Information & Documentation Centre and Technology Marketing Division

INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION CENTRE-:The information and documentation center was established along with RDCIS in 1973 though operationally it became active in 1975. Currently it comprises of 8 people working under one AGM. Due to less number of people working here simple hierarchy is followed. A set of 4 Senior Managers work under the AGM and under the 4 senior managers 3 staff members are placed.The main function of the information and documentation is providing customised services to the users at the desktop and also providing library services. These two functions of the information and documentation center is here under explained briefly:Providing customised information services.The information and documentation center maintains a centralized database which is connected through the LAN to the personal computers of the employees of the organisation. The division maintains a record of all the ongoing projects undertaken here at RDCIS. The center accordingly maintains the central database of the information which is readily accessible to all the users. In this respect the IDC provides “specific abstract” services comprising of abstracts taken from 6000world wide journals. The RDCIS has a subscription to the “metal abstract” also.The IDC provides two types of searches to its users-:On anticipationOn demand servicesThe customized package of IDC provides services under two headings-:Info centre- It gives information regarding the following-Conference proceedingsArticle searches Current contents- From specific journals of the library the IDC scans the important abstracts and articles and makes them available at their site.Metadex - It is a highly comprehensive volume of the data on previous research studies. e.g. – results, findings, recommendations related to a specific metallurgical studies or research work. It has maintained the records over the past 18 years.Providing library facilities.The IDC also runs the library facility which is maintained to provide the library assistance as and when required by the employees of the organisation. It maintains

• 25000 documents in the form of research papers and reports
• 12000 bound volumes of technical journals
• 90 monthly and weekly journals.

The library software installed helps in fully automating the various activities involved in running the library like the

• Maintain the record of the total books and journals available in the library.
• Issue and return of the book
• Intimating the employees about the new arrivals.

All the senior managers of this department has been delegated with one specific responsibility to prevent any bottleneck in the daily activities of the department. For example- one senior manager specifically looks after procurement of new books. The second senior manager is delegated with the responsibility of the updating the central database and sending daily notification to the employees. The remaining two senior managers look after the “LIBSYS software” and updating procedure. Thus the IDC plays an important role in smoothening the day to day activities of RDCIS by providing its employees with information as and when required.
TECHNOLOGY MARKETING DIVISION :-The Research & Development Centre for Iron & Steel (RDCIS) at Ranchi is the corporate R&D unit of SAIL. The main objectives are to pursue basic research programs to innovate new processes and develop new products. RDCIS also facilitate SAIL plants to improve key performance indices related to quality, productivity, yield through diagnostic and research approach. Equipped with more than 350 advanced diagnostic equipment and 5 pilot facilities under 15 major laboratories, RDCIS undertakes research projects encompassing the entire spectrum of iron and steel -starting from raw materials to finished products. The Centre is continuously engaged in improving the process parameters, development of value added products, energy conservation, improvement in product quality, up-gradation of existing technologies and introduction of new technologies in the plants and units of SAIL. The Centre has acquired several patents and copyrights during the last few years. The technology marketing group is the only group which earns income or revenue for the organisation by rendering services:

• Knowledge skills
• Lab facilities
• Know how transfer
• Joint developments
• Contract projects
• Consultancy
• Analytical services

The group provides marketing against payments. One of the major challenges of this group is that the specific target audience for the new services and the products developed here at RDCIS can’t be ascertained by simple methods,. The chief activity of RDCIS is to develop new processes or products for the SAIL PLANTS and units. Once the patent is availed the RDCIS can then take advantage of such innovative technologies and the products by marketing them against payments. So the main function of this group is to market the already developed technologies or the products to customers. It plays no role in marketing of the products of SAIL Plants which is handled by the central marketing organisation having its zonal offices located in 4 major regions. For making the customers aware of the newly developed technologies and the products here at RDCIS the technology group goes with the method of distribution of brochures at seminars as one of he important methods for sales promotion.Some major clientele of RDCIS which is looked after by the technology marketing group are:

• Tiajproexport (Russia)
• MSC (Iran)
• Foolad Techniques (Iran)
• TATA STEEL
• MECON
• DRDO

The major areas of operations of this group are :Joint development of products and servicesContract researchConsultancy researchAnalytical research (testing facilities)
 It has collaborations agreements with leading research and academic institutes like National Science Foundation of USA.,TSNIICHERMET (Russia), IITs, IISCs, CSIR