The Board of Maharatna Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has approved a ÔÇÿMaster Plan for Research & DevelopmentÔÇÿ in order to facilitate acquisition and development of appropriate technologies for sustainable growth. Aiming to acquire radically new technologies, the plan specifically targets production of Cold Rolled Grain Oriented (CRGO) electrical steels, development of alternative iron making technologies, endless strip production, carbon dioxide reduction and sequestration, and optimising land use by designing compact steel plants.
As per the plan, SAIL will undertake at the corporate level, Technology Missions and High Impact Projects targeted at reducing raw material and energy consumption coupled with initiatives for imparting greater flexibility for raw material usage, reducing carbon-dioxide emissions and improved waste utilisation. The plan targets beneficiation and pelletisation of low-grade ores and increasing the use of medium and non-coking coal in steel making.
Besides, at the individual steel plant level, Centres of Excellence (COEs) would be created which would primarily focus on various product development and improvements in collaboration with key customers and technology suppliers. The plan identifies ÔÇÿdemanding marketsÔÇÿ for steel, such as steels for supercritical thermal and nuclear power generation, defense, renewable energy, high strength profiles for high rise buildings with seismic and fire resistance, as focus areas for product development.
SAIL will have a corporate R&D set-up as an umbrella organisation, overseeing both centralised R&D and the plant-level COEs. Clearly, the new strategy takes R&D to a much higher pedestal in SAIL, with R&D expenditure set to exceed 1% of gross sales. The head of R&D will report to Chairman SAIL. A Research Advisory Committee (RAC) consisting of eminent scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs will provide guidance and direction to SAILÔÇÿs R&D initiatives.
The plan envisages formation of a cadre of Steel Technologists who will be world-class experts in the technological areas relevant to SAIL. In the long-run, there are plans to explore the possibility of setting up of a ÔÇÿSAIL Institute for Steel Technology & Industrial ManagementÔÇÿ to provide education and training in engineering disciplines relevant to the steel industry.
Hailing the planÔÇÿs futuristic outlook, SAIL Chairman Mr C.S. Verma said: "The future orientation of R&D activity in the steel sector would be directed towards mitigating the challenges of paucity of raw materials and ensuring sustainable steel making. These will be the prime focus of our R&D strategy."