INTERNATIONAL: NATIONAL, AVIATION & AEROSPACE: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Safran Helicopter Engines to Create JV to make Chopper Engines

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Safran Helicopter Engines have signed an agreement to create a new joint venture to develop helicopter engines. Through an MoU signed by R Madhavan, Chairman & Managing Director, HAL, and Franck Saudo, Chief Executive Officer, Safran Helicopter Engines, in presence of Olivier Andries, CEO, Safran.

Both the partners will extend their partnership by establishing a new aero-engine company in India. It will be dedicated to the development, production, sales and support of helicopter engines and one of its main objectives will be to meet the requirements of HAL and Ministry of Defence’s future heli­copters, including the 13-ton­ne Indian Multi-Role Helicopter.

Madhavan said: “We now look forward to utilize this opportunity to leverage HAL’s experience in manufacturing of more than 15 types of aircraft and helicopter engines to co-develop and manufacture engine with immediate focus on IMRH and its naval variant the Deck Based Multi Role Helicopter. This partnership will involve and utilize the Indian Defence manufacturing ecosystem within India”.

Saudo said the partnership with HAL recently illustrated the development and production of the Shakti engine, “and the inauguration of our joint venture Helicopter Engines MRO Pvt Limited (HE-MRO). With a fleet of over 1,000 engines, India’s Armed Forces are one of the largest operators of Safran-designed helicopter engines.”

HAL and Safran Helicopter Engines already have multiple partnerships, including the Shakti engine, which powers HAL-produced helicopters, including the Dhruv, Rudra and the Light Combat Helicopter. The Ardiden 1U variant also powers the new Light Utility Helicopter. Through HE-MRO joint venture in Goa, HAL and Safran Helicopter Engines will also provide Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul services for TM333 and Shakti engines in se­rvice with Armed Forces, and will be operational by 2023-

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA: PATENT – SCIENCE & BUILDING TECHNOLOGY: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (NIT-K) Surathkal, Faculty Member T. Palaniswamy gets Patent for Producing Cement Mortar Brick having Self-Healing Property upon Cracking

A faculty member at the National Institute of Technology – Karnataka (NIT-K), Surathkal, has received an Indian patent for producing cement mortar brick with inclusion of bacteria in combination.

The brick thus made claims to be superior than the conventional ones in terms of strength and life of the structure and possess a self-healing property.

T. Palanisamy, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the institute, had applied for the patent in 2014 and it was granted in June 2022.

According to Mr. Palanisamy, microbialcreat composite is a new-age material with the property of self-healing upon cracking. This action is by the precipitation of lime (calcium carbonate) by the non-pathogenic bacteria used in the composite, upon coming into contact with air and water through the crack. The precipitated lime will cover the crack, thereby improving the stability of the surface.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS: AGRICULTURE & FOOD: Sugar Factories in the State Crushed a Record 622 lakh Tonnes of Sugarcane in 2021-22. About 181 lakh Tonnes More Than the Previous Year.

Sugar factories in Karnataka have crushed a record 622.26 lakh tonnes of sugarcane in the year 2021-22, 181.14 lakh tonnes more than last year. 

Speaking to the media after chairing a meeting with members of the Sugarcane Control Board, Sugar Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa said sugar factories in Karnataka have produced 59.78 lakh tonnes of sugar during the same period.

According to the minister, there are 89 registered sugar factories in Karnataka of which 72 are operating.  In Karnataka, 32 sugar factories are producing Ethanol, he said.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INDIA RECORDS : KARNATAKA: SPACE -SATELLITE & LAUNCH VEHICLES: Ananth Technologies opens the Spacecraft Manufacturing unit at KIADB Aerospace Park in City. First Facility in Private Sector.

Ananth Technologies which designs and produces systems for Indian aerospace has set up a 15,000 square metre spacecraft manufacturing unit at KIADB Aerospace Park, Bengaluru, said to be the country’s first such facility in the private sector.

The manufacturing unit would be able to conduct assembly, integration and testing of four large spacecraft simultaneously, the company said in a statement.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri, Chairman & Managing Director, Ananth Technologies, said, “India is on the cusp of revolutionising the spacecraft industry. As a nation, we are capable of manufacturing world-class spacecrafts.’‘

“Over the years, Ananth Technologies has successfully contributed to major launches of ISRO. Our technology acumen is such that none of the sub-systems supplied by Ananth Technologies has ever failed in orbit,’‘ he claimed.

Since its inception in 1992, Ananth Technologies has contributed to the manufacturing of 89 satellites and 69 launch vehicles built/launched by ISRO, including two satellites for European customers that ISRO had built in collaboration with Airbus, France.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS: GREEN ENERGY / TRANSPORT : ElectricPe Aggregates 2,500 EV Charging Points in Bengaluru, Partners with Electric One

To expand its charging infrastructure in Bengaluru and in other parts of India, the company has entered into a partnership with Electric One that has 82 EV super stores across the country.

