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Facilities

The Common Research Facilities enables researchers from academia and industries to avail state the art experimental facilities in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, IISc, Bengaluru. The facilities comprise core mechanical engineering areas and emerging interdisciplinary topics like materials, structures, mechanisms, manufacturing, additive manufacturing, fracture, dynamics, vibration, design, control, computational modelling of solids and fluids, multiscale and multiphase physics, biomechanics, robotics, energy transport, and storage,  micro-and nanoscale phenomena, and soft matter, among others. The state-of-the-art analytical and high-end instruments are operated by qualified personnel to provide scientific and technical services to researchers across the globe.

To secure your facility reservation or make inquiries, kindly fill out our Online Request/Inquiry Form with all the necessary details. We’ll promptly confirm the next steps.

After confirmation, please submit the relevant Internal/External User request forms.

For MechWorks usage, ensure you include both the work order form and the user request form.

For additional information, reach out to our Facility Manager, ME, at facilitymanager.me@iisc.ac.in

Once the booking is confirmed, the usage charges as indicated in the webpages can be paid by/after completing the forms below.

    1. Internal User
    2. External User
    3. MechWorks-Machine Shop (Work order form)

Structural Characterisation

SC-1 Tescan Scanning Electron Microscope

Short description: This tungsten filament-based SEM has a large chamber that can accommodate bulky samples of up to 5 kg. This allows easy observation of very large samples without the need to cut or process them before imaging.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Satish V. Kailas

Charges:  Per Hour: IISC: INR 700, Outsiders: INR 1200

 

 

SC-2 Joel Scanning Electron Microscope

Short description: This tungsten filament-based SEM has an EDAX attached with it.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Satish V. Kailas

Charges:  Per Hour: IISC: INR 700, Outsiders: INR 1200

 

 

SC-3 3-D Optical Profilometer

Short description: The highly sensitive and stable 3D Optical Profilometer (Make: Veeco) provides precise non-contact surface measurements using optical profiling technology.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Satish V Kailas

Charges:  Per Reading: IISC: INR 700, Outsiders: INR 1200

 

 

SC-4 MicroRaman Spectroscope with ‘in situ’ mechanical testing facility

Short description: MicroRaman Spectroscope with free space microscope provides a large workspace to accommodate in situ mechanical testing facilities and enables measurement of Raman Shift as the function of applied external stress.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. M.S. Bobji

Charges:  Per Hour: IISC: INR 700, Outsiders: INR 1200

Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer

FMHT-1 Pulsed Nd: YAG Laser

Short description:

This facility consists of a pulsed Nd: YAG laser, which emits laser pulses at wavelengths 532, 355, and 266 nm at a frequency of 10 Hz.

It is also coupled to a dye laser to enable specific wavelength excitation of species such as OH and NO to measure their concentrations in a combusting environment.

This facility also consists of an ICCD camera for detecting and imaging signals and a setup for drop sizing using shadowgraphy.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. R V Ravi Krishna

Charges:  Hourly: Rs.10,000 for industry/Rs. 5000 for academia

 

 

FMHT-2 Photron Mini High-speed Camera

Short description:

The FASTCAM Mini AX100 is a high-speed camera with 1024 x 1024 pixels capacity at 4,000 fps.

The 1-Megapixel CMOS Image Sensor delivers exceptional light sensitivity, image quality, and flexible region of interest (ROI) features.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Aloke Kumar

Charges:  For usage between 0-2 hrs Academia: Rs 500 and Industry: Rs 1000

 

 

FMHT- 3 Rheometer MCR 702

Short description:

The combination of two air-bearing-supported rotational drive units enables you to perform rheological measurements in Combined Motor Transducer (CMT) mode and Separate Motor Transducer (SMT) mode.

In the counter-movement mode, the rheometer employs both air-bearing-supported EC motors as drive units as well as torque transducers.

Instead of a lower rotational drive, you can insert an additional lower linear drive to perform DMA in bending or compression mode using measuring systems such as three-point bending, cantilever, or parallel plates.

Control the temperature by using high-precision temperature control units in combination and enables contact-free data transmission based on light emission and the photovoltaic effect.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Saptarshi Basu and Prof. Aloke Kumar

Charges: 1 sample – 3 runs: Rs.250/-. Slot available everyday between 2-5 pm. 1 hr is min booking time.

 

 

FMHT- 4 IRO Camera

Short description:

Model: HS IRO, Serial No. VZ14-0934

The IRO has multiple stages which enhance and intensify the input signal from the test section to measure the high-speed luminosity measurements.

