Research Laboratory-Industry Interactions for Production of Speciality Wrought Aluminium Alloys

By virtue of several decades of fundamental and applied research carried out on a variety of wrought aluminium alloys, the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), Hyderabad has developed a comprehensive understanding of the microstructure-property relationships in these alloys. This Monograph discusses first the fundamental basis of aluminium alloy design with emphasis on the role of major and minor alloying elements, the influence of impurities, and the effects of variations in thermo-mechanical processes and heat treatment tempers on the development of microstructure and desired engineering properties in such alloys. 
 
The Monograph describes next the efforts and achievements made by DMRL on the technology development and the industrial scale production of lithium-free speciality wrought aluminium alloys using the existing infrastructure in the country for crucial defence applications. Such applications include areas of armament, ammunition, missile, naval vessel, infantry combat vehicle, indigenously built fighter aircraft, military bridge, etc. During the course of the indigenisation programs, the crucial metallurgical solutions to the production-related issues were provided by DMRL. It follows that the lack of technological knowhow and not necessarily the lack of infrastructure had earlier prevented the production of these alloys in the country.
To realise self-reliance, the basic requirement is to have appropriate infrastructure in the industries. The last chapter of this Monograph catalogues the major investments made by private and government agencies during the last two decades and outlines areas of opportunity to improve and create optimal infrastructure to provide a complete solution to the manufacture of speciality wrought aluminium alloys in required semi-product forms.