SIACHEN, THAR SIMULATED IN BANGALORE LAB TO TEST WEAPONS

[Lions Of Punjab]

TECH ADVANTAGE: The company’s workspace where simulation chambers are being built

Learning a lesson from the Kargil war of 1999, CM Environs was set up in Bengaluru to aid simulation testing of military weapons. Weapons can't always be tested on the field given the time and logistical constraints. CME provides chambers for testing of equipment in several big-ticket projects like Agni
BANGALORE: From the cold environs of Siachen to the extreme heat of the Thar desert, no climate condition is too extreme for this company in Dabaspet, about 72km northwest of Bangalore, which has been aiding simulation testing of military equipment.

Military equipment is put to service in all kinds of environments, but can't always be tested on the field given the time and logistical constraints. This results in failures of sub-systems, as India learned during the 1999 Kargil conflict.

While countries like the US have spent millions of dollars over several years to test such equipment in simulated conditions and make the final product more adaptive to such places, India has been import-dependent.
In its quiet workspace, CM Environs (CME), which simulates all types of climate for military-grade testing, is slowly changing that with 48 of the 58 Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) labs being its clients. The firm provides chambers for testing of equipment in several big-ticket projects like Agni, India's ballistic missiles program. And, it all began with Kargil.

"We were not into this business in 1999. While India emerged victorious in the conflict with Pakistan, the fact that our communication and other equipment failed gave me an idea and we entered the simulation business so that India has the technology to test its equipment, even those we imported," CME Chairman J Crasta said.
With an average annual turnover of $5 million-this year's order books reflect $6.5m-the firm has in the last decade and a half slowly captured a majority of the Indian domestic market valued at $10 million, which includes military and civilian markets. The global industry is valued at $1 billion market, the Chinese market is $200 million.

Last week, CME's dust and storm chamber were commissioned at defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which develops communication systems, electronic systems for missiles and battle tanks among other things. "This is the first time that BEL is buying a simulation chamber from a domestic manufacturer. It generally impo rted from Weiss Technik, a globally renowned brand and leader in India before us," CME Chief Executive officer Prajwal Crasta said. Stating that not only does the firm meet military standards of the US, he said: "We are also nearly 50% cheaper."

The chamber at BEL was built and delivered at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. A BEL spokesperson said: "Our Bengaluru complex has established a blowing sand and dust test facility. While take-off and landing, aircraft sub-systems are exposed to sand and dust particles and this facility provides a simulated environment for testing if the airborne sub-systems are capable of functioning dependably despite the exposure to these sand and dust particles."

Prajwal said the chamber is capable of simulating sand and dust particles in sizes less than 500 and 20 microns, respectively. While the particle simulation is one thing, the other is the wind speed. All these particles are carried by the wind at different speeds causing different types of damage.

"We can simulate a wind speed of up to 29 metre/second, at which speed the product experiences accelerated stress. Also we can simulate -70°C to 180°C in a controlled manner and also simulate relative humidity," Prajwal said.


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