crankshafts at Belgaum and is a supplier to global OEMs. We had a chance to interact with Mr. Satish Netalkar, Managing Partner of the group. He has expressed delight over the superb performance of the machines he has bought from Grind Master. Here are the excerpts:

Please give us a brief idea about your business.
Netalkar Group manufactures crankshafts for automotive companies and tractor applications.Our major clients include Mahindra and Mahindra Tractors and Automotive, Tata Motors Car Plant, Mitsubishi Tractors, and an Italian Tractor Company among others.

In the crankshafts, dynamic balancing has a significant role. Can you put more light on it?
Balancing is required to minimize engine vibrations. Everybody wants smooth engines.
Dynamic balancing plays a major role for reducing or eliminating vibrations in the engine.

How was your experience with Grind Master’s Dynamic Balancing machines?
Before GrindMaster Dynamic Balancing machines were launched, mostly manual machines were available. There was only one company that used to make semi-automatic machines. But I have seen the results and workmanship, and somehow it didn’t fit in my mind.

I was discussing with Mr. Milind Kelkar since the last 3 years, and I was forcing him to give me the first machine. He wanted us to purchase the first balancing machine. And I got the machine that I wanted.
The accuracy level, R&R, repeatability level – all these things have been maintained to about 1/10 of the tolerance. Performance of the machine is very good.

Whether machine performance led to repeat orders?
First I placed an order for 1 machine. When I saw the way things were progressing, I was confident that I will get the best machine. Thereafter, within the next 6 months, I placed order for the second machine. Then, for our group company, Shrinivas Induction Hardening, I placed an order for 2 more machines. This itself speaks of the performance of Grind Master’s machines.

Normally, dynamic balancing as a process needs 2/3 iterations. But, in Grind Master machine, more than 90% components get through in the first shot itself. In the first trial itself, the crankshaft gets balanced and therefore, the rejections get reduced or eliminated. This is possible due to many features which have been added and R&D efforts by Grind Master.