The IRO (image relay optics) is one of the leading equipment necessary for any flame imaging and heat release measurement studies in the lab. The IRO is used for the highspeed low, intensity imaging where the luminosity is enhanced, which is then imaged using a highspeed camera.

The IRO is necessary to observe the flame dynamics, OH* chemiluminescence, with high fidelity measurements at very high acquisition rates, where the time scales are tiny, and a very high temporal resolution, including optical luminosity, is necessary for getting reliable measurements.

The flame shapes, contours, reaction zones, heat release data, spectral frequency, spatial modes, etc., can be measured using IRO.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Saptarshi Basu

Charges: Rs.3000/- for 8 hr. Slot available 3 days a week. 8 hr is min booking time.

 

 

FMHT- 5 KAESER Compressed air system

Short description:

Creates a continuous pressurized airflow used in various experiments by different researchers in the lab for PIV measurements, flow visualization, combustion experiments, as inlet flow for different test sections to study flow physics, shocks, flame dynamics, droplet breakup phenomenon, and vortex dynamics.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Saptarshi Basu

Charges: Rs.1000/- per day. 1day is min booking time.

 

 

FMHT- 6 5W DPSS Laser (532nm)

Short description:

Employed for visualizing both high and low-speed fluid flows using particle image velocimetry.

Faculty in-charge: B Suri

Charges: 3000 per hour for industry, 2000 per hour for academia

 

 

FMHT- 7 2D PIV system (<200fps)

Short description:

A Particle Image Velocimetry system can measure flow at low and moderate speeds. Image resolution can be varied between 1.3Mpix and 1.9MPix

Faculty in-charge: B Suri

Charges: 1000 per hour for industry, 500 per hour for academia

 

 

FMHT- 8 High speed PIV system (<1000fps)

Short description:

High-speed particle image velocimetry with imaging rates of 1000 fps at 1.3MPix using 10 micros CMOS sensor cameras. Image resolution fixed at 1.3MPix.

Faculty in-charge: B Suri

Charges: 3000 per hour for industry, 1500 per hour for academia

 

 

FMHT- 9 High precision temperature controller for viscosity measurements and temperature calibration

Short description:

Heated refrigeration circulation bath with 0.01C temperature stability. It can be used in conjunction with heat transfer fluids to accurately calibrate PT100 probes and thermistors.

Faculty in-charge: B Suri

Charges: 2000 per hour for industry, 1000 per hour for academia

 

 

FMHT- 10 Photron SA5 High-speed Camera

Short description:

Photon SA5 is a high-speed CMOS-based camera that can capture images with frame rates up to 775,000 fps.
The maximum resolution is 1024X1024 pixels for frame rates up to 7,000fps.
This is usually used for high-speed imaging, PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry), etc.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Jaywant H. Arakeri

Charges:  To be decided

 

 

FMHT- 11 2D LDV Transceiver 200 TRX and 2D PDI Receiver (PDI200MD) System

Short description:

LDV or Laser Doppler Velocimeter (Make: Artium Technologies Inc., USA) is used for real-time, non-intrusive measurement of individual particle velocity and turbulence measurement in various flow applications.

PDI or Phase Doppler Interferometer is used in tandem with the LDV to measure the particle size distribution and the instantaneous velocity data.

With the current system, 2 components of velocity and size of the particle/droplet can be measured simultaneously.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Jaywant H Arakeri

Charges:  To be decided

 

 

FMHT- 12 Low-Speed Wind Tunnel

Short description: A Closed-circuit airflow generator equipped with a motor, blower, and test section. This is ideal for heat transfer, cooling, and fluid flow experiments in the subsonic range.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Pradip Dutta

Charges:  To be decided

 

 

 
 

FMHT- 13 Thermal Imaging Camera

 

Short description: This portable unit (Make: TESTO) can measure temperature distribution up to 600 °C.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Pradip Dutta

Charges:  To be decided

 

Mechanical Testing

MT-1 Servo-hydraulic Universal Testing Machine (INSTRON 8502)

Short description:

The UTM (Capacity: 250 KN) is equipped with a state-of-art digital controller provided by BISS, along with a PC-based data acquisition system.

It can be used for performing a variety of mechanical tests like uniaxial tension, compression, low cycle fatigue, and fracture.

