RR CAT Proposes AI-Driven Innovations in Welding Technology

New Delhi/Indore: The Centre is likely to take new innovations like welding technology to the next level with the help of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) as the tech-savvy Raja Ramanna Centre for Advance Technology or RR CAT has proposed a plan for the same. However, the government is mulling over an investment of more than Rs 100 crore in this regard. As a part of the government's AI vision in Amrit Kaal, the proposal sent by RR CAT, has already been accepted at department of atomic energy (DAE) level, a top official of RR CAT said at the sidelines of a welding conference here.

The move of the government is expected to help small business houses, mostly MSMEs, including start-ups in the country at a very low cost, in achieving economy in their productions and offering sustainability to the nation. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also lauded the entrepreneurial spirit of India’s youth at Startup Mahakumbh, saying that the startup ecosystem is flourishing at an unprecedented pace. “Through Startup India mission, the government has given a platform to innovative ideas, connected them to funding channels, and established incubators in educational institutions,” PM Modi had said.

In the last Budget ahead of the general election, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had also announced a corpus of Rs 1-lakh crore would be established with 50-year interest free loans to encourage the private sector to scale up research and innovation in sunrise sectors. In line with the government’s plan, RR CAT also emphasised the need of making an ecosystem in which smaller industries work in close collaboration with national research labs and reap the benefits of their knowledge, expertise and experience as well.

Speaking at the sidelines of the event, Abhay Kumar, head of design & manufacturing technology division at RRCAT said, “The research labs too need to be incentivised for their extra efforts and time as they don’t have the option of missing project deadlines. RRCAT is also helping three Indian industries through four collaborative incubations through Atal Incubation Centres (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,” Kumar said.

Elaborating on a novel idea welding technology developed fully at RRCAT, Kumar also said that a tiny amount of nitrogen in the shield gas can bring tremendous amounts of benefits in stainless steel welds. “It will improve fatigue, creep and corrosion resistance to offer substantial increase in the service life of the pressure equipment. Such small things costing almost nothing, will help SMEs achieve the production target and offer sustainability to the country’s economy. It is also serving big industries like Godrej with two such collaborations. Another company, Electronic Devices Worldwide, is also benefitting from the knowledge created at the division,” Kumar added.