Copper-Titanium alloy to be made first time in India by a Pune startup

Under the aegis of the DRDO-FICCI Accelerated Technology Assessment & Commercialization (ATAC) initiative DRDO concluded a technology-transfer process for its indigenously developed Copper-Titanium technology to Pahwa Metal Tech Private Limited (PMTPL), a Pune-based startup founded by industry veteran, Lalit Kumar Pahwa. The technology transfer exercise was completed coinciding with the launch of the ‘Startup India’ initiative by the Hon’ble PM of India on the 16^th January 2016, a MoU was exchanged between DRDO & PMTPL on the same day to start the technology transfer process, which has now completed.

The technology has been developed at the Defence Metallurgical Research Lab (DMRL), Hyderabad, premier DRDO lab on metallurgical research domain, and relates to a process of manufacturing of Copper Titanium alloy, using air induction and vacuum induction melting. The alloy thus made has non-sparking characteristics and possesses high strength and electrical conductivity comparable to existing Copper Beryllium (CuBe2) alloy alternatives. The application areas of the alloy are diverse and range from industrial machinery to aerospace. The successful completion of the technology transfer process shall enable an Indian startup to manufacture the alloy for the first time in India for global customer base.

Speaking on the occasion, S Radhakrishnan, Director, Directorate of Industry Interface & Technology Management, DRDO, said, ‘the successful transfer of DRDO developed Copper-Titanium technology is a testament of the commercialization potential of research done at DMRL, DRDO’s premier research lab for metallurgy. With the successful completion of the technology transfer process, we are hopeful to see the technology being employed in wider application areas. The technology transfer shall enable the licensee, Pahwa MetalTech Pvt Ltd, to manufacture the Copper-Titanium alloy for the first time in India.

With close to 100 MoUs for technology transfer signed till date under its aegis, the DRDO FICCI Accelerated Technology Assessment & Commercialization (ATAC) platform has provided an impetus to the ‘Make in India’ initiative by enabling private sector players to acquire DRDO technologies and manufacture for wider applications and customer base.

Lalit Kumar Pahwa, CEO & MD, PMTPL noted, “As a startup, PMTPL is very excited and to launch this ‘Made in India’ technology for the world. We thank the DRDO FICCI ATAC programme and the teams at DMRL, DRDO and FICCI for their support in helping us come thus far. We are proud to launch an exciting technology that shall have application in several sectors of the economy and will contribute to the Make in India initiative of our Hon’ble PM.”

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