A custom-built imaging system with an SLR camera (8 megapixels) is used for imaging the specimen, along with the Digital Image Correlation technique to map out the deformation and strain fields.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. R Narasimhan

Charges: Static: INR 300/ sample ( Academia) and INR 1000/ sample ( Industry and others)

Fatigue/Dynamic: INR 500/ sample (Academia) and INR 1500/ sample ( Industry and others)

MT-2 Biaxial Stretcher (BISS)

Short description:

This instrument is custom-built to test soft materials in tensile mode (bi-axial) with Exlar actuators, temperature-controlled water baths, and submersible load cells.

The instrument works in both displacement and load control modes.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges: INR 1000 per hour

 

 

MT-3 Dynamic Micro tensile Analysis Instrument

Short description:

Bose Electroforce® 3200 is used to test the viscoelastic properties of polymers, hydrogels, and tissues.

Highly sensitive transducers allow the measurement of forces in the milli-Newton range and displacements in the micron range.

Video extensometer system

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges: INR 1000 per hour

 

 

 

MT-4 IC Engine

Short description:

The IC Engine helps in testing the different parameters like Engine various Performance and to measure the various Emissions under the different loadings, parameters and so on.

Faculty In-charge: Dr. R. Thirumaleswara Naik

Charges: INR 1000/ hour (Academia) and INR 2000/ hour (Industry and others)

 

 

 

MT-5 3-Axis CNC machine

Short description:

Make: Control Technics

Stroke: X-400 mm, Y-300 mm, Z-200 mm

Stepper motor for all three axes, 2.2 kW air-cooled spindle with max 18,000 rpm

Fixed column moving table structure

Location: Room 208, PE Building

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Ramsharan Rangarajan

Charges: Rs 200/hour for IISc members, Rs 500/hour for others. Does not include material costs.

 

 

MT-6 6-Axis robot

Short description:

Make: Kuka KR 10 R900-2

Max reach: 901 mm, Max payload: 11.3 kg

Repeatability: 0.02 mm, Axes: 6

Spec sheet can be found here.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Ramsharan Rangarajan

Charges: Rs 500/hour for IISc members, Rs 2500/hour for others.

 

MECHWORKS

Short description:

The Mechanical Engineering Workshop (MEW) currently houses major machine tools – manual mill, manual lathe, drill press, surface grinder, wire EDM, and bench grinders – in addition to hand tools and fixturing support.

Faculty In-charge: Koushik Viswanathan

Charges:

Code Machine Price/hour of usage
IISc Academia Industry
MEW-1 Manual Lathe (Norton Gearbox) 100 200 300
MEW-2 Manual Mill (BFW) 100 200 300
MEW-3 Manual Drill Press 100 200 300
MEW-4 Surface Grinder 200 400 600
MEW-5 Wire EDM (CNC) 500 1200 2000

 

 

 

M2D2-Biomechanics

3-D Printing

BM-1 Polyjet 3D Printer (Object 260 connex)

Short description: The Objet260 Connex is a compact multi-material 3D printer based on the inkjet 3D printing technique. This is a high-resolution multi-material 3D printer that produces the highest quality prototypes and true-product representation.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G . K. Ananthasuresh

Charges:  INR 750, per hour of printing

 

 

BM-2 Ultimaker S5 – FFF 3D Printer

Short description:

Newest large-format 3D printer with dual extrusion capability for multi-material prints

Heated bed smooths prints and allows for ABS printing.

The innovative Print Core system allows simple swapping of hot ends

Provides smooth surfaces and complex geometry

 Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges:  INR 500 per hour of printing

 

 

BM-3 High Pressure Cleaning Cabinet (Waterjet Inlet 220)

Short description:

Newest large-format 3D printer from Ultimaker with dual extrusion capability for multi-material prints

Premium materials used in construction.

Heated bed smooths prints and allows for ABS printing.

The innovative Print Core system allows simple swapping of hot ends

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges:  INR 200 per hour of usage

 

 

 

Cell and Tissue Culture Laboratory

BM-4 Cell Culture Biosafety Hood (Envair Electrodyne)

Short description:

This fume hood is used to capture and exhaust chemical fumes to ensure the safety and comfort of the operator, process, and product.

This is designed to offer a complete solution to laboratory ventilation concerns.

Integrated components including fume hoods, blowers, ducting, electrical services, plumbing options, and base cabinets combine to provide a safe, efficient fume hood system.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges: INR 200 per hour of usage

 

 

BM-5 Olympus IX71 – Motorized Inverted Microscope

Short description:

Olympus IX71 inverted fluorescence and phase contrast tissue culture microscope with left side camera port.

