HYDERABAD: A Centre of Intelligent Machines and Robotics is being set up at the Corporate Research and Development wing of the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited here for advanced research in cutting edge technologies.

To be set up with an investment of Rs. 4.77 crores, the new centre will be a virtual reservoir of high technology research and development activities aimed at developing manufacturing automation processes.

The corporate R&D wing has already launched pilot projects for integration of computer-aided design and manufacturing, computerised numerical control and computer-aided inspection. It has taken up consignment and vehicle tracking using global positioning system and global system for mobile communication. The centre is working for development of remote-operated vehicles that could be used for bomb disposal.

Annual report

Disclosing the progress achieved in the R&D activities at the annual press conference here on Wednesday, BHEL group general manager S.K. Goyal said the company had achieved a turnover of Rs. 14,410 crores during the 2005-06, marking a 39 per cent increase over the previous year's Rs. 10,336.4 crores. Of these, the turnover from in-house projects increased by 102 per cent from Rs. 527.5 crores to Rs. 1,064 crores.

The unit was focussing on accelerating R&D activities by increasing allocation from the existing Rs. 150 crores to more than Rs. 200 crores during the current year.

Centres of excellence for surface engineering and super critical technology would be set up to upgrade the existing 500 MW capacity units.

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