Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute (CMRDI)

Founded: 1972

Head: Prof. Dr. Adel A, Nofal, Chairman

Address:

P.O. Box: 87, Helwan

Cairo, Egypt

Telephone: 202-5010640/1, 5010094

Facsimile: 202-5010639/41, 501 1 185

E-mail: rucmrdi@rusys.eg.net

Web site:. www.cmrti.sci.eg

Institutional framework:

Governmental National

Working languages:

Arabic, English

Areas of activity:

Applied science and technology: Metallurgical industry (ore evaluation and dressing, agglomeration, pyrometallurgy, electrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, extractive metallurgy, steel making, ferroalloys, industrial wastes, iron making, heat treatment, foundry, non-ferrous alloys, welding, metal melting and casting, powder metallurgy, alloy design, corrosion, surface protection and coating, non-destructive testing and phosphoric acid products)

Number of staff:

Research professionals: 45

Support professionals: 30

Technicians: 19

Library holdings:

Number of library volumes: 4,000

Other holdings: 30

Mission and objectives:

CMRDI is a national institution serving foundries and the metallurgical industry in Egypt. Its mission is to participate in the national economic growth by enhancing material competitiveness in the industrial sector. The vision of CMRDI is to be a centre of excellence at the regional level for promotion of R, D and E in the areas of minerals, metals and material technologies for improvement of metal, mineral, engineering, chemical and allied industries

To fulfill this mission, the Institute will keep abreast of technological development. It will pursue industrial development through the improvement of the quality of products and processes, technology transfer, technical services and serving foundries CMRDI aims to cater for the needs of metallurgical industries in Egypt by developing new products and new processes.

Organizational structure:

CMRDI is divided into four main Divisions, including 18 departments as follows:

- Ore Evaluation and Mineral Benefaction Division: Includes three departments for ore evaluation, mineral benefaction and ore agglomeration;

- Extractive Metallurgy Division: Includes five departments for hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, electrometallurgy, iron making and industrial wastes;

- Metal Forming and Finishing Division: Includes five departments for foundry, steel alloys, heat treatment, electroplating and corrosion and surface protection;

- Welding Research Division: Includes four departments for welding technology, welding metallurgy, welting consumable and non-destructive testing.

R and D activities/schemes:

R and D projects are categorized in three groups:

Group A: Projects based on conventional technologies, with high probability of sponsorship through contracts with the local industry. These projects can be carried out using the available facilities in addition to the input of the expected contracts.

Group B: Projects meeting the demands of the International

Research Funding Organization, with serious and sincere efforts from CMRDI staff linked with some optimism; the bulk of these projects could find financing from these international agencies.

Group C: Projects based on novel and advanced technologies; although these projects may not find an immediate end-user on the local market but are indispensable for the near future development of the Egyptian industry.

Targeted areas of R and D include:

- Optimum exploitation of indigenous ores to replace imported materials;

- Technology transfer in the gelds of mineral processing and metallurgy;

- Development of materials and processes through pilot plant runs and prototype units;

- Improvement of products quality and reducing production costs;

- Troubleshooting for productions and solving technical problems.

CMRDI maintains pilot plants for ore dressing, hydrometallurgy, melting and casting, rolling and forging and steel making.

Training activities:

CMRDI holds training programmes, seminars and workshops in metallurgy on a regular basis, including:

- Training engineers of industrial institutions about modern metallurgical technologies on local and regional basis;

- Training in corrosion and surface protection, heat treatment, foundry pilot plant operation (ore dressing, steel making and metal working) and castings, welting technology and inspection.

Meetings, conferences and seminars:

CMRDI occasionally holds conferences on foundry, corrosion and welting.

Public services:

Instrumental analysis, mechanical testing, metallography, training and consultants.

Publications:

Non- Recurrent: Findings are published in primary journals as research reports.

Recurrent.

- Quarterly reports (in Arabic);

- Annual Report (in English and Arabic).

Links to other organizations:

CMRDI is a member of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO).

Parent body/affiliations:

CMRDI is an integral unit of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) in Cairo.

Major achievements, scientific results and patents:

About 250 R and D industrial projects have been accomplished over the past 10 years. The project's objectives may be classified as follows:

- Introduction of new technologies to the Egyptian industry;

- Production Of new products as import substitutes;

- Development of a product or production process;

- Maximization of indigenous raw material exploitation;

- Development of new alloys;

- Environmental protection;

- Development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);

- Failure analysis and trouble shooting;

- Technical services and consultations;

- Nondestructive testing and third party inspection.

Future development plans and programmes:

CMRDI plans to undertake the following:

Apply results of benchmarking and best practice programmes;

- Obtain accreditation for international recognition and increased competitiveness;

- Establish metallurgical information centre;

- Establish new departments for technology transfer and development of advanced and strategic alloys..

- Establish a technical supped unit (TSU) for SMES;

- Introduce clean industrial production (CIP) techniques;

- Promote the Institute's regional role;

- Establish technology incubators using the existing pilot facilities;

- Maximize pilot facilities for commercial production activities;

- Establish new departments for process engineering, material testing and central services, simulation and modeling and techno-economic feasibility studies.

Funding:

Sources: Local industry and international donors.

Information sources:

- www.sti.sci.eg/scrci/cmrdi.html

- www.waitro.dti.dk/Members/egypt.htm

- The World of Learning, 1996

- International Research Centers Directory 1994-1995