Research & Development

Research is undertaken at Tata Steel in the areas of raw materials including coal, coke, energy conservation, waste utilisation, sintering, blast furnace productivity and phosphorous reduction, product development and improvement in life of plant and machinery. Many initiatives have been taken on R&D and the same have been reported here below.

• Identified enablers to increase clean coal yield at West Bokaro Coal Washeries.
• Identified organic reducant to reduce hexavalent chromium to trivalent chromium of Sukinda Mines.
• Plant scale trials were conducted for 1.2% MgO in sinter.
• Use of anthracite as a replacement of coke breeze in sinter making.
• Use of ferro-nickle slag and Vietnam anthracite in sinter making investigated.
• Low temperature sintering of chromite coal.
• Effect of casting parameters on lower part permeability of “G” Blast Furnace.
• Water model study for LD#2 vessel to improve mixing in the vessel by 30-35%.
• ERW tubes comparable to FM tube properties developed.
• BH-180/210 GI produced through CGL#2 plant on trial basis.
• Semi-processed electrical steel conforming to 65-SP-520-E5 developed.
• Off line model for reducing shape defects of CR coils developed.
• Offline model developed to optimise flatness error of TMBP grade HR coil.
• A high chromated coating developed for fuel tank application.
• Spot welding behaviour of GA sheet evaluated for auto application.

• A poly phosphated coating on CRCA sheet developed for improved corrosion resistance.

Process :

• Infrared Camera for slag detection at LD#2: IR cameras have been installed at LD#2 to reduce slag carry over and improve product quality.

• Tube Change device: At slab caster, tube change device has been put in place. This has resulted in significant improvement in tundish life from 6-7 to 11-12 heats.

• Scarfing Manipulator: Scarfing manipulator has been commissioned at LD#2 and SC for scarfing of slabs meant for surface critical automotive grades.

• Electrolytic Cleaning Line: Electrolytic cleaning line with 0.5mtpa capacity has been commissioned at CRM for guaranteed surface cleanliness of cold rolled products for auto and white goods.

• NSC Technical Assistance Programme: The programme has stepped into third year. The scope of the technical assistance includes (a) improvement in strike rate of automotive steel, b) approval from auto majors, c) development of high strength auto grades.

• Technology agreement with Acrelor: An agreement with arcelor has been signed. The scope includes a) transfer of knowhow for manufacturing of extragal and Galvannealed, b) to help adapt Extragal in the processes of three automotive customers, c) assistance in operational and customer related problems.

• Modification of anchoring agreement to ID bead trimmer in 6” HFIW Mill: With the existing anchoring arrangement, ID bead trimming was not as per standard. Trimming tools used to break very frequently. To overcome this problem, anchoring arrangement was modified to incorporate two-point support for the trimmer body. With the modified arrangement, ID trimming is now as per standard and tool breakage is eliminated.

• Inhouse design and manufacturing of grab arrangement for drossing of galvy baths: A bucket was used for drossing. This bucket was dragged with the help of EOT crane. This resulted in agitation of the galvy pot resulting in more formation of dross. Moreover, this process was very unsafe. Grab operated with pneumatic cylinders has been designed and manufactured in house and is being successfully used. Application for patent of this design has been processed.

• Inhouse design and manufacturing of rolls for 100.6 mm pipes for cold draw application: Marketing wanted 90mm OD cold drawn pipes. In the existing PT mills, mother hollow for this size was not possible as mill can roll up to 76.2 mm OD pipes. It was decided to roll these hollow in 6^ HFIW Mill. Rolls for mother hollow of 100.5 mm was designed and manufactured in house.

• Installation of dot matrix printers in SF Finished for on line printing of Tata Logo on all galvanised pipes: Customers wanted some different visual identify for our pipes. Four dot matrix printers were installed on line in the existing K&A machines.

• Installation of thermal printers in ST and PT finishing: Tubes bundles are manually searched and located during stocktaking. Many times, bundles could not be located due to lack of information. This search resulted in multiple handling also. Quarterly stock taking details are noted and fed into Avalon manually. To overcome these problems, thermal printers have been installed. Using bar coded labels from thermal printer will enable bar code scanning for stocktaking.

• Benefits: Efforts have led to improved efficiencies, cost competitiveness and enhanced product range.