MSME - TOOL ROOM, HYDERABAD. CENTRAL INSTITUTE OF TOOL DESIGN
DESIGN AWARENESS SEMINAR FOR FIREWORKS INDUSTRIES, SIVAKASI.
10TH SEPTEMBER,2011
Conducted in Co-Ordination with National Institute of Design
& Supported by
Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India
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MSME - Tool Room, Hyderabad (Central Institute of Tool Design, Hyderabad)
A Report on Design Awareness Seminar for Fire Works Industries at Sivakasi on 10.09.2011.
Introduction :
CITD Shri A.S.Arjun Raja, President M/s. The Indian Fire Works
Association, Sivakasi has requested for mechanization of some of the
manufacturing activities of Fire Works Industries. A proposal was
submitted to Chairman’s office for conducting Design Seminar in Sivakasi
and the approval of O/o D.C was communicated vide
Lr.No.17(2)/2/11/ME/NID, dt.5.9.2011.
The Institute has conducted the Design Awareness Seminar for Fire Works
Industries at Sivakasi on 10.9.2011. The President, TANFAMA Shri
S.Vijay Kumar was invited as Chief Guest, Shri A.S.Arjun Raja, President,
TIFM was invited as Guest of Honour.
Shri Shujayat Khan, Principal Director, CITD, Hyderabad explained the
gathering about the Design Methodology & Design Clinic Scheme under
National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme of Govt. of India,
Shri V.Krishna Swami, Director, CITD, Hyderabad gave a detailed
presentation on Low Cost Automation in various processes included the
Fire Works Arena. Shri K.V.Subrahmanyam, Secretary, CITD,
Hyderabad explained The Financial aspects of Design Clinic Scheme. Shri
L.Kutti Raja, Assistant Director, MSME DI, Trunalveli also spoke about the
importance of The Design Clinic. The other speakers at the Seminar
include Shri A.S.Arjun Raja, Victoria Fire Works, Sivakasi, Mr. Rajendra
Raja etc. The details of
Fire Works Industry at Sivakasi, list of participants at the seminar, areas
of proposed Automation after discussions with the Industrialists and after
visiting the units are summarized below :
-4- Initiation : CITD, Hyderabad, was approached by the Indian Fireworks Association
and Sri Kaliswary Fireworks of Sivakasi for automation of some of
manufacturing processes which are presently being carried out manually.
The Institute has submitted a proposal vide letter no.
CITD/DC/Frieworks/2011-12/36 & 37 dt.5.5.2011 under copy to the O/o
Development Commissioner, New Delhi to the Coordinator Zonal Centre,
South Zone, Design Clinic Scheme National Institute of Design,
Bangalore.
The orders from the O/o Development Commissioner (MSME) were
communicated for conducting a Design Seminar under Design Clinic
Scheme and the implementing agency viz., National Institute of Design,
Ahmedabad, was advised to release Rs.60,000/- to CITD for conducting
the Design Seminar vide letter no. 17(2)/2/11-ME-NID dt.5.9.2011.
The Industry at Sivakasi (Tamilnadu) in India is the second largest
industry in the entire world after China. The Industry is in existence for
over 85 years with a turnover of Rs.1000 crores. The Sivakasi Fire Works
Industry supplies various items of fire crackers throughout India. There
are more than 250 units producing different kinds of crackers, fireworks
pleasantries. This being a restrictive area and not on free trade items to
export market. The safety being a paramount important factor, the
designated controller of explosives and Factories Act regulations supply
and they are enforced in stringent manner. Most common penalty
imposed is temporary suspension of licence ranging from 3 to 45 days .
Firework items mostly being seasonal for Diwali & other celebrations,
mostly the Diwali season is very important for the units. They keep aside
all other activities and bestow their attention only on business.
