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A pyrometer is a device that is used to measure the surface temperature of an object without touching the object’s surface. The image describes a surface pyrometer that was fabricated by the Department of Metallurgy at IIT Madras. This surface pyrometer is used to measure the surface temperatures of dies for gravity and pressure die castings, pattern plates of shell moulds, punches and dies of metal forming pressures and cast iron and other steel plates pre-heated for welding. It has two ranges: 0°C to 250°C and 0°C to 500°C with an accuracy of 2°C.

The image describes a tubular flow reactor with motionless mixing elements that was photographed at the department of chemical engineering. The unit described in the image can be connected to any process equipment to effect thorough mixing of solids-solids or liquid-liquid. The equipment was found to have superior heat transfer characteristics.

Seen in the image is a set-up that was developed in the Material Testing Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras. The set-up was used for assessing the relative corrosion susceptibilities of steel reinforcement in concrete with different components such as cementitious material, admixtures and aggregates. Seen in the background is an experimental set-up for testing thermal conductivity of concrete. 

The image describes the FRP Centre’s involvement in developing microwave antennas (0.5m, 1.2m and 3.3m diameters) that were imported by the Southern Railways. The Composite Structures (FRP) Research Centre, also known as the Fibre Reinforced Plastics (FRP) Centre was started at IIT Madras in March 1974. It was started due to the increased use of FRP, on a global scale, for advanced technology applications as well as for commercial and domestic applications. Prior to the formation of the Centre, in 1960, research and development activities in this area was initiated by the Department of…

The image describes an exercise E.C.G. system developed by the Biomedical Engineering Division at IIT Madras. The System enables the recording of 12 lead E.C.G. during exercise. An unconventional lead placement on the thorax is incorporated by using specially designed floating electrodes. The 12 lead E.C.G. obtained with this system is identical to that obtained with the conventional system. The simple wired system can be plugged to any standard E.C.G. machine. 

The first teleprocessing link in India was established between IIT Madras and ITI (Indian Telephone Industries) Limited, Bangalore. The photograph shows a man operating the teleprocessing unit at IIT Madras. The modems that were part of this teleprocessing link were built by Hindustan Teleprinters (HTL) Limited, Mumbai. The HTL logo can be seen on the modem in the image. Similar photographs can be found in album 0330: 001/0330/IMG_105841, 001/0330/IMG_105843 & 001/0330/IMG_105845

The image shows a hydraulic press at the Department of Metallurgy, IIT Madras that is used for the extrusion process of manufacturing. Extrusion in a hydraulic press is suitable for extrusion of cans, cups, H-sections dry cell battery containers, gear wheels of clocks and watches, water kettles and similar non-ferrous alloy sections.

The image describes a gobar gas complex that was set up near the officers’ hostel. The gobar gas complex was an interdepartmental project forerunner to the technological programme packet at Narayanapuram village adopted by the National Service Scheme of the Institute.

The image describes a rotary drum granulator which was photographed at the department of Chemical Engineering. The machinery is used to granulate fine powdery materials (eg. Fertilisers) with simultaneous drying, to give free flowing property. Provision exists to study the effect of the variables like inclination, speed of the drum, feed rate and air temperature during granulation.

Stress freezing ovens are used for stress freezing in three-dimensional photoelastic analysis and annealing of photoelastic specimens. This process is carried out by heating the specimen and allowing it to cool slowly, in order to remove internal stresses and toughen it. The image shows a stress freezing oven used by the Department of Applied Mechanics, IIT Madras. The oven was programme-controlled and provided with a facility to increase the temperature to 250°C at the rate of 2°C per hour. Similar photographs can be found in album 0330: 001/0330/IMG_105840 & 001/0330/…

The image provides information about a process called the fluid sand process which was developed at IIT Madras using indigenous materials for making moulds and cores for the production of ferrous and non –ferrous castings of high dimensional accuracy. As part of the process, sand is mixed suitably with a binder and a foaming agent (promotes the formation of bubbles). The mixture has considerable fluidity and can be directly poured into a mould and core boxes without compaction. No drying is necessary before casting.

The image provides information on facilities for diffusion of impurities into silicon and for growing different types of silicon dioxide layers on silicon surfaces that was set up in the department of Electrical Engineering for the fabrication of MOS Field Effect Transistors, MOS Integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices. In addition to this, the image also states that the Department of Electrical Engineering has facilities available for undertaking R and D work on different semiconductor devices.

The photograph shows a model of the Sri Venkateswara University (Tirupati) auditorium that was fabricated by the Department of Applied Mechanics at IIT Madras. The pressure distribution and the wind forces on the model were determined by tests in the 1.5m wind tunnel.

Myoelectric trainers are devices that help in the rehabilitation of amputees. The myoelectric trainer described in the image was developed in June 1975 by the Biomedical Engineering Division at IIT Madras. The described device is useful for assessing the remnant muscle activity of the amputee and for training him to produce various levels of EMG. 

IIT Madras set up six centres in the year 1973. The Composite Structures (FRP) Research Centre, also known as the Fibre Reinforced Plastics (FRP) Centre, was one of them. The Centre was officially opened in March 1974 and it aimed at co-ordinating and utilising its expertise and resources to advance the special areas of technology that was of national importance. It also aimed at providing technical advice and leadership to the FRP industry in the country. The key objectives of the Centre and services offered included: Research and development of raw materials and composites, process design…