In the present market economy, commitments to R & D are essential for the survival of an organization like MECON. MECON’S R & D activities formally started in 1986 as Engineering Research and Development Wing (ERDW) & obtained formal recognition by DSIR in the same (1986) year with periodic renewal at every three years. It was raised to divisional status in the year 1992 as R&D Division. R & D of MECON mostly undertakes Applied Research and Experimental Development in core area of business such as Iron and Steel as well as focused areas of national importance such as Defence, Environment etc. Most of the R & D programs are funded by external agencies such as DRDO, DST, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Steel etc. In addition to the support from all engineering sections, R & D of MECON is augmented by personnel from Highly specialized technical fields such as Thermoelectric, Optoelectronics, Holography, Laser etc. The devices or prototypes are developed to the fullest satisfaction of the Clients / funding agencies.

R & D Achievements

6 Hi Cold Rolling Mill	6-Hi Cold Rolling Mill for Hero Cycles Limited, Ludhiana, received the prestigious “Outstanding In-house R&D Achievement - 2000” award from DSIR, Govt. of India.
Geo-technical centrifuge	Design and Setting up of "National Geotechnical Centrifuge Facility" at IIT Bombay on a turnkey basis. The project was funded by DST, DRDO and Ministry of HRD. Centrifuge modelling is now firmly established as a dependable research tool in geotechnical engineering for seeking solutions to problems relating to foundations, dams, tunnels, off-shore structures, hazardous waste disposal, geo-environmental engineering and earthquake engineering. With appropriate choice of acceleration level and model size, it is possible to simulate the conditions satisfactorily for most applications.
Thermoelectric Cold-chain Chest Operated by 12V DC Vehicular Battery	Thermoelectric Cold – chain Chests developed by MECON are suitable for use in medical and health-care programs for storing and / or transporting medicines, drugs, vaccines, serum, semen and diagnostic materials for urban as well as rural areas. The project was funded by DST, Delhi and successfully completed.
Solid State Microclimate Conditioning Unit for Defence Personnel	Solid State Microclimate conditioning Unit has been successfully designed, developed and demonstrated for defence personnel working at high ambient temperature or at desert. The Cooling Unit was integrated in MBT ARJUN TANK and successfully demonstrated at CVRDE, Avadi. Final demonstration trials of such Solid State Cooling Unit were conducted at Mahajan Field Firing Range at Rajasthan (Indo-Pak Border) in June 2005. Project was sponsored by DIPAS,(DRDO), Delhi.
Anti-Tank Missile	A critical problem on Anti-Tank Missile was assigned by DRDL, (DRDO) Hyderabad to MECON. The project was Completed Successfully and well accepted by DRDL.
Heating Gloves and Socks for Defence Personnel	MECON has successfully designed and developed battery operated heating Gloves and Socks for Defence Personnel working at sub-zero environment. Project was funded by DIPAS, (DRDO),Delhi.
Optical Setting Projector for alignment of finishing mill guides	This equipment is used for fast and accurate setting of Roll groves in finishing mill block of high speed wire rod mill. The equipment has been designed, developed and supplied to RINL, Visakhapatnam.
IR Camera Based Slag Detection System for Converter	Based on thermal imaging principle the system is developed to detect the onset of slag during pouring from BOF converter to ladle. The project was sponsored by Ministry of Steel, Govt. of India from Steel Development Fund (SDF) and successfully completed.
Optical Setting Device for alignment of Entry Roller Guides	This equipment is used for accurate setting of entry roller guides in wire rod mills. The equipment was designed, developed and supplied to TISCO, Jamshedpur and RINL, Visakhapatnam.
Confocal microscope for biological applications	Confocal microscopes and its variants are having increasing applications in the fields of biotechnology, surface science, forensic science etc. This project was sponsored by DST, Govt. of India for technology demonstration and was Completed Successfully.
Continuous NOx Monitoring System	Based on NDIR principle the system is developed for on-line measurement of Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) as it causes both acid rain and ozone depletion and there by harmful to the environment and society. The project was sponsored by Ministry of Steel, Govt. of India from Steel Development Fund (SDF) and successfully completed.
On-Line Opacity Monitor	Device for on-line measurement of particulate emission. Useful in Steel plants, Cement plants, Process plants etc. The project was funded by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India and was successfully completed.
Laser Line Projection System	Laser Line Projection System to align long sheet / plate inside trimming machine was successfully developed and two such systems were supplied to BSP (SAIL).
Laser Based Positioning System for Alignment of Coke Oven Service Machine	This equipment was designed and developed by MECON and supplied to RSP (SAIL) and RINL, Visakhapatnam for alignment of Pusher Car in Coke Oven Batteries.

Development of Coke Dry Cooling Technology (CDCT) for Non-recovery Coke Ovens.

The objective is to develop / modify the orientation, plant layout, equipments, control system etc. so that CDCT can be suitably installed to serve the non-recovery coke oven battery also. The major development shall be in the area of hot coke receiving from non-recovery Coke Ovens, its transportation to Coke Dry Cooling Plant and lifting for charging into cooling chamber. The project was sponsored by Ministry of Steel, Govt. of India from Steel Development Fund. “Basic Engineering work completed. The project report was submitted to the Ministry and the project was closed”.

High Efficiency High Temperature Top Fired Stoves.

The ultimate objective is to independently design, develop and install top fired stove with all indigenous supplies to cater to higher blast temperature demand of Indian Blast Furnace. Outcome of the developmental work was complied as Basic Engineering, Technical specification and Basic & Detailed Engineering drawings. The project was sponsored by Ministry of Steel, Govt. of India from Steel Development fund. The project report was submitted to Ministry and project was closed.

Patents, Publications & Commercialization

No of Patents : More than 32

Claim on Commercialization :

1. Heating gloves & heating socks developed by R&D Division of MECON, Ranchi were supplied to DIPAS, DRDO, Delhi.
2. Miniaturized Solid State Cooling Units developed by R & D Division of MECON, Ranchi were supplied to DIPAS, DRDO, Delhi.
3. Optical setting device for entry roller guide were supplied to RINL, Visakhapatnam and TISCO, Jamshedpur.
4. Optical setting projector for finishing mill stand supplied to RINL, Visakhapatnam