Due to safety standards, the industry mainly runs only in the morning &
afternoon hours using the natural day light. Rainy season is not
conducive for manufacture of firework items. Due to Factory Act
regulations and other Statutes labour under the age of 14 years are
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strictly not employed and mostly women workers are engaged in the
industry. There is a shortage in the industry and some of big units
engage as many as 15 buses to transport workers from near by villages
situated 40-50 kms away. Critical shortage of labour is experienced in
the Diwali season and many units are luring the workers with free
breakfast and lunch packets.
There are two associations functioning in Sivakasi viz., TANFAMA and
TIFMA. While the TANFAMA represents bigger units the other associations
TIFMA is meant for smaller and tiny units.
Automation is not thought of in this sector except a few stray efforts made
by major units . This is chiefly due to strict regulations of explosive laws
and factory act rules.
The Design Awareness Seminar for Fire Works Industries, Sivakasi was
conducted on 10.09.2011 and both the associations were invited to
participate in the seminar. The seminar was organised to sensitize the
MSME units of the Fireworks Cluster of Sivakasi. Before conducting the
seminar, the team visited the units to appreciate and learn the practical
needs of the industry for taking up automation of activities of the industry
under Design Clinic Programme. As each unit is established in about 10 -
20 acres of land with small sized rooms for each type operation,
extensive visit to different operations was required to be done as these
small rooms are very distantly located to prevent spreading of fire in case
of any unforeseen fire accident.
Only 4-5 persons are permitted to work in each room for a particular
manufacturing activity. No facilities like fans or lights are available as
use of electricity in any form is prohibited. Therefore, electricity based
mechanisation of production activities absent in the industry.
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CHARACTERISTICS :
The industry is cash rich contrary to other types of industries, as it
receives advances from parties before Diwali and orders are accepted
alongwith advance money only. At the end of the main season, there will
not be any inventory. Therefore storage of fireworks items is not a
problem in the industry at manufacturing sites as they are dispatched as
per orders. This is a Zero inventory industry at factory level.
On the contrary Sivakasi is a highly technological advanced & automated
in the printing industry. The best quality of printing is done in India.
Calenders, diaries and other specialised printing works are undertaken at
Sivakasi. Some of the specialised variety of diaries printed in Sivakasi
are costing upto Rs.5000/- each. Seeing the technology deployed in
printing industry, the late Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal
Nehru described Sivakasi as MINI JAPAN in those days itself.
Sivakasi is having highest literacy rate of over 95% in the state of
Tamilnadu and the above factor will help the industry to appreciate and
implement mechanisation in the Fireworks Industry also.
Characteristics of Automation :
Reduces the fatigue of operators and increases efficiency of
the operator.
Even Automation can be applied for batch production and not
meant for Bulk production alone.
Easy installations of the systems and even unskilled persons
can operate the systems.
Simple maintenance.
Can be introduced step by step in different areas.
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Benefits of Automation :
Removes health hazards and ensures safety to workers.
Improves productivity.
Improves the quality of products.
Reduces Wastage.
PROPOSED AREAS OF AUTOMATION IN FIRST STAGE : Initially it is proposed to introduce low cost automation in the following
eight areas in the Fire Works manufacturing units at Sivakasi in the First
Stage. The proposed automation is simple and they are independent and
not inter-dependent. It is therefore proposed to carried out the
Automation in different stages and the following are proposed to be taken
up in the First Stage.
1. MIXING OPERATIONS : The Fire Works Industries of Sivakasi needs operation in Mixing of various
chemicals like Aluminum Nitrate, Aluminum Powder, Sulpher Coloring
agents etc. Presently this operation was done manually involving health
hazards and lack of safety to humans. CITD is preparing to introduce
automation in this area. As safety is the paramount factor, Electrical,
Hydraulics, Ferrous and Plastic material can't be used. Therefore CITD is
developing the Automated of Mixer units which is operated pneumatically.
CITD has already studied various options and models for the same and
conceptual designs has already been worked out using CAD Models.
