Nagpur: Never in their dreams did these children think that they will witness the manufacturing of
Pinaka multiple rocket launcher which was successful in neutralizing enemy positions during the Kargil War. Wednesday was one such lucky day for the members of Nagpur For Kids (NFK) Club, which they spent inside the Ordnance Factory, Ambajhari (OFAJ).
The 15 kids learnt how artillery shells or ammunition and rockets are manufactured and supplied from this factory.
The visit started with a brief introduction of the factory given by assistant works manager of OFA, Bhanupriya Meena, who played a perfect host throughout the industrial tour.
The visit started with the shell forging section where the club members saw how huge blocks of iron are put into furnace to get the desired shapes. The next halt was at the shell manufacturing section where OFA works manager Pankaj Agrawal showed children the nub-welding process and how the shells are further processed. The children showed great interest in knowing how automated machines are preprogrammed to fix nubs in the outer covering. “As a shell weighs around 32 kg, it is impossible to lift it manually and hence loaders are used,” Agrawal told kids.
After this, the kids were taken to the extrusion shop where metal alloys are cut into different shapes and sizes as per the requirement. OFA’s junior works manager
Nandkishor Gomkale explained the extrusion process to the kids and also took them inside the extrusion press control room.
Then came the most-awaited part of the visit – the rocket station where kids saw Pinaka rockets and learnt about its technical characteristics. “When any ammunition is fired, it has fragments which act like bullets after explosion. In Pinaka rockets, we use pre-fragmented technology of tungsten balls wherein every ball acts like a bullet,” said junior works manager Hemant Warkad. The best part was when he showed the rotation of an empty Pinaka rocket at the velocity of around 600 RPM.
At the end of the visit, OFA’s general manager Saurabh Kumar and additional general manager
Tanzin Wangyal interacted with the kids and asked them about their experience. “Though my father works in Ordnance Factory, I could never see it from inside till now. I am thankful to NFK as it fulfilled my long-time wish of seeing the manufacturing of ammunitions,” said 16-year-old Aniket Marathey.