Moba has rich expertise in mobile automation backed up by robust electronics, sensors with high quality, and strong technical application knowledge which has enabled Moba to build solutions which are effective, reliable and easy to operate. Such systems demand the withstanding the highest degree of vibration, exposure to dust, water and heat, all of which make their systems an ideal choice in mining and construction applications. "With a strong R&D team, service team and market research dedicated to mobile applications, we can easily develop a customised solution to meet requirements suggested by customers," say Samip Desai and Brijesh Chhantbar, National Manager, Moba Mobile Automation. Excerpts from the interview.

Do you see Excon 2013 as a launching pad? Will any new systems be launched?
Participating in Excon will be an excellent opportunity for Moba to explore new business horizons and connect with our current and prospect customers and of course, it's a huge show to promote our product for brand promotion and marketing. As we are expecting more participants and visitors this year, we are quite optimistic regarding the dimensions it will add to our business. Yes, we are launching few new products this year (Details are provided in box).

Has the current scenario where the intake of machines has dipped, impacted your business performance?
Yes, it certainly has had its impact on us, but we have been progressing on a consistent basis and have always been there in the market with new product to meet all challenges. We do believe that to ensure your growth in the market you need to be consistently innovative. Our ability to provide customised solutions helps us sustain the growth momentum by widening our scope and dimension.

Tell us about the value proposition provided by Moba.
Moba develops and manufactures customised components and user-friendly system solutions. As a technology leader, our products are designed with an eye to the future. Moba was among the first companies to realise the potential offered by CAN systems in the machine automation market and has consistently implemented this decentralised system architecture. This means the components of Moba's modular systems can be integrated into existing systems and equipment at any time and provide for subsequent extension, thanks to open-system interfaces.

Machine control technology is a relatively new concept in the Indian CE market. How do you assess its growth trajectory and future potential?
We do believe growth potential is extremely encouraging. With the way India is evolving to meet the new challenges of the future, we need to ensure the efficiency and safety aspect of the machines used in the CE market and we are here to ensure that.

As a system supplier, what are the major challenges you face from OEMs as well as end-user segments? Is cost a major deterrent?
Cost is always one of the driving factors in the Indian market for OEMs or end users, and it is extremely challenging to make a system which will work in a rugged application and is also cost- effective. With an efficient team and high quality products, we have been able to respond to the challenges quite smoothly.

Moba's focus in India seems to be more on developing 2D systems and solutions that can be upgraded to 3D format. Are there any specific reasons for the same?
We try to control the cost by trying different solutions but we never compromise in terms of quality and performance. Thus, developing 2D system is an attempt to control the costs to suit the Indian market. We also make our product upgradable to 3D version to make sure we have the latest technology in the market.

During bauma 2013, Moba introduced new solutions such as 3D-matic, new Xite product lines, Moba-IRTM, etc. Are these systems available in India?
These products are just a concept for the Indian market for now, but given the pace at which India is picking up in construction, infrastructure and mining, we believe the time is near when people will start understanding and accepting the importance of high-level machine control techniques to optimise the performance of the equipment.

Moba has supplied a levelling system to Puzzolana for its surface miners. Could you brief us on the system and it advantages?
Yes, we have supplied a levelling system to Puzzolana for its surface miners and it is successfully running since one-and-a-half years now. With the help of our levelling systems, it is now easy to cut the surface precisely to a preset grade. This will help form smooth access roads for the machines moving in the mines and thus, no further levelling has to be done via graders / dozers.

What are the major solutions you offer on the compaction and paving side?
With our MCA-2000 system, we provide a pass counting system for compactors which precisely shows the number of passes done; with the presence of our IR temperature sensors, we can also know the surface temperature, thus it covers the two most deciding factors to achieve the desired compaction and helps to avoid the under/ over compaction. I feel very proud to say that we (Moba) have a levelling expertise on paving machines since the last 40 years and we currently enjoy almost hundred per cent market share of asphalt paving machines in India.

What is Moba's business model and how flexible are the system and solutions that Moba offers?
Moba has a presence across the globe through and we keep ourselves up to date with the current and upcoming technological demands from around the globe. With strong R&D support from our HQ in Germany, we are able to develop and achieve customised application solutions very quickly.

What has the response been so far from the OEMs and end-user segments?
I must say the response has been good; we have steadily penetrated the market with our wide product range and of course, with our expertise in providing customised solutions. With clients like Wirtgen group, Dynapac, Volvo, L&T, Atlas Copco, BEML, Scania, Gujarat Apollo, etc, there is no question on the quality of our product and our service. Even the products offered to the end users are a wide range of applications and the response is very positive.

How do you look at competition in this field and what makes Moba different?
We enjoy a monopoly in some segments because of our matchless attributes. We do face some competition in certain segments but that always motivates us to improve our product. I do think our wide product range with its superior quality, our expertise in providing customised solutions, our wide presence around the globe and our services put us ahead of our competitors.

Brief us on the other systems and solutions you offer.
We have on-board weighing systems for wheel loaders, excavators, dumper trucks, tipper trucks. These systems are mainly focused on ensuring right loading and thus to ensure safety of the machine.

We also have significant market penetration for the automation systems for agriculture, the "Laser Guided Land Levelling System" which helps level your field to get uniform and optimum yield of crop. The system to control the engine RPM of the machine is vital when the machine the standing idle as well as when it is running at full load.

We have a system which can control the engine RPM automatically to produce enough power while it is running at full load capacity. This helps us save fuel when the machine is standing idle, as in this condition, the RPM will automatically drop down to idle status. We also design customised control panels which helps us eliminate the mechanical toggle switched, interlock wiring, timer blocks, NONC blocks and this is completely replaced with a panel and its controller board which takes care of the logic, interlocks and timers. This concept helps with easy wiring, troubleshooting and achieving longer life for the panels.

Moba develops and manufactures customised components and user-friendly systems.

MCA-2000
Moba compaction assistant system - With its new colour graphics robust touchscreen display, it is now easy for the operator to monitor the number of passes made on a given lane with its thermal profile, thanks to the infrared temperature sensors. The ability to monitor these parameters helps us make the desired number of passes to avoid under/over compaction that also has a direct relation to fuel consumption. Featured with the USB data logging and GPRS data telemetry, one can have real time access of the work being done at a remote location from office.

MDM-100
Accurate and cost-effective depth indication system - Achieving precise depth is a critical factor as the drill rod penetrating the ground is not visible to the operator and so it becomes a challenge to achieve the desired depth. With our MDM-100, it is possible to achieve absolute precise depth. MDM-100 is especially designed considering the Indian market, it's easy to operate and its cost- effectiveness makes it most appropriate for piling work.

Xsite Link
Achieve the desired profile with this excavator - The Xsite LINK is a colour graphic touchscreen display that makes for a comfortable interface for the operator to view the plane in colour and draw desired profiles on the display itself. This eliminates the need for staff to cross-check the attained profile, which ultimately improves excavation accuracy and productivity.

Moba overload indication system
Ensure safety of tippers - The MOI system for tipper trucks prevents overloading of the tippers, which ultimately helps preventing early wear of the vehicle and accidents due to overloading. Unnecessary trips to and from the weighbridge can be avoided by right first time loading and hence, savings in fuel and time. With its simple architecture, it's a quick-install system and easy for service and maintenance. It is recommended to use such a safety system as a part of safety norms in mines.

We have on-board weighing systems for wheel loaders, excavators, dumper trucks, tipper trucks.