PROJECTS

1. Design and development of Micro Metal Injection Moulded (µ-MIM) Nickel wick with bimodal porosity for application in miniature Loop Heat Pipes use in spacecrafts

2. Design and development of Micro-cast heat sink out of Al-Si-MWCNT alloy composite for Thermal management of CPUs of High-Performance Servers  

3. Development of Computational Fluid Dynamics, Phase Field, and Molecular Dynamics based process control tools/models for Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Directed Energy Deposition (DED) based Additive Manufacturing of IN 718 superalloy

4. Design, analysis and development of Rheo gravity die cast Al-15Mg2Si-4.5Si composite based two-wheeler brake disc 

Within the scope of the above-mentioned project, novel Rheo gravity die cast (RGDC) Al-15Mg2Si-4.5Si composite (Indian patent, reference no.: IN 201811015624) based light weight automobile brake discs are being designed and developed. Moreover, it has been planned to check the compatibility of the developed brake disc with appropriate caliper and brake pads, to judge suitability of the developed brake discs for field deployment.

5. Design and Development of Tooth colored Ceramic Dental Braces set by Micro-Ceramic Injection Moulding 

Dental braces, also known as orthodontic braces, are equipment used to correct dental irregularities and deformities. Sometimes, the teeth of people are not aligned properly, and hence, artificial support is required to straighten them. The constituent brackets of Tooth colored ceramic brace set having brackets of different shapes/ sizes are being developed with very high dimensional accuracy and surface finish, adopting micro injection moulding technique. 

6. Design, analysis and development of rheo-gravity die cast Al-15Mg2Si-4.5Si composite based light weight Bucket links for Mining   Excavators 

Excavators are intended for excavation task such as digging foundations, mining, rock piles and truck loading. Poor strength and ductility of the excavator bucket linkages limit the life expectancy of the excavator. In case of Al-15Mg2Si-4.5Si composite, two primary phases form during solidification, such as primary Al and primary Mg2Si. Primary aim behind semi-solid processing is to obtain near spherical primary particles in the cast parts, and the challenge lies in the present proposal is to spherodise both the primary particles simultaneously. This is needed to achieve a combination of enhanced strength and toughness/ductility in the developed prototype Bucket links for Mining Excavators. Apart from material and process development, light weight Bucket links (H link and Side links) for Mining Excavators are being designed and developed within the scope of the above mentioned project. 

7. Design and Development of Zirconia Toughened Alumina (ZTA) based ceramic Orthodontic Braces set by Micro-Ceramic Injection Moulding 

Within the scope of the above mentioned project, it has been proposed to develop novel, affordable Zirconia Toughened Alumina (ZTA) based Clear/Transparent ceramic dental brackets, at a comparable cost with their mostly used metallic counterparts, for the first time in the country. Further, it has been planned to incorporate design modifications within the prototype brackets, compared to other imported ceramic brackets available in the market, keeping in view of the manufacturing ease and cost effectiveness.

8. Prevention of Premature Failures and Enhancing Life of Bottom Rollers used in Bucket Wheel Excavators 

Within the scope of the above-mentioned project, it has been planned to investigate the effect of static and dynamic loads on bottom track rollers of Bucket Wheel Excavators, via Finite Element models and experimental measurements. Moreover, efforts will be directed to investigate the deformation and wear behavior of the bottom roller material at macro and micro scale, by performing Finite Element simulations of sliding wear (2 body: between track and roller) and abrasive wear (3 body: between track, roller and silica/clay/mud) of bottom roller.)

9. Development of process technology of developing directionally solidified single crystal castings of CMSX 4 Ni-Based Superalloy using the Classical  Bridgeman Process and Liquid Metal Cooling (LMC)

The single crystal castings made of the CMSX-4 nickel superalloy are used in aircraft engine hot-section components, such as the first and second stage high pressure turbine blades. Single-crystal components are desired because they retain strength at higher temperatures as well as have increased creep life due to absence of grain-boundaries. Therefore, while single-crystal components promise to increase efficiency of aero-engines, their production routes are non-trivial.  This motivates the present study, where the aim is to develop process technology to manufacture single-crystal components using the CMSX-4 alloy using a combination of process-modeling as well as controlled experimentation using the modified Bridgman route for production of scaled components such as Turbine blade.

1. Setting up of “Advanced Manufacturing and Materials Processing” laboratory at Dept. of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore 

The Advanced Manufacturing and Materials Processing laboratory (AMMPL) is a state-of-the-art facility that is designed to enable advanced research and development in the fields of manufacturing and materials processing. The laboratory is equipped with advanced machinery, equipment, and tools that are carefully selected to cater to the specific needs of the project. Furthermore, the laboratory is equipped with specialized software and simulation tools for process modeling, simulation, and optimization. These tools enable researchers to design, analyze, and optimize materials processing and manufacturing methods for improved efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. The laboratory also has dedicated workstations and computing resources for data analysis, modeling, and simulation. Currently, there are ongoing installations in the laboratory to further enhance its capabilities. These may include the addition of new equipment, tools, or software, as well as upgrades to existing systems to stay at the forefront of technological advancements in the field.

8. Development of porous Nickel wick through MIM route (Funded by ISRO) (Jul’ 2008 to Sep’ 2011) (Role: Co-PI) 

9. Rheo Pressure Die Casting of Al-Mg Alloy Composite (Funded by CSIR) (Mar’ 2012 to Mar’ 2017) (Role: Co-PI) 

10. Development of hypereutectic Al-Si alloy with superior chemical composition for auto engine piston application (Funded by CSIR) (Mar’ 2012 to Mar’ 2017) (Role: Team Member)

11. Facility for Clean Coal Research and Development (Funded by CSIR) (Nov’ 2017-Sept’2018) (Role: PI)