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Technical Fields
Metallurgy

Metallurgy Patents Team

 

Our metallurgy team of patent analysts and attorneys has experience and technical expertise in handling cases in the metallurgic field, involving various disciplines such as:

 

  • Extraction of metals; Metal production;

  • Shaping of metals;

  • Metallurgic processes such as melting; soldering welding

  • Making of various types f alloys like ferrous alloys, alloys containing radioactive elements, alloys containing metals and nonmetals etc.;

  • Methods for metal finishing;

  • Chemical and diffusion treatment;

  • Electrolysis;

  • Crystal Growth.

  • Other manufacturing technologies (metal casting, metal forming , powder metallurgy etc.)

 

Our team comprising of patent agents and engineers have gained reputation and experience which is reflected in their quality drafting skills and analytic capabilities, essential to cater our clients. Metallurgy is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to the production of metals, and the engineering of metal components for use in products for consumers and manufacturers

 

Overview of the technology

 

Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys.

 

Relevant Provisions

 

The basic criteria for patentability of the invention in this field remain the same. However, certain provisions like section 3(c) and 3 (e) of the Indian Patents Act, 1970 prohibits certain subject matter from patentability. 

 

Section 3(c) states that “the mere discovery of a scientific principle or the formulation of an abstract theory or discovery of any living thing or non-living substances occurring in nature” is not patentable.

 

For example, a known material like Magnisium (Mg) is found to have a hitherto unknown property is a discovery and not an invention. But if the discovery leads to the conclusion that the material can be used for making a particular article or in a particular process, then the article or process could be considered to be an invention.

 

Similarly, section 3(e) states that “A substance obtained by a mere admixture resulting only in the aggregation of the properties of the components thereof or a process for producing such substance” is not patentable i.e. a mere aggregation of features must be distinguishable from a combination invention.

 

 

Current Scenario in India

 

Metallurgy is an emerging field and India is yet to see bulky patent activity in the field. However, lately patent filing in in relation to metallurgic invention have been on an increase.  A total number of 357 patents were filed in 2012 in the field of metallurgy, with 70% of the patents in the field of metal production and shaping metal technologies.

 

Top Indian metallurgic patent holders and assignees in India include the following companies:

 

  • TATA Steel Ltd.

  • Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited

  • Steel Authority of India

  • Council of Scientific & Industrial Research India

  • Larsen & Toubro

  • Aditya Birla Sci & Technology Ltd

  • Indian Institute of Technology.

 

 

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