The modular frame and optical design provide 9 access ports for multiple input or output devices.

Up to four ports can have simultaneous access to a primary image.

This can easily accommodate multi-wavelength and advanced fluorescence techniques.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges:  INR 250 per hour of usage

 

 

BM-6 Spin Coater (Apex NGX-M1)

Short description:

The spin coating is a procedure used to apply uniform thin films to flat substrates. An excess amount of a solution is placed on the substrate, which is then rotated at high speed to spread the fluid by centrifugal force.

This is a microcontroller-based two-stage manual spin coater that provides fast and easy operation.

It can perform two-stage rotations for precise deposition of metal oxide, polymer, and metal-organic thin film.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges: INR 250 per hour

 

 

BM-7 Lyophilizer (Christ alpha 1-2 LD Plus)

Short description:

Lyophilizer freeze-drying is based on the physical phenomenon of sublimation, which means a direct transition from the solid-state to the vapor state without passing through the liquid form.

The frozen products are dried under a vacuum without thawing.

Ice condenser capacity: 2.5 kg, Condenser temperature: -55°C, Condenser performance 2 kg/24 hours

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges: INR 200 per hour

 

 

BM-8 Mechanical Convection Oven (Jeiotech OF-22)

Short description:

This is a quiet and powerful airflow for high air exchange rates and short rise times that guarantee intensive drying performance, especially for material with high moisture content.

10°C above room temperature to 250°C

It has Microprocess PID control and Auto-tuning facility.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges:  INR 250 per hour

 

 

BM-9 Spin Coater (Apex NGX-M1)

Short description:

The spin coating is a procedure used to apply uniform thin films to flat substrates. An excess amount of a solution is placed on the substrate, which is then rotated at high speed to spread the fluid by centrifugal force.

This is a microcontroller-based two-stage manual spin coater that provides fast and easy operation.

It can perform two-stage rotations for precise deposition of metal oxide, polymer, and metal-organic thin film.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges: INR 250 per hour

 

 

 

Imaging

BM-10 Life-cell inverted microscope (Leica DMI6000 B)

Short description:

The Leica DMI6000 B inverted microscope for biomedical research offers Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) for relief imaging of specimens with varying indices of refraction.

This is ideal for fluorescence, live cell, time-lapse imaging, high-speed multi-fluorescence optical sectioning, and micromanipulation.

The system features an automated contrast and illumination manager, motorized Z focus, parfocality function, automatic brightness, diaphragm adjustment, and many other automated functions that provide convenience and reproducible results.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges:  INR 1000 per hour

 

 

BM-11 Micro Manipulator Probe (MPC-285)

Short description:

Efficient multiple manipulators with control units for biological experiments

The MPC-285 is a single controller capable of running two manipulators. If two manipulators aren’t enough, a second controller can be daisy-chained to allow the single ROE-200 to move up to four manipulators. Thus, the system can be easily expanded to control highly sophisticated experiments.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K.Ananthasuresh

Charges: INR 200 per hour

 

 

 

BM-12 Motorized Microscope (Olympus IX81)

Short description:

This advanced motorized microscope provides high observation, measurement, and functional operation standards.

The custom-built inverted microscope is designed for long-term imaging of living cells and tissues.

The system is fully motorized and incorporates an environmental chamber that maintains the ideal temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels.

Imaging modes include epi-fluorescence (UV, Fitc, Rite, Cy5), brightfield, and multi-channel time-lapse acquisition.

Available lenses include 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x dry, and 60x and 100x oil.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges: INR 1000 per hour

 

 

BM-13 PCR Detection System (BIO RAD CFX96)

Short description:

The CFX96 Touch System is a powerful, precise, and flexible real-time PCR detection system.

This six-channel (five colors and one FRET channel) real-time PCR instrument combines advanced optical technology with precise temperature control to deliver sensitive, reliable detection for singleplex or multiplex reactions.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Namrata Gundiah and Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges: INR 500 per hour 

 

 

BM-14 Imaging System (BIORAD ChemiDoc MP)

Short description:

High-end imaging system for the best fluorescence and chemiluminescence detection

Sensitive detection of RGB and FR/NIR secondary antibodies with low fluorescence background

Chemiluminescence sensitivity matching X-ray film

Easy-to-use software, perfect for multi-group use, Multiplex fluorescence detection

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges: INR 500 per hour 

 

 

BM-15 Stereo Microscope (Olympus SZX16)

Short description:

The SZX16 is designed for advanced research and has a maximum numerical aperture of 0.30, producing a resolution of 900 line pairs per millimeter.

