Mode of Technology Transfer

IPIRTI came into existence when plywood industry in India was at its infant stage. The purpose of setting up a research laboratory was to develop technology exclusively for wood based panel industry which at its initial stage was unorganized and technologically weak. Hence all R & D projects designed for the Institute were greatly influenced by the plywood industry and were meant for plywood industry. All research work after preliminary studies at laboratory scale were worked out at the pilot plant scale in order to find out the scope of the project for industrial application and also to eliminate the problems involved in descending the technology from research laboratory to factory floor. R & D projects designs undertaken by IPIRTI are:

1. Applicable for large scale production

2. Easily adoptable by semi skilled/unskilled workers

3. Can be applied at the production line without incorporation of high cost machinery

4. Do not add high overhead in production

5. Aim to bring economy in process .

One of the important factor in the process of extension is the extension. It is difficult job to design and work out a research project, but more difficult to implement in production line specially when it happens to be with an unorganized industry like wood based panel industry. The reasons are:

1. There are not many or sometimes no skilled workers to adopt and incorporate the new process /product in the production.

2. General reluctance to adoption of new technology by a section of technicians who are basically not trained or educated by having long experience in the field.

Keeping in view of the above facts, a wider extension mechanism have been devised by the Institute to transfer/implement new/modified technology from pilot plant/laboratory scale to factory floor. The mechanisms are:

1. Through technology package

2. On the floor demonstration

3. On the floor training of factory technicians

4. Attending day to day floor level problem by the scientists from the Institute.

5. Conducting training course in the Institute.

6. By publishing research report and technical note (so far 117 research report and 100 technical notes have been published)

7. Organizing seminar, workshop, exhibitions and interactive meet with industry, researchers, foresters, engineers and architects.

8. Associating with different committee/groups formed by MoEF and Planning Commission to work for development of forest and wood based industry in the country.

9. Through electronic research information service "Wood Product Research Update" containing abstract/summery of research publication and updated national and international information related wood based panel industry.

10. A quarterly newsletter "IPIRTI News" is being published regularly containing information about the Institute’s activity, technological information and research update.

Considering the weakness of the wood based panel industry for poor adoption of innovated technology due to shortage of adequate/trained technicians, more emphasis is being given on floor level demonstration …………technology transfer.

As a result of input of technology by the Institute, the wood based panel industry became organized and technologically sound to manufacture all grades of wood panels of international standard. Benefits went to the industry are:

1. Total processing technology for plywood manufacture, log storage and preservation veneering, drying, gluing, pressing and preservative treatment.

2. Adhesive manufacturing technology for all grades of plywood and wood joints in captive plants of the panel processing units.

3. Human resource development on the floor and at the Institute.

4. Product upgradation through quality control.

5. New product development

6. Product standardization.

There has been a great change in the wood based industry in the country following the Forest Policy, 2308. The biggest change, of course, was the change in nature of raw material for wood based industries. This is the only factor which led to total orientation of this industry throughout the country. Since forest grown being girth logs were not available, the industries shifted to areas where plantation timber is available. Improved technology were developed in the institute to process the new generation raw material into standards and useful products. Extension activities, now, needs to be intensified to implement new technology at the factory level to process plantation wood, bamboo and other lignocellulose raw material. The future extension programme of the institute includes:

1. Build up extension centers near newly grown industrial belt to help processing units for better utilization of available raw material, economy in production, enhance service life of products, manufacture value added products utilizing plantation grown timber.

2. Build up common facility centers in plantation timber and Bamboo growing areas through out the country for primary processing and value addition of the produce so that maximum benefit go to the growers/farmers. CFC can be built up in collaboration with Forest Department, Agricultural department and NGOs.

3. Technology for primary processing of plantation timber/bamboo can be transferred through Rural Technology path to the growers/farmers who can built up cooperative for functioning.

4. Re open closed ply mills in Bamboo growing areas for manufacture of Bamboo based panel products.

5. Arrange mobile van with training facilities for preliminary processing of plantation timber and bamboo.

6. Creation of National Information Center at IPIRTI for dissemination of technology information on wood and bamboo based product.

7. Organization of seminar, workshop, exhibition, Interactive meet to create awareness for use of products from plantation and bamboo.