Period of Transition

Period of Transition

Bhopal unit was established in 1956 and Hardwar, Hyderabad and Trichy units were set up in 1963-64. 

Both Hyderabad and Trichy had collaboration with Skoda of Czechoslovakia. Material identification schemes were similar in both units with Drawing Sequence Schedule (DSS) and Despatch and Erection Sequence Schedule (DESS) system. The same system is used now also in Hyderabad unit.

In 1973-74 all units of HEIL and BHEL were merged to form the current BHEL company. 

With the merger, efforts to unify various systems in existence and development of common systems commenced. Integrated Project Management System (IPMS) was developed and implemented.

Designations also were revised. Earlier there used to be Assistant Engineer (AE), Assistant Superintendent (AS), Deputy Superintendent, Superintendent designations. These changed to Engineer, Senior Engineer etc. However in shop floors workers and supervisors used to refer their bosses with old designations. We had to corelate the reference. Most Head of Departments were designated as Commercial Manager, Personnel Manager, Material Manager. When we joined Mr Rajakumar was Works Manager. On promotion he was transferred to head the Parli turnkey project. 

Around same time (1973-74)  Trichy entered into collaboration with Combustion Engineering for Boiler consisting of Boiler supporting structure, Pressure parts and burners. Boiler auxiliaries were not part of this collaboration. Hence many collaborations were entered with renowned companies for Bowl mills, Air preheaters, Fans, Soot blowers, ESP and valves. Trichy was the only boiler manufacturer to have such a production line under same roof. Combustion Engineering used SI, PGMA and DU system for their products. DSS & DESS became Group Manufacturing Specifications (GMS), Summary Part List (SPL) and Shipping List. This was also implemented in IPMS.

Fixed burners gave way to tilting tangential burners;

Ball mills were replaced by Bowl mills;

Tubular airheaters were replaced by Rotary APH;

Mechanical Precipitaters were replaced by ESP.

When we joined drums were single thickness rolled drums. Four roll hot bending machine was pride of the unit. There was a special machine for welding longitudinal seam joint of drum plate after rolling. With installation of 2000T press drum became bi-thickness and 4 roll bending machine became obsolete.  

Since 100/110 MW rating was common to both collaborations, we had simultaneous production of both designs and some boilers had hybrid technology. I think Kothagudam was such boiler.

For implementation of IPMS, lots of changes were required in computer systems. Mr SK Ramachandran of Industrial Engineering was transferred to EDP as System Manager & Database administrator. He conducted awareness programs in all departments detailing role of each department.

Mr PN Varma from New Delhi visited Trichy frequently to finalise sequence of erection and assign despatch priority number to various PGMAs. He always stood his ground and couldn't be browbitten in the meeting.

At that time Out turn was reckoned on Inspection reports. Trichy had Inspection report system where unfinished components could be given Inspection report. On 24th whatever was declared as completed would really get completed by 1st of next month. Mr KL Puri on becoming CMD came to Trichy and declared that Out turn would be recognized only for despatched items. It was a big disruption. But later people circumvented this also.