This provides a large zoom ratio of 16.4:1. With this zoom ratio combined with a series of parfocal objectives (0.5x, 1x, 1.6x, and 2x), the SZX16 can take you from macro to micro viewing.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges: INR 250 per hour

 

 

 

Other Instruments

BM-16 I.R. Lab Instruments (50 Kg Ice Flaker)

Short description:

Fully automatic microprocessor control, compact design, and low maintenance

Stainless steel construction with continuous ice flakes output

CFC free compressor with noiseless operation

Overload protection, low water level detection, and wheels for easy mobility

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges: TBD

 

 

BM-17 Peristaltic Pump (Miclins PP 10 EX and PP 20 EX)

Short description:

Available with timer and LED display for the flow rate

Auto-stop with audible alarm

Battery backup stores memory in case of power failure.

Accuracy: +/- 2%

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges: INR 100 per hour

 

 

 

BM-18 Microforge (Narishige MF 900)

Short description:

The MF-900 Microforge offers functions like cutting, bending, fire-polishing, and forming a spike for making many kinds of microtools by processing pipette tips

An easy-to-use manipulator is provided for operating the heater and pipette, and the microscope is used three-dimensionally with control close to the operator’s hand.

Separate rotation mechanisms for vertical and horizontal movement allow the pipette to be approached at any angle, while the heater section device can form it into any required shape.

As well as conventional scales, a protractor to measure angles is provided on the microscope eyepiece.

With the heater turned ON/OFF via a footswitch and the heater section integrated into the microscope body, all control actions are performed efficiently and precisely close to the operator’s hand.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges: INR 200 per hour

 

 

BM-19 Flaming Brown Micropipette Puller (Sutter Instrument Co. P-97)

Short description:

The P-97 Flaming/Brown type micropipette puller is ideal for fabricating micropipettes, patch pipettes, and microinjection needles.

The programmable microprocessor controls the pulling parameters, allowing the investigator to design application-specific pipettes from various glass compositions and sizes.

The environmental chamber surrounding the heating filament is designed to minimize the effect of changing humidity on the reproducibility of pulled pipettes.

A gas delivery mode switch provides extended cooling for large diameter and multi-barreled glass.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges: INR 200 per hour

 

 

 

BM-20 Hermle Labortechnik Z206 Zentrifugen – Centrifuge

Short description:

The Z206-A Compact Centrifuge is suitable for various applications inside both clinical and research settings.

Three angle rotor options are available, permitting use with all standard tube sizes from 0.2ml to 50ml.

A unique 6 x 5ml swing-out rotor is also available for clinical applications requiring horizontal separation within 5ml blood collection tubes.

The advanced microprocessor controls feature an ergonomic turn knob that controls all settings (time, speed, accel/decel levels, etc.).

The speed can be adjusted from 200 rpm up to a maximum speed of 6,000 rpm (corresponding to 4,427 xg) in the popular 50ml and 15ml rotors.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh and Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges: INR 100 per hour

 

 

BM-21 Thermo Scientific Herause Megafuge 16R – Centrifuge

Short description:

Perfect for clinical protocols, cell culture applications, and microplate processing

This is ideal for everyday sample processing, including clinical protocols, cell culture applications, and microplate processing.

The refrigerated version is designed for handling temperature-sensitive sample processing between -10° and +40°C.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh and Prof. Namrata Gundiah

Charges: INR 100 per hour

 

 

BM-22 DC Power Supply (Kusam Meco KM-PS-305D-II)

Short description:

Two Adjustable outputs and one 5V / 3A fixed output

The two-way regulated power supply can be randomly in series, parallel, or independently according to requirements.

These do not need an external connection, just control by a switch

Have constant voltage and constant current operation mode. C.C & C.V convert automatically

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges: INR 200 per hour

 

 

BM-23 Vacuum Oven Rectangular Vacuum (Obromax)

Short description:

Obromax is a microprocessor based double-walled hot air chamber with its rustproofing outer wall

This hot air oven: having a temperature range of 5 °C above ambient to 250 °C, provides the controlled temperature conditions through a nanowatt technology-based intelligent programmable temperature controller with 30 segment programs for various applications.

This is suitable for many applications requiring dry heat sterilization.

Faculty In-charge: Prof. G. K. Ananthasuresh

Charges: INR 100 per hour