On the evaluation of stability of rare earth oxides as face coats for investment casting of titanium

Attempts have been made to evaluate the thermal stability of rare earth oxide face coats against liquid titanium. Determination of microhardness profiles and concentration profiles of oxygen and metallic constituents of oxide in investment cast titanium rods has allowed grActation of relative stability of rare earth oxides. The relative stability of evaluated oxides in the order of increasing stability follows the sequence CeO2 — ZrO2 — Gd2O3 — didymium oxide — Sm2O3 —Nd2O3 — Y2O3. The grading does not follow the free energy data of the formation of these oxides. A better correlation with the experimental observations is obtained when the solubility of the metallic species in titanium is also taken into consideration.

Strategic Marketing and Innovation Performance of Indian MSMEs

Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is an integral part of the Indian industrial sector. The distinctive features of MSMEs are less capital investment and high labour absorption which has created unprecedented importance to this sector. As per the Development Commissioner of MSME, the sector has the credit of being the second highest in employment in India, which stands next to agricultural sector. The MSMEs are very much needed in efficiently allocating the enormous labour supply and scarce capital by implementing labour intensive production processes. Associated with this high growth rates, MSMEs are also facing a number of problems like sub-optimal scale of operation, technological obsolescence, supply chain inefficiencies, increasing domestic and global competition, fund shortages, change in manufacturing & marketing strategies, turbulent and uncertain market scenario. To survive with such issues and compete with large and global enterprises, MSMEs need to adopt innovative approaches in their regular business operations. Among the manufacturing sectors, we find that they are unable to focus themselves in the present competition. This paper presents a brief literature of work done in MSMEs, Innovation and Strategic marketing with reference to Indian manufacturing firms.