Resource Person:

1. Vinayak Budhavant (General Manager & HR Admin Head)
2. V. V. Rajan (President of Manufacturing)
3. Mr. Ijajali Shaikh (HR)

Industry Profile:

1. Introduction

Walchandnagar Industries Ltd (WIL) is one of India’s premier heavy engineering and high-technology manufacturing companies with a legacy of more than 100 years of engineering excellence. Established in 1908, the company has played a significant role in India’s industrialization and nation-building initiatives.

WIL is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company and is listed on both:

1. BSE Limited
2. National Stock Exchange of India

The company operates in strategic sectors such as Defence, Aerospace, Nuclear Power, Missiles, Oil & Gas, and also caters to industrial sectors including Gears, Centrifugals, Boilers, Sugar Plants, Cement Plants, and EPC Projects.

2. Corporate Overview

1. Established: 1908
2. Headquarters: Walchandnagar, Pune District, Maharashtra, India
3. Certification: ISO 9001:2015
4. Business Nature: Heavy Engineering, High-Precision Manufacturing & EPC Projects
5. Stock Exchange Listing: BSE & NSE

WIL has developed strong capabilities in engineering design, project management, advanced fabrication, precision machining, assembly, testing, installation, and commissioning of complex industrial and strategic equipment.

3. Business Areas

WIL operates through diversified business segments:

3.1 Aerospace & Space

WIL has been associated with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) since the early 1970s. The company manufactures:

1. Rocket motor casings
2. Booster segments
3. Aerospace structural assemblies
4. Satellite launch vehicle components
5. Precision machined space hardware

WIL has contributed to major Indian missions such as:

1. Chandrayaan-1
2. Mars Orbiter Mission
3. PSLV & GSLV launch vehicle programs

3.2 Defense & Strategic Systems

WIL manufactures:

1. Submarine propulsion gearboxes
2. Naval propulsion systems
3. Missile hardware components
4. High-precision defence equipment

The company is known for manufacturing main propulsion gearboxes for Indian Navy frigates, contributing significantly to indigenous defence manufacturing.

3.3 Nuclear Power Equipment

WIL supplies critical components for nuclear power plants, including:

1. Calandrias
2. End shields
3. Moderator heat exchangers
4. Steam generators
5. Reactor internals

The company adheres to strict nuclear quality and safety standards in compliance with national regulatory authorities.

3.4 Industrial Products

WIL is a leading manufacturer of:

1. High-speed gear drives (API compliant)
2. Heavy-duty industrial gearboxes
3. Sugar Centrifugals (Batch & Continuous)
4. Biomass & AFBC/CFBC boilers
5. Cement plant machinery
6. Sugar plant machinery (Turnkey execution)

3.5 EPC & Turnkey Projects

WIL undertakes Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects for:

1. Sugar plants
2. Cement plants
3. Co-generation power plants
4. Waste-to-energy plants

The company was among the first Indian companies to export complete sugar and cement plants.

4. Manufacturing Infrastructure

WIL possesses world-class manufacturing facilities including:

1. CNC Horizontal & Vertical Boring Machines
2. Multi-axis CNC machining centers
3. Heavy plate rolling & forming machines
4. Gear cutting & grinding machines
5. Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) systems
6. Heat treatment furnaces
7. Advanced NDT testing facilities (RT, UT, PT, MT)
8. Hydrostatic & load testing facilities

The plant is equipped to handle large-scale, heavy engineering components with high precision and strict quality control.

5. Quality & Certifications

1. ISO 9001:2015 Certification
2. Strict adherence to aerospace, nuclear and defence quality standards
3. Non-destructive testing facilities
4. In-house metallurgical and material testing laboratories
5. Compliance with API standards for gear systems

6. Milestones & Achievements

1. Manufactured critical components for India’s first satellite launch vehicle.
2. Supplied propulsion gear systems for Indian Navy vessels.
3. Contributed to India’s Moon and Mars missions.
4. Supplied major components for 235 MW & 500 MW Nuclear Power Projects.
5. Exported turnkey sugar and cement plants globally.
6. Developed indigenous waste-to-energy power projects.

7. Vision & Mission

Vision:
To be a global leader in heavy engineering and high-technology manufacturing sectors.

Mission:

1. Deliver reliable and innovative engineering solutions.
2. Maintain highest standards of quality and safety.
3. Contribute to national strategic programs.
4. Enhance customer satisfaction through technological excellence.

8. Contribution to Nation Building

For over a century, WIL has contributed to India’s development in:

1. Space exploration
2. Defence indigenization
3. Nuclear power generation
4. Renewable & biomass energy
5. Industrial infrastructure development

The company continues to support India’s self-reliance initiatives in strategic and heavy engineering sectors.

Products:

2. Core Products and Technical Information

2.1 Aerospace & Space Components

WIL manufactures high-precision aerospace hardware used in Indian space launch vehicles and satellite missions.

2.1.1 Rocket Motor Casings

Function: Houses solid propellant grain for rocket boosters.
Material: High-strength alloy steels such as 15CDV6, maraging steels, and titanium alloys.
Technical Features:

1. Fabricated by high-precision forming, welding and machining processes.
2. Pressure-bearing cylindrical and conical sections.
3. Welds qualified per stringent aerospace welding codes.
4. Surface and dimensional accuracy monitored via optical and laser metrology.
5. Thermal stress analysis during design for high temperature and shock loads.

