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| Sunday, 6 March 2005 |
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Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Inventor seeks help to go for commercial production by Gamini Warushamana
S. C. R. Perera, a mechanical engineer is the sole proprietor of Alpha Electronics. He passed out from the University of Moratuwa in 1997 and instead of looking for a government job was engaged in several private sector projects and in 1999 started his own business despite many difficulties."The total automation solution provider", the phrase after his company's name shows his desire rather than what the company is doing today. A range of new products has been invented and produced on a small scale by him during the last five years. Many of them are used for various industries from large production lines to small rural industries. Two of them are novel products with patent rights. The other products are cheaper than those imported substitutes. CPM 01 or Computerised Production Controlling System is one novel product. It is a real time production controlling system that can be used to increase the productivity of production industries, especially in line production. It is used to measure individual labour and machine performance. A key pad for each employee in the production line feeds production data to a computer. This keypad can transfer data in both directions and 4,096 keypads can be connected to one computer. The data can be used by the production manager to increase productivity and for detailed analysis. It is a raw product and needs more improvement to compete with similar imported products. To get a good finish the casing of the key pad should be made using an injection moulding system. Perera assured that around 10,000 units of this product can be sold in the local market and with better finish it can be exported as well. A similar imported controlling system cost around Rs. 50,000. However, CPM 01 is sold at Rs. 15,000 by Alpha Electronics. The Train Detector is the other product that Perera holds patent rights. A tragic train accident at a railway crossing some years ago inspired him to invent this device. It can identify a moving train several kilometres away. The device was designed to be installed in vehicles to identify trains when it reaches railway crossings. But now it has been developed to be used at railway crossings as well as railway signals. Perera said that this technology can be used to control railway operations. The Coir Dust Moisture Meter is another product of Perera's that is mostly used by small and medium scale coir industries. This is one of his products which has a high demand in the local market. He sold this device at Rs. 8,900 while the imported product cost Rs. 55,000. The Wood Moisture Meter is designed for the wood industry. The Food Moisture Meter used in tea and food industries are the other devices with similar technology which are produced and marketed by Alpha Electronics. Perera also invented the Infra Red Fire Sensor, a fire alarm system. He has developed another device to automatically switch on and off the street lights using the same technology. Water Pump Controller is another device that automatically switches off water pumps according to the water level in the tank. The build up Temperature Controlling Unit controls the air-condition systems automatically. This device alters the AC systems according to the number of persons in a room. Perera said that this device can be used in hotels to save energy. Perera has a wide knowledge in electronics, computer hardware and software. Most of his products are electronic devices applied in mechanical engineering. These systems are computerised and the software part is also available. All Perera's innovations and products have a potential market in the industrial sectors as well as households. His problem is producing them at commercial level and needs financial support. He does not have properties to mortgage for bank loans. He still lives in a rented house. His personal life is similar to most well-known scientists. He spends time and money on his research and creates difficulties for his family. His talents have been recognised by foreigners and today he has received an attractive offer from a foreign company. Perera's desire is to do something for his motherland. He is seeking help from a financial institution or local investor to cooperate with him to overcome his problems and start production at commercial level. |
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