SAIL-BSP develops special grade steel for hostile climate

Defence establishment to use product in sub-zero climatic condition

Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), the flagship entity of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), has developed special grade of steel for defence establishment that can be used in terrains where temperature dips far below zero.

The product, IS 2062 E410 Grade C, would be used for the construction of Bailey Bridges by the Border Security Force (BSF) for the movement of troops and material in sub-zero climatic conditions and difficult terrains at high altitude in Leh area. The steel could sustain temperature below -20 degrees Celsius. The first lot of order carrying 425 Tonnes has been dispatched.

The company was initially skeptical about accepting the order due to inherent extreme difficulty in manufacturing the special grade IS 2062 E410 Grade C (Killed) steel through SMS I route with Impact Testing requirement at subzero temperature. “The plant officials took up the challenge and successfully rolled out the special grade (produced for the first time in the country),” a BSP spokesperson said.

SAIL’s BSP has once again stood up to meet the defence requirements of the Nation, the spokesperson added. This first consignment of special grade structural steel was dispatched from BSP to Bokaro Stockyard from where the material would subsequently be sent for ground applications in high altitude areas of Leh giving armed forces a strong foothold in hostile climatic conditions, he added.

The BSP has been supplying specially toughened warship grade steel plates for Indian Navy for many years. The DMR 249 A grade plates rolled out in Bhilai’s Plate Mill have been used in construction of India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

The special steel plates are also being used in construction of other warships that are being indigenously built for Indian Navy in different shipyards of the country. The Plant has also supplied structural steel being used by the Army for border fencing.