Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (Midhani), an Indian public sector enterprise based in Hyderabad that specialises in metals and metal alloy manufacturing, has announced plans to produce metal additive manufacturing powder in India suitable for aerospace applications. It aims to leverage its know-how and expertise to manufacture nickel and titanium-based alloy powders.
Additive manufacturing is a growing field, but there are few homegrown metal powder manufacturers in India, so this appears to be a critical step towards expanding the country’s existing powder range.
Metal Additive Manufacturing Powder in India
Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) was founded in 1973 as a Government of India Enterprise under the administrative supervision of the Ministry of Defence. MIDHANI was founded with the goal of becoming self-sufficient in the production and supply of various super alloys, special steels, and soft magnetic alloys to the Defence and other Strategic Sectors such as Energy, Space, and Aeronautical applications.
The demand for defence-oriented technologies, which fall under national priorities, guided the establishment of MIDHANI. The materials manufactured by MIDHANI are essentially import substitutes, and their absence would have hampered the country’s various strategic programmes.
“Midhani is planning partnerships with aerospace firms such as Boeing, Rolls-Royce and Lockheed Martin to supply products. These are hoped to be solidified by the company’s exhibiting at Aero-India 2023, which takes place February 13-17.”
– Dr. Sanjay Kumar Jha, Managing Director and Chairman, Midhani
Dr. Jha continued, “Midhani is an aerospace-certified organisation, this is a good opportunity to meet the requirements of the industry. The future is to increase the base in aerospace, space, defence, as well as energy – and, as part of this, a three-meter wide plate mill, eight-tonne vacuum induction melting, skull melting, cold roll products and other facilities will be produced from here.”
Midhani is regarded as one of India’s leading producers of special steel and superalloys, and is said to be the country’s sole producer of titanium alloys. Midhani’s Hyderabad plant currently has primary and secondary melting furnaces, as well as an armoured unit in Rohtak, Haryana.
This new development will almost certainly increase the availability and usage of metal powders for additive manufacturing in India.
Midhani has not yet shared updates on the new partnerships secured in the recently concluded Aero India Show 2023.
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