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.