History
Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute, Bhopal was instituted in May 1981 and officially started functioning from Delhi . Dr. PK Rohatgi, the founder Director of the Laboratory is an eminent metallurgist with specialization in Metal Matrix Composition. He formally moved to the present premises at Bhopal in December 1983 along with a small group. To begin with, the laboratory had about 15 scientists, with 10 of them specialized in Metallurgy/Materials science. The laboratory essentially focused on Aluminum-graphite metal matrix composites, natural fiber based composites and material characterization. The laboratory had gradually established an equipment base with a scanning Electron Microscope, Optical microscopes, X-Ray diffraction equipment, Instran (mechanical testing), Image Analyzer all of which meant for Material Characterization. In December 1986, Dr. Rajendra Kumar, a metallurgist by profession, became the Director. The laboratory was strengthened in various material characterization areas such as mechanical testing, corrosion, surface engineering and life assessment. It was during this period (March 1987), there was a consideration to close the laboratory by Shri Abid Hussain Committee but later the idea was dropped with a directive that RRL, Bhopal should address S&T potential of Madhya Pradesh. In September 1989, Prof. TC Rao, a well-known Mineral Processing expert, took over. The scope of the laboratory broadened to include Mineral Processing & equipment design, Environment modeling & Impact studies, Water Resource Modeling and Design. Also the building materials research at RRL Bhopal grew substantially to the extent the Material Research Society designated RRL Bhopal as the Chapter for Building Materials. Through its activities on water resource modeling & design, surface treated agricultural implements, handicrafts using sisal fiber; fly ash for agricultural soil enhancement etc., RRL Bhopal became visible as promising laboratory for rural technologies as well. To top it, a prestigious UNDP-GOI-DST project costing Rs 10 crores for establishing a model for Rural Technology dissemination was assigned to RRL Bhopal, which was completed successfully in 2004.
In June 2001,Dr. N. Ramakrishnan, a metallurgist moved in as the Director, In September 2001, a presentation was made to the performance Appraisal Board (a high power committee set up by CSIR for assessing the laboratory activities) and the board strongly felt that the laboratory should carve out a niche focusing on specifically chosen programmes. As a first step, in order to consolidate the available resources, the laboratory was structured suitably into materials and modeling divisions consisting complementing groups. While the expert groups are maturing gradually in their respective areas project teams are being shaped optimally combining resources from different groups, the group system takes care of the management of personal as well as equipment and the project teams manage project activities along with the finances This restructuring fetched us the ISO-9001:2000 certification for MATERIAL & MODELLING .In addition to picking up external projects for material & product developments from external agencies such as DRDO, DOM, BRNS etc. related to materials & processes, the laboratory is presently participating in 14 CSIR Network projects too majority of them pertaining to material, minerals processes and resources. The private sponsors include Reliance and Generals Motors.
Vision
Although most of the projects carried out in the last three years pertain to either material development, design & process, it is necessary that the laboratory concentrate on only major programmes and carryout projects in mission mode. After a number of in-house deliberations as well as discussions in Research council meetings, the following emerged as the most suitable thrust programmes to focus on at RRL Bhopal.
Light material product development for automobile and aerospace applications. Over the years, the laboratory has established itself in the areas of Aluminum and Magnesium alloy development and especially Metal Matrix Composites. With the growth in the automobile sector this would be a promising choice. The high-end materials that emerge out of this research has a good potential to reach aerospace domain and the cost effective ones may penetrate into automobile world. This would involve players of Finite Element Modeling for material and process design, CAE-CAD-CAM integration, intelligent forming facilities, state-of-art material characterization equipments, efficient business management etc., all operating in an orchestrated mode. This will involve establishing enabling centre for technology incubation or adaptation as well.
Natural fiber (specially Sisal fiber) based products. RRL has been extensively working in the area of natural based building material such as wood substitutes, asbestos, natural fiber composites etc. Among the natural fibers it is proposed to focus on Sisal based Fibers since this xerophytes plant grows abundantly in this region and the fibers have excellent physical and mechanical properties. Technology development in this direction would greatly enhance the rural employment potential and the time is ripe for to consolidate the earlier experience and plunge aggressively into giving life to the already established technologies. This programme calls for yarn making, looming, knitting composite making and possibly a host of products ranging from handicrafts to engineering components.
