How important do you think are customer inputs while designing and developing a machine? Share your experiences

Nitin Garg NBG Printograph
“Whatever we have l earnt, it is from our customers. It depends on the requirement. Automation is secondary but the basics of manufactuiring hinges on engineering. Innovation is a part of the indian brains and it keeps unfolding. Recently, The Times of India ran a print campaign with volkswagen. All of which have been par excellence.”

YP Taneja Precision Graphic Engineers
 “One client was running our press at 8,000iph. The feedback was: the sheets were not drying, they got stuck together. That is why we launched a power spray system. We have attached an anti-static electronic remover. We have attached a device for variations in electricity. Now it is a standard component in all the machines with all the attachments.”

Ashok Singh
Samnik Graphic System “Learning is a continuous process. Most of our client are small book printers. They turn to us for guidance. We rarely get any technological feedback from our customers. If my machine is capable to produce their demand in the given time then they are happy. It is a relationship business rather than a transaction. You have to solve their problems within the given time by hook or crook.”

Amarpreet Singh
Falcon Pumps
“One of my customers showed a 1972 made two-colour Heidelberg machine and said that it is still working, the reliability must be like this. India has to manufacture these kinds of machines.”

Shafiq Ahmed
Sahil Graphics
“Being a small manufacturer, we are always in touch with the customer. This is because we manufacture and sell the machine ourselves. No doubt that our machines are being installed in small towns in the interiors of India, but we have created a wide network to solve the problems. That is why we are getting repeat orders from our customers.”

CP Paul
APL Machinery
“Our research and development department is in touch with our customers on a daily basis. And based on their suggestions we develop our products. We keep changing the look of our machines because our customers always require something extra. We have a dedicated team of five members which work to fulfil the customer demand.”

Aditya Gupta KK Printing
“We are improving as far as international standards are concerned. We are achieving them and evolving. We are in collaboration with Japan-based Seiken who manufacture double-width presses. It is on a marketing level. They promote our products in Japan and we promote theirs in India. We had sold a machine there. These synergies benefit us.”

Satish Bajwa Pressline India
“We always help our customers whenever they try for something new. But most of the genuine feedback comes from lower level (operators). Most of the time the feedback from an owner and operator is different. Many of our customers want to run their machines constantly and do not want to stop their machines for a single hour.”

Jaspreet Singh Kalsi
Kalbro Pumps
“Today’s customer is very wise, aware and savvy. Nowadays customers ask for electricity consumption, noise level, technology and maintenance and life of the pump. Because of their demands we are focusing on energy saving products. Our new product is eco-friendly but expensive.”

Naveen Gupta Prakash Webtech
“You learn a lot from your customer in the long run because ultimately he is the real user of your machine. Rajasthan Patrika, one of our customers, told us about the non-availability of Timcon bearings which we use in our printing presses. As a result of this feedback, we are careful and we check every bearing with CMM machines.”