-8- 2. SIEVING OPERATION : Presently the mixed chemicals are sieved manually to get fine chemical
powders for using in the crackers and other Fireworks items like Flower
pots, Ground Chakras etc., While sieving the powder, Fine chemical dust
is spreading in the entire room causing health problems. Only one large
scale industry attempted Electro-Magnetic vibrations for sieving
operations, which is costly and not affordable by MSME's. CITD is
exploring alternative Low Cost techniques using pneumatic system which
is safe to human life, Cheaper and inexpensive.
3. MANUFACTURING Of GROUND CHAKRAS : It is pathetic to see that the Work Women are using their index finger for
rolling the chemical tubes to get the shape of Ground Chakras, and
manually fixing the top and bottom Cardboard with solution. CITD is
designing the automatic rolling, fixing of cardboards at top and bottom
with gum pasting through pneumatic systems.
4. FLOWER POTS : Presently manually the chemical powder is filled in the conical shape
cardboards, compacted with hand and sealed the bottom with Cardboard.
CITD is designing pneumatic systems for filling the Flower Pots with
proper volume of Chemical composition with fixed compression and
sieving with Cardboard material.
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5. SPARKLERS : Presently the industries are using Copper coated Aluminum sticks, which
are arranged in a Wooden frame slots manually and then immersed in
chemical slurry stage wise to get uniform thickness. In the process, the
wooden frames are exposed to natural heat for drying of the chemicals.
This is requiring a lot of manual operations and a time consuming process.
It is proposed to develop a pneumatic Fixture for holding of the sticks in a
frame, and dipping the sticks in the chemical slurry and for also the drying
process operations with pneumatic system.
6. CRACKER TUBES FORMATIONS : Currently the industry is getting the tubes manufactured by rolling the
paper with gum manually to the required thickness. Later on the tubes
are cut to required length for different kind of crackers.
CITD has studied the operations and developing pneumatic rolling process
of papers and cutting operations for the required length.
7. FUSE THREAD MANUFACTURING : The Fireworks Industries are manufacturing the Fuse Threads by manually
pressing the thread in a chemical slurry and rolling the thread in a
Wooden frame and the threads are then dried under Sun Light.
After careful study of the entire process, CITD is evolving mechanisation
of passing the thread through the slurry and roll the threads and drying of
the same through pneumatic system.
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8. PACKING OPERATIONS OF CRACKERS : Currently the Industry is manually packing the Crackers in a cellophane
papers by applying the gum. This is involving a lot of a manual labour
operations. Automation system is being planned for this operation also.
CONCLUSION : The Design Seminar conducted at Sivakasi for Fire Works Association on
10 September, 2011 was well received by the participants. The profile of
participating industries include Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneur and
heads of R&D departments of areas industries. The participating
entrepreneur evinced keen interest for introducing automation in
respective industries. M/s. Ayyan Fireworks Factory private Limited, M/s.
Kaliswary Fire Works Industries, M/s.Lakshmi Shanker Fire Works of
Sivakasi are discussing projects for introduction of automation in different
areas of manufacture viz., manufacture of Flower Pots, Production of
Circular Tubes for Crackers, Mixing and Sieving of Chemicals used in Fire
Works, Ground Chakra manufacturing and packaging of Crackers etc. The
most important benefit by introducing automation will be through
ensuring of safety to the operators and also in minimises the Health
Hazards.
Introduction of Automation in Fire Works Industry will immensely benefits
the present work force in reducing their fatigue, increases the production,
reduces the wastages and finally improves the quality of the Fire Works.
It also benefits the Industry in facing the fierce competition from China.
Therefore introducing Low Cost Automation in Fire Works Industry is
highly recommended.
***
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Some of the Photographs taken at the Design Awareness Seminar for Fire Works Industries at Sivakasi on 10.09.2011.
-12- Some of the Photographs taken at the Design Awareness Seminar for Fire Works Industries at Sivakasi on 10.09.2011.
-13- Some of the Photographs taken at the Design Awareness Seminar for Fire Works Industries at Sivakasi on 10.09.2011.