Material out of Industrial wastes and wastes management. Building material promotion council (BMTPC) and TIFAC-Fly ash mission have sponsored a no. of projects for developing know how for the converting industrial waste such as Fly ash, Red mud, Copper tailings , Zinc industry waste to useful material. Only in the case of fly ash bricks, laboratory attain a level of transferring the knowledge to an entrepreneur and the remaining untapped ones also have large potential for seeing the light. In addition the environment modelling division of RRL Bhopal has a vast experience in the area of waste management especially in the area of computer modeling of environment scenario. On the whole, this area of 'wealth out of waste' is highly promising and the laboratory is vigorously pursuing it.
Light material product development for automobile and aerospace applications. Over the years, the laboratory has established itself in the areas of Aluminum and Magnesium alloy development and especially Metal Matrix Composites. With the growth in the automobile sector this would be a promising choice. The high-end materials that emerge out of this research has a good potential to reach aerospace domain and the cost effective ones may penetrate into automobile world. This would involve players of Finite Element Modeling for material and process design, CAE-CAD-CAM integration, intelligent forming facilities, state-of-art material characterization equipments, efficient business management etc., all operating in an orchestrated mode. This will involve establishing enabling centre for technology incubation or adaptation as well.
Natural fiber (specially Sisal fiber) based products. RRL has been extensively working in the area of natural based building material such as wood substitutes, asbestos, natural fiber composites etc. Among the natural fibers it is proposed to focus on Sisal based Fibers since this xerophytes plant grows abundantly in this region and the fibers have excellent physical and mechanical properties. Technology development in this direction would greatly enhance the rural employment potential and the time is ripe for to consolidate the earlier experience and plunge aggressively into giving life to the already established technologies. This programme calls for yarn making, looming, knitting composite making and possibly a host of products ranging from handicrafts to engineering components.
Material out of Industrial wastes and wastes management. Building material promotion council (BMTPC) and TIFAC-Fly ash mission have sponsored a no. of projects for developing know how for the converting industrial waste such as Fly ash, Red mud, Copper tailings , Zinc industry waste to useful material. Only in the case of fly ash bricks, laboratory attain a level of transferring the knowledge to an entrepreneur and the remaining untapped ones also have large potential for seeing the light. In addition the environment modelling division of RRL Bhopal has a vast experience in the area of waste management especially in the area of computer modeling of environment scenario. On the whole, this area of 'wealth out of waste' is highly promising and the laboratory is vigorously pursuing it.
The Concerns
The desire for establishing a niche in the area of materials and resource modeling, in no way prohibits the laboratory to pursue Rural Technology development. The laboratory is an active member of Rural Action Program of CSIR and has provided a platform for launching the Journal of Rural Technology, which is fast becoming a popular Journal. The laboratory will be housing a Rural Technology Gallery to show case the output of the entire CSIR and is intended to be a model for easy adaptation for the other laboratories to create such Rural Galleries. Our water Resource Modeling group will continue to pursue the water management in the region. RRL Bhopal has been significantly contributing to the medicinal planned based bioactive molecule project specially to harness the rich herbal wealth of the region. In addition the laboratory is managing the HRD programmes such as CPYLS, net examination of this region. Above all, this laboratory serves as a gateway for the entire CSIR for this region.
The dreams
Our target is to achieve a world-class status in about five years in the three major areas listed above and become well known and sought for materials and processes. We will pursue more sophisticated areas such as Nano material development, Nano Technology, NEMS & MEMS, Material modeling and design, Bio-Mimetic material and so on as the time progresses. The evolving HR Profile would address fundamental research to business development in the area of materials; our equipment resources will grow substantially to address the development of the materials of the future. The workshop will be full modernized to state-of-art fabrication tool room. The present resource base that we are building will not only provide commercial tractability for the present but also provide a root for more lucrative, elite and innovative areas of the future. We hope to make laboratory a place of pilgrimage for top material scientists and the stack holders. With our eyes set on the horizon, legs would march on the ground firmly and steadily.
