Scope and function of the regional foundry station of the National Metallurgical Laboratory at Batala

Abstract

It is a common observation that whereas research is often pursued to brilliant conclusions, applications of its results can be demonstrated only by the industry. As such throughout the world this concept is being implemented to step up scientific and academic activities designed to promote the applications of industrial research. It is also well known that there is no one distinct known way to calculate the returns from a programme of pure research until its processing has been completed through technological applications which can often take a long time. The foundry industry fits in admirably well in such a pattern as it takes the responsibility of closely studying the progress of pure research for the applications of potentially useful results in its various aspects relating to ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys. The foundry industry needs, therefore, fundamentals also technological research to accomplish these basic objectives. It is a happy augury that Batala has taken the lead in the drive to export 36,000 tons of cast iron soil pipes a year to the USA, which would result in foreign exchange earnings of about Rs.2 crores. In this and other development fields, the Regional Foundry Station at Batala will be at the total disposal of the foundries in Punjab for improving the quality of their castings as well as to introduce scientific methods of control in their foundries. (Mr. R.M. Krishnan, Assistant Director; Dr. B.R. Nijhawan, Director; National Metallurgical Laboratory)