Applications:

1. Strap-on boosters for PSLV, GSLV Mk II & Mk III
2. Missile motor casings for tactical and strategic missiles.

2.1.2 Nozzles, Tankages & End Rings

Function: Critical structural parts that guide exhaust gases, store fluids and provide structural interface points.
Material: Aluminium alloys, high-strength steels, titanium alloys.
Technical Features:

1. Precision machining and flow-optimized conical geometry.
2. Multi-axis CNC machining ensures precise contouring.
3. Controlled weld zones to avoid distortion and residual stress.
4. Heat treatment to achieve required mechanical properties.

2.2 Defence & Naval Gear Systems

1. WIL manufactures heavy-duty gear units and propulsion systems for marine and naval applications.

2.2.1 Submarine Propulsion Gearboxes

Function: Reduce engine/turbine speed to propeller speed and transmit power reliably under sea conditions.
Material: Alloy steels quenched & tempered, carburized gears for wear resistance.
Technical Features:

1. Gear Design: Double helical gears to minimize axial thrust and noise.
2. Heat Treatment: Case carburizing of gear teeth for hardness and fatigue life.
3. Dynamic Balancing: Rotors dynamically balanced to reduce vibration at high speed.
4. Load Capacity: Designed for torque transmission over 24,000 HP class engines.
5. Testing: API-613 load tests, back-to-back dynamometer tests up to 10 MW.

2.2.2 Raft-Mounted Gearboxes

Function: Gearboxes installed on vibration-isolating rafts to protect submarine hull and electronics.
Technical Features:

1. Structural analysis for underwater shock and vibration (FEA based).
2. Hydraulic dampers and isolators.
3. Anti-corrosion coating and sea-water resistant finishes.

2.3 Nuclear Power Equipment

1. WIL supplies equipment for nuclear power plants, meeting high safety and quality requirements.

2.3.1 Calandria

Function: Core pressure vessel of Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR).
Material: Nuclear-grade stainless steel.
Technical Features:

1. Thick plate forming and precision welding.
2. Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) with multiple passes.
3. Post Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) to relieve residual stress.
4. Hydrostatic testing to verify pressure integrity.
5. Radiographic and ultrasonic inspection of all weld joints.

2.3.2 Moderator Heat Exchangers

Function: Transfer heat from moderator for temperature regulation.
Material: Austenitic stainless steel tubes and shells.
Technical Features:

1. Tube bundle fabrication and expansion technology.
2. Precision tube sheet drilling and fit-up alignment.
3. Tight tube-to-tube sheet joints using controlled expansion.

2.4 Industrial Gear Products

1. WIL manufactures industrial gearbox solutions for multiple sectors.

2.4.1 High-Speed Gear Drives (API 613)

Function: Gear systems for turbines and gas compressor power transmission.
Material: Alloy steels with precision ground gear sets.
Technical Features:

1. Spur and helical gears for quiet operation.
2. Gear profile optimization using KISSsoft design software.
3. Case carburizing and tooth finish grinding to DIN-1 precision.
4. Bearings designed for radial and thrust loads.
5. Lubrication systems for high rpm reliability.

2.4.2 Multistage Gear Reducers

Function: Reduce high motor speeds to low operational speeds in industrial machines.
Technical Features:

1. Modular design for parallel or orthogonal arrangement.
2. Heavy-duty housing with vibration dampening ribs.
3. Bearing life analysis and thermal design for continuous operation.

2.5 Centrifugal Machines for Sugar Industry

WIL has supplied over 4500 centrifugal machines for sugar factories worldwide.

2.5.1 Batch Centrifugal Machines

Function: Remove molasses from crystallized sugar.
Technical Features:

1. Basket driven by heavy-duty gearbox and transmission linkages.
2. Automated control sequence for spin cycles.
3. Stainless steel construction for corrosion resistance.

Ranges:

1. WB-500 to WB-2250 (kg charge capacity)

2.5.2 Continuous Centrifugal Machines

Function: High throughput sugar separation.
Technical Features:

1. Continuous feed and discharge system.
2. Robust drive arrangement for sustained operation.
3. Basket diameter from 1150 to 1500 mm for large capacity.

2.6 Boilers & Power Systems

WIL supplies boilers of various types for power generation and industrial use.

2.6.1 Bagasse / Biomass Fired Boilers

Function: Convert agricultural residues to steam.
Boiler Types: Travelling grate, inclined water cooled grate.
Technical Features:

1. Combustion optimized grates for efficient burn.
2. Balanced draft to control emissions.
3. Superheater sections for higher steam temperature.

2.6.2 AFBC & CFBC Boilers

Function: Provide high-efficiency combustion for coal and biomass.
Technical Features:

1. Fluidized bed combustion for uniform heat transfer.
2. Lime injection for sulfur capture.
3. In-bed ash removal systems.

Objective/Purpose:

1. To understand the real-time applications of mechanical and manufacturing engineering concepts in heavy industry.
2. To observe the manufacturing processes of aerospace and space components such as rocket motor casings, nozzles, and tankages.
3. To study the design, fabrication, and assembly of submarine propulsion gearboxes and naval gear systems.
4. To learn about nuclear power plant equipment manufacturing, including calandrias and moderator heat exchangers.
5. To gain practical knowledge of precision machining, CNC operations, and metrology techniques.
6. To understand industrial quality standards and testing methods, such as NDT (RT, UT, PT, MT) and API/ISO certifications.
7. To observe the manufacture of industrial gear drives, multistage gear reducers, and centrifugal machines.
8. To explore boiler and power plant technologies, including biomass, AFBC, CFBC, and waste heat recovery systems.
9. To understand the integration of advanced materials such as maraging steels, titanium alloys, and super duplex stainless steels in strategic applications.
10. To develop awareness about career opportunities, industrial safety practices, and workflow management in a high-technology heavy engineering company.