Date:07/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/02/07/stories/2005020701000200.htm

Back BHEL plans more centres of excellence in R&D

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , Feb. 6

THE corporate R&D arm of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has announced that it is taking steps to establish more centres of excellence in technological areas where it has achieved distinct core competence.

In a press release here, BHEL corporate R&D said these centres would serve as one-stop shop for all engineering and commercial requirements in the concerned areas.

Two such centres were already in operation - the Centre of Excellence for Simulators (COE-S) and the Centre of Excellence for Computational Fluid Dynamics (COE-CFD).

The third in the series - the Centre for Excellence for Permanent Magnet Machines (COE-PMM) has taken off here on Saturday.

According to BHEL corporate R&D, the new centre would meet the infrastructural needs for the development of complete range of special permanent magnet machines (PMMs) using high-energy permanent magnets.

With these facilities, BHEL corporate R&D would now be able to take up projects to meet the needs of BHEL units, defence and space applications, Indian Railways and industrial establishments.

As the corporate R&D has developed expertise in PMMs, a number of customers have started approaching for development of these machines for strategic applications. The COE-PMM would have facilities for magnetisation of high-energy magnets prior to assembly.

Using special fixtures, facilities would be established for magnetising the rotor after assembly, so that the magnets could be procured in un-magnetised condition and assembled on the rotor without much difficulty, the release said.

The new approach would be adopted for the development of large rating machines. Facilities have been established for characterisation of the magnets.

The COE-PMM also has regular facilities such as DC motors, power supplies and instrumentation required for automatic routine and type testing of PMMs.