KOCHI: HMT Machine Tools Ltd has ventured into the production of Naval Systems by developing ‘Directing Gear,’ a critical onboard equipment for naval application. The ‘Directing Gear’ is an auxiliary of the sonar system developed by Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory here. It has been developed through a collaborative effort with Bangalore-based Bharat Electronics, the defence production agency and the NPOL.
The first equipment was handed over to Ajit T Kalghatgi, Director, BEL, by HMT managing director B M Shivashankar at a function at HMT Kalamassery on Friday. It is for the first time that the HMT is manufacturing naval systems. The major challenge for the company was to design, manufacture, test, qualify and deliver this complex system within a tight time schedule, a statement from the company said.
The directing gear is a computer-controlled rotary system using a state-of-the-art technology. It would be used for supporting and calibrating the 4.5-tonne sensor array of the sonar system. It is designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions such as shock, vibration, temperature and other adverse conditions of the battlefield during operation.