The second Workshop on Applications of Laser in Mechanical Industry, which is a biannual event of Laser Material Processing Group, Jadavpur University, was organised on Dec. 21-24, 1997 for increasing the awareness of using high power lasers in different application areas in Indian Industries. This workshop was organised in collaboration with National Laser Programme (NLP) of Department of Atomic Energy and Ordinance Factory Board (OFB) under Ministry of Defense and with the support from the Ministry of Science and Technology and Russian Federation. Six Russian scientists and technologists participated in deliberation and four in the exhibition. They brought several laser processed products and video films on laser material processing.

Industries from which delegates participated are Defence (Medak, Abadi, OLF, Ichapur Q-met, Cossipore Gun and Shell), Auto (Hind Motors & Co., TELCO Jamshedpur) Ship building (GRSE), Indian Rail (CLW, SER, ER), Electrical (GEC Alsthom), Steel (TISCO, MN Dastur & Co.), MECON, etc. Delegates from R&D labs. and institutes like CAT, DMRL, IACS, CGCRI, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, RIT Jamshedpur, BE College Deemed University, University of Pune, Jadavpur University.

Prof. J. Mazumder of University of Michigan and the General Secretary of Laser Institute of America and Dr D.D. Bhawalkar (Director, CAT, Indore and Chairman, NLP) delivered keynote addresses. The technical papers covered wide range of topics such as laser surface modification, laser welding, laser cutting, laser drilling, laser speckle method for measurement, optical fibre sensor for surface characterisation etc. Altogether there were about sixty industrial delegates from India. Ordnance Factory Board, Medak and other Indian companies - KLB, SIMCO also participated in the exhibition.

In the valedictory session of WALMI-97, the participating delegates and the panel speakers were Mr S.P. Chaudhury (P.I., LMPG, JU), Dr A.K. Nath of CAT, Indore, Prof. J. Mazumder of University of Michigan, Dr A.K. Roy, Director of BR Associates, UK, Mr. C.K. Mendiratta, Vice President (Mfg.) of Hindustan Motors & Co., Mr. Sujit K. Biswas (Technical Director of MN Dastur & Co.) and Dr G.G. Sarkar of MECON suggested course of actions for future direction of WALMI.

S.P. Chaudhuri

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