RRCAT holds day-long TIG Process Theme Meeting

Indore, Mar 23: Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), an R&D unit of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) of Government of India, conducted a day-long theme meeting on recent advances in tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding here on March 22. This theme meeting is a novel initiative promulgated by AIC π-Hub to bring academia, research labs and Indian industry on one platform so that the country’s research output can become useful to the technology hungry Indian industry. This effort can empower the industry for improve the quality and productivity without losing much on cost. Academia will also get a direction by interacting with industry’s requirements. Scientists from research labs are always struggling with enormous challenges on application of material joining technologies for converting their cutting edge ideas into realisable products; therefore they might get good industrial partners or may convert this opportunity for entering into collaboration with academia.

The event started with an inaugural function with an opening remarks of Dr SV Nakhe, Director of the Centre. Dr C P Paul, Head of AIC π-Hub briefed about its aims and objectives. More than 150 delegates from research labs, academia and industry participated in the theme meeting. The subject matter experts Prof. Supriyo Ganguly (Cranfield University, UK), Prof M Vasudevan (Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research), Abhay Kumar (Head, Design & Manufacturing Technology Division, RRCAT), Dr Renu Gupa (L&T India, Mumbai), Prof D K Dwivedi (IIT, Roorkee) and Nimesh Chinoy (Director, SigmaWeld) delivered the curated talks and engaged with audience for developing deeper understanding of the technologies. One of the unique features of the theme meeting was a short talk delivered by Dr Ishnia Choudhary (Insight Alchemy, Indore) on Essentiality of Workplace Ethics. This talk brought out the significance of human factors in delivering technologies and meeting the objectives of business organisations.

The event was well attended in spite of being first of its kind. It has opened a new avenue of collaborations so that the technologies do not remain confined to the walls of academia and the research labs. More such events shall be held in the country so that MSMEs can benefit from the collective knowledge of the nation.

The event proved to be an enlightening experience for those engaged in the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector and young unemployed engineers. The seminar not only delved into the intricacies of the TIG process but also highlighted its manifold benefits for both sectors.

Talking to Bizz Buzz, Dinesh Kumar Shukla, ME FIE Chairman Institution of Engineers, Indore local centre, said, “For the MSME sector, the event provided a comprehensive understanding of how implementing TIG welding techniques can significantly enhance productivity, quality, and cost-effectiveness in their operations.”

TIG welding offers precise control over the welding arc, resulting in higher strength and cleaner welds. This translates to reduced material wastage and rework, ultimately leading to cost savings for MSME businesses. Moreover, the versatility of TIG welding allows for welding a wide range of materials, including stainless steel, aluminium, titanium and copper, thereby expanding the scope of applications for MSMEs across various industries, he said.

Furthermore, the event shed light on the importance of skill development and training programs tailored specifically for young technocrats. By equipping them with proficiency in TIG welding techniques, these technocrats can enhance their employability and contribute meaningfully to the workforce. TIG welding proficiency opens doors to a plethora of opportunities in industries such as automotive, aerospace, nuclear, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and more, where the demand for skilled welders remains high, he said.

Additionally, the seminar emphasized the sustainability aspect of TIG welding, as it produces sound welds with minimal fumes at much lower energy consumption compared to other welding processes, making it environmentally friendly. This aligns with the growing global emphasis on eco-conscious manufacturing practices, further enhancing the relevance of TIG welding in today’s industrial landscape.

Overall, the TIG Process Seminar at RRCAT served as a beacon of knowledge, bridging the gap between advanced welding technologies and the needs of the MSME sector and young unemployed engineers. By fostering awareness and imparting valuable skills, the event has undoubtedly paved the way for a brighter future in welding technology adoption and employment opportunities.

It came to knowledge during the event that the Design and Manufacturing Technology Division of RRCAT is in helping three Indian industries through four collaborative incubations through AIC-p-Hub at RRCAT. The industries include a start-up Metal & Membrane where it is involved in development of full penetration TIG welding of porous pipes with solid pipes in materials like titanium and stainless steel. It is also serving big industries like Godrej with two such collaborations. Another company, Electronic Devices Worldwide Private Limited, is also benefitting from the knowledge created at the division.

The joining research in lab scale doesn’t translate into a joining technology due to complicacies arising from nature of the product to be built, the material type, the material thickness, joint configuration and designer’s expectations from the joint. Therefore, RRCAT is mulling over taking another unique initiative of launching Centre of Excellence in Applied Joining Technology, abbreviated as CAJoT. This CoE will take fundamental joining research only when the same in not available in open domain; otherwise, its main focus will be on building products by utilizing the existing knowledge based on joining research work conducted in academia and research labs. This will not only help in DAE’s own programmes but also create a technological base to support the Indian industry. RRCAT has excellent expertise in dissimilar material joining using vacuum brazing process. Recently it has taken long strides in TIG welding of austenitic stainless steel.

RATIG-24 was a hugely successful event in spite of being one of its kind. It went much beyond everyone’s expectations. The feedback session, conducted at the end of RATIG-24, was full of praise of the quality of presentations and the intensity of very engaging discussions that took place between the delegates and the invited speakers. The delegates requested RRCAT to conduct more such events. Topic of residual stress analysis was specifically demanded by the delegates for the next theme meeting. RRCAT may collaborate with organisations like Indian Institute of Welding and The Institution of Engineers to conduct more such events.