R & D in Electronic Process Control Instrumentation

Abstract

The field of process control instrumentation has undergone tremendous changes in the last two decades. Electronic Instrumentation is becoming the order of the day, although pneumatic instrumentation continues to play its rightful role in process industries.

With growing costs of labour, especially skilled engineering manhours, the whole philosophy of process instrumentation is undergoing a change. Whereas several years back, in any big instrumentation project, the hardware accounted for a major portion of the cost, today, especially with very low cost and high reliability of electronic components, the actual hardware is only about a third of the cost of the project, the major cost being absorbed by engineering, erection, system design and panel. This has naturally led to an emphasis on the part of the manufacturers to concentrate their efforts on research and development towards system oriented ranges and for systems as against individual products earlier.

Until early Seventies, Indian Process Control Instruments manufacturing capability was mainly centred around pneumatic instruments and systems. However, very large strides have been made during the last few years with several companies acquiring the capability in the field of electronic process control instruments and systems, but mainly through imported technologies. The disturbing fact, however, is that repeated import of technologies to keep pace with the latest development in the West seems inevitable because of the problems of R & D in Indian conditions. Problems like high capital investment, very low off-take, large varieties, high rate of obsolescence, non-availability of components and materials, lack of established independent evaluation and testing centres and customers' preference in general, for established brand name continue to inhibit R&D progress in the country. Moreover, young talent is attracted towards other lucrative fields of marketing, manufacturing, systems rather than R&D.

Research Institutes and Universities could play a vital role to back up industrial R & D but so far co-ordination being poor, achievement has been precious little. Activities of these organisations are further retarded due to lack of direction, paucity of funds and general non-availability of components and materials for which the industries themselves depend on import.

Central and Regional Institutes such as National Test House, ISI, etc. could provide a facility for standardisation and appraisal of instruments by conducting independent performance and environmental evaluation.

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Notes on contributors

K. Vasudevan

Vasudevan K: After graduating with First Class Honours in Electrical Engineering from the Madras University, Mr. K. Vasudevan had a wide and varied experience for over 20 years, especially in the field of Process Control Instrumentation. He has been associated in several regional and national committees and has also many publications/articles to his credit. During his extensive travels abroad, he has visited a number of leading Process Control Instrument manufacturing firms all over the world.

A Fellow of the Institution of Engineers India and Chartered Engineer, he is also a member of the British Institution of Management, UK., Fellow of the Institution of Instrumentation Scientists & Technologists and a Senior Member of the Instrument Society of America, USA. He is now the Deputy Chief Executive at Bestobell India Limited, Calcutta one of the leading Process Control Instrument manufacturers in the country.