Hyderabad: Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad on Friday partnered with Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) and Hyderabad-based Innomet Advanced Materials Ltd for the indigenous development of a 100 kg Inert Gas Atomizer facility.

The project, titled Indigenous Development of Large Scale (100 kg) Inert Gas Atomiser, is being funded by the DRDO-Industry-Academia (DIA) Centre of Excellence at Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi under the Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management of Defence Research and Development Organization.

According to officials of IIT Hyderabad, the initiative aims to establish a state-of-the-art industrial-scale gas atomization facility capable of producing high-purity spherical metal powders for aerospace, defence, energy and advanced manufacturing sectors. These powders are essential for cutting-edge technologies such as additive manufacturing (3D Printing), hot isostatic pressing (HIP), thermal coatings and gas turbine engine components.

The facility will focus on the indigenous production of advanced alloy powders, including nickel-based superalloys for aerospace applications, ferritic and austenitic steels for thermal and nuclear power systems, cobalt-based alloys for protective coatings and emerging high-entropy alloys. The proposed unit will be set up at Innomet's Hyderabad premises.

Prof BS Murty, Director, IITH, said the collaboration marks a major milestone in India's journey towards self-reliance in advanced materials and future manufacturing technologies.