India’s state-run specialty steel producer Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (Midhani) has been awarded certification by the government’s Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) for successful indigenization and airworthiness certification of super alloys, titanium alloys, and special steels for the AL31FP engine powering the SU-30MKI fighter aircraft, a company statement said on Tuesday, October 28.
CEMILAC grants clearance for series production of these alloys, making them suitable for manufacturing airworthy components of the AL31FP engine.
“Midhani showcased the successfully developed and produced mill forms and forgings of various super alloys such as Supercast BZL1, BZL14H, ZS 6Y, Superni 648, Superni 698; Titanium alloys such as OT 4-1 and Titan 33A and special steels such as AE 866W and 16XH3BFMB-W — all of which are used in safety-critical and mission-critical aero engine components,” the company said.
In the past year, Midhani has significantly enhanced its production capabilities by commissioning a new `Titanium Shop’ to boost airworthy titanium alloy production, installing a 6000T near-isothermal forge press, upgrading Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) furnaces to support large-scale remelt stock manufacturing, and producing master heats of single-crystal super alloys, it added.