Tata Steel and Corus, which revved up their integration plan, have already started discovering the benefits in several areas of research and steel-making. Apart from the 15 R&D projects that the two sides have identified for fast-track implementation, there are several ?harvesting projects? which could be exploited commercially by either side at a short notice.
Around 50% of the projects being exchanged by the two sides are said to be ?harvesting? projects, where each side puts the other’s intellectual property rights (IPR) directly into use for production. ?They have done something, we pick up from there. We have also passed on all our developments, including IPRs and patents for whatever projects we have done in recent times to them. So, they would also be making use of them,? Tata Steel chief technology officer (CTO) T Venugopalan told FE recently.
Tata Steel has separate R&D and technology groups whereas Corus has a combined research, development and technology (RD&T) team.
?The integration is going quite well?, said Venugopalan, adding there could be no time-frame for it as it was a continuous process. Among several projects ready for Corus takeaway was one on ?hydrogen harvesting?.
Tata Steel has developed a process of cracking water into hydrogen and oxygen by way of sprinkling water on hot slag. While the heat in the slag will otherwise have gone waste, hydrogen released in the process can now be collected for future use as fuel.
?We started doing the project and had made some progress; now Corus also has taken up the project,? added the Tata Steel CTO.
Likewise, Tata Steel has pioneered to develop a very contemporary grade high-strength steel, which it calls HS-800. Corus has also tested HS-800 and declared it to be “far superior” to most of the 800 tensile strength grades it has been producing. Having received all the know-how required to produce HS-800, Corus would now have to develop it and put it in the marketplace.
?They would first of all see the market by producing a small tonnage,? said Venugopalan.
Similarly, Corus has advanced technology when it comes to ‘metallic fuel tank’ grade steel. Tata Steel is going to develop the ‘fuel tank’ grade steel in this country, using the knowledge available with Corus.