For research on plastic deformation and advanced manufacturing (processing) technology and to streamline UG, PG laboratory on mechanical working, testing and characterization Developed Light Metals and Alloys Research Lab - with all advanced plastic deformation processing technologies for manufacturing of metallic materials, their characterization, mechanical property correlation, analysis and simulations:
Fig. 1. Light Metals and Alloys research Lab from outside.
1. For advanced materials processing and severe plastic deformation:
1500 KN Extrusion/Forging press – 1st in the institute with ECAP, MAF, MPSF facility)
High temperature furnace
ECAP die assembly parts MPSF die assembly parts
Self-designed and fabricated hot/cold asymmetric and symmetric rolling mill
Fabricating Friction stir processing/welding equipment
2. Testing – Instron Electroplus - Tensile, HCF/LCF, FCGR and Fracture toughness tests of miniature specimens
Instron electroplus with tensile testing platen with Hydraulic grips
Setup for the FCGR and fracture toughness tests with CTOD gauge
1. Characterization – 2 High-end optical Microscopes
(a) Olympus optical microscope with DIC, polarizer, darkfield, brightfield with fully apochromatic lens and camera; and (b) Bestscope Optical microscope with DIC and polarizer with Olympus camera; both fitted with the same computer.
Abrasive cutter equipment Slow speed cutter Ultrasonic cleaner
(a) Metallographic sample polishing system for emery paper polishing and (b) Metallographic sample polishing system for precision polishing and chemical polishing with semi-automatic polishing arm (developed by Mr. J. K. Banikya ‘BTP’ received Certificate of Student Invention from IIT Kharagpur), patent and copyright applied)
Vacuum pump with desiccator
Manual electropolishing unit for EBSD sample preparation
Microprocessor controlled Struers electropolishing system for EBSD sample preparation.
4. Analysis and Modelling : (a) VPSC-7; (b) ATEX, (c.) HKL-Oxford instruments,, (d) TSL - EDAX facilities