ElectricPe, an EV charging aggregator platform, claims to have 2,500 public charging points in Bengaluru.

ElectricPe has a B2C EV charging and demand generation app that offers EV users a one-stop platform where users could identify, access, and pay for EV charging points to make e-mobility easier.

ElectricPe has a mandate to facilitate 1,00,000 public charging points across India on its platform by the end of 2022.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS: TRANSPORT, ENGINEERING: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) to Run First Indigenously Built Trains of Namma Metro

First indigenously built coaches of Namma Metro have been recently given the green signal to be inducted into operations by the Railway Board. The seven brand new trains with 42 coaches, readied by BEML, are stationed at Peenya.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) now has a fleet of 57 trains with six cars each. They will be mainly used on the Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield line, which is set to be launched by year-end. 

The Railway Board communicated to the BMRCL director on May 18 that the coaches have been cleared to run at a maximum speed of 80kmph. It has also given permission to use the rolling stock for the Purple and Green Line corridors. 

BMRCL MD Anjum Parwez said, “We will utilise these trains for the  Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield line and between Kengeri and Challaghatta”

source/content: newindianexpress.com (edited)

KARNATAKA RECORDS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY – ENGINEERING: Shimoga’s Government Junior College Student Sushanth N Prabhu’s Innovative System for Bike Chains Selected for National Level Inspire Awards

Sushanth N. Prabhu developed a system that can prevent a bike chain from getting loose.

An innovative project presented by a high school student of Government Junior College at Megaravalli in Thirthahalli taluk of Shivamogga has been selected for the national-level exhibition and project competition. Sushanth N. Prabhu, a SSLC student, has developed a ‘self chain adjustment system’ for bikes.

The competition, popularly known as Inspire Awards – Manak, is conducted by the National Innovation Foundation of the Department of Science and Technology. Sushanth presented the model for district level and state level competitions under the guidance of his mentor Raghavendra A.Bhat, a teacher in the school. Now it has been selected for the national level competition.

Ahead of the competition, the student and the mentor have been invited to take part in the mentoring workshop to be held at National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Suratkal in Dakshina Kannada on May 24.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

INDIA RECORDS: PATENT : KARNATAKA RECORDS: FOOD & BEVERAGES : National Institute of Technology, Surathkal (NITK) Faculty gets Patent for Cashew Apple Wine

The faculty of NITK, Surathkal has received a patent for producing wine using cashew apple and raisins.

The technology is developed by Dr Prasanna Belur Devarabhatta, associate professor in the department of chemical engineering. The patent is titled ‘A process for production of an alcoholic beverage from cashew apple and raisins and the alcoholic beverage produced thereof.”

The NITK had filed an application for the patent in 2012 and received it on May 4, 2022.

Now, NITK is looking forward to transferring the technology (licensing) to the interested entrepreneurs/companies. Further, the NITK will also provide required technical support to the licensee during the implementation of the said technology.

source/content: deccanherald.com (edited)

INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA RECORDS: CFTRI brings out Seven New Technologies

Licences for some of the technologies have been taken by entrepreneurs

CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) on Wednesday announced the new technologies it has developed in the last one year, on the occasion of the National Technology Day that was observed here.

Also, the CFTRI gave licences to entrepreneurs for commercialising some of its technologies, thanks to the initiatives of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Department. Certificates and mementoes were presented to the licensee at the National Technology Day event for having used the technologies, by former Vice-Chancellor K. Chidananda Gowda who was the chief guest.

In total, seven new technologies, including gluten-free biscuits, gluten-free cookie cake, buckwheat noodles and pasta, multigrain nutri cookies, chikki with moringa, coffee brew mix, and high performance advanced oxidation process for STPs, greywater, industrial wastewaters (food and non-food), were developed by the R and D teams.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

 KARNATAKA RECORDS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: TRANSPORT : Bengaluru’s Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) for the First Time set to Supply Axles, for India’s Fastest Train ‘Train 18 – Vande Bharat Express”

Train 18 is a semi high-speed train with GPS system operated by IR under the `Make in India’ initiative. It touched 180 km/hr during tests and maximum of 160 kmph on commercial runs.

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis has ensured that the Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) got an opportunity to ready axles for the first time for the prestigious Vande Bharat Express (Train 18).

The Yelahanka-based concern which caters to the requirements of Indian Railways is set to despatch a total of 136 axles for Train 18, India’s fastest train.

Train 18 is a semi high-speed train with GPS system operated by Indian Railways under the `Make in India’ initiative. It touched a speed of 180 km/hr during tests but the maximum during commercial runs is 160 kmph. It is only manufactured at Integral Coach Factory at Perambur in Chennai and presently runs only on two routes: New Delhi to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and New Delhi to Varanasi.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (edited)