ARCI has always sought to be a window to frontier technologies in its areas of core competence for the Indian industry. In keeping with the above ethos, ARCI has strived to serve as an enabling institute to facilitate induction of nationally relevant technologies in the Indian industry. In case of technologies that are based on high investment capital equipment, ARCI's experience during the past 10 years suggests that establishment of a fulfill edged demonstration facility to highlight all the capabilities of the associated technology to potential Indian user industries can be crucial to catalyze assimilation of such technologies.
Acknowledging the above, a relatively new mechanism for international collaboration at ARCI has concerned setting up of jointly operated Centres to demonstrate specific technologies of - to India in collaboration with high-tech companies abroad. Usually the foreign partner is the technology provider and contributes to the joint centre in the form of know-how and consultancy, while ARCI's contribution is in the form of funds for infrastructure, manpower, operation etc.
The demonstration phase serves varied objectives, including
(a)
Proving reliability and consistency of the technology
(b)
Providing samples for field trials to interested user industries
(c)
Carrying out limited production/job work to sensitize market
(d)
Modification of technology based on feedback to achieve the end objective of subsequently commercializing the technology jointly on a profit-sharing basis
The Centre for Laser Processing of Materials (with MLI Lasers, Israel) and the Sol-Gel Nanocomposite Coating Technology Centre (with EPG, Germany) are examples of such an approach.
Intensified interactions with industry for targeted development and subsequent transfer of nanomaterials based technologies for development...
