Dr. Babu Padmanabhan is an Entrepreneur and Researcher with the mission to make breakthroughs in the field of Polymer Science.

He founded STEER in 1993 which specializes in Twin-Screw Extruders (TSE) and TSE components. In a short span of just over a decade, STEER and BABU are synonymous in the area of Twin-Screw Elements & Extrusion Technology.

He has done PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA.

He has presented several papers relevant to the polymer industry in the area of processing section components.

He is also active in social service and feels the need to contribute to Human Development.

Dr. Babu plays several roles in the ever-expanding organization, STEER.

• Founder & Managing Director: STEER Engineering Private Limited.
• Chairman: STEER JAPAN CORPORATION
• Principal Consultant : STEER CONSULTANCY SERVICES
• Managing Director : STEER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES PVT LTD
• Chairman : STEER AMERICA INC.
• Chairman : STEER CHINA CORPORATION

• Doctoral Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA. (Jan 89-Sep 92
• Post Graduate in Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA. (Aug 87-Dec 88)
• Graduated in Production Engineering, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, India (Aug 83-May 87)

• Manufacture of segmented, fully wiping, co-rotating twin-screw extruder elements such as screws and kneading blocks used in Engineering Plastics Compounding.2
• Manufacturer of Heart Valve Frames for TTK Pharma Ltd, developed by Sri Chitra Thirunal Institute, TVM
• Manufactured Gas turbine wheel gauges in collaboration with NTTFIL, Bangalore for BHEL, Hyderabad. Samples tested and accepted???
• Consultant to NTTF, Bangalore for the design and manufacture (CNC Part program development) of various tools including a deep drawing tool for colour TV Monitor Mask manufacture for SAMTEL
• Worked on a new type of device to perform vibration control in “Space Station Freedom” and its potential use as a manipulator or a positioning device for NASA, Langley.

1. Padmanabhan B., Tidwell P.H., Salerno R.J., and Reinholtz C.F.; VGT-Based Gimbals: Practical Construction and General Theory”,  Proceedings of the 1992 ASME Mechanisms Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
2. Arun V., Padmanabhan B., Kolady K.V., and Reinholtz C.F.; “Determination of the workspace of the 3-DOF Double-Octahedral” Variable-Geometry-Truss Manipulators”, Proceedings of the 1992 ASME Mechanisms Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
3. Padmanabhan B., Arun V., and Reinholtz C.F.; “Closed-form Inverse Kinematic Analysis of Variable-Geometry-Truss Manipulators”, Journal of Mechanical Design, Transactions of the ASME, Vol. 114, pp. 438-443, Sep 1992.
4. Padmanabhan B. and Reinholtz C.F.; “Design of a Robotic Manipulator using ”Variable-Geometry-Trusses  as Joints”, Paper 89AMR-8C-7 (6 pages), Proceedings of the 1st National Applied Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, Cincinnati, OH, 1989.
5. Dhande S.G., Padmanabhan B., Reinholtz C.F., and Voruganti R.S.; “Computer Aided Design and Manufacture of Approximate Ruled Surfaces”,  Second International Conference on Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, May 1990.
6. Padmanabhan, B.;”Understanding the Role of Computers in Tooling the Plastic Industry”, National Seminar on ‘Emerging Technologies of Plastics’, CIPET, Madras, Feb. 92.
7. Padmanabhan, B., Bakshi, P., Nandakumar N., “Effect of elements geometry in the Processing of highly filled materials in high-speed deep-flighted twin-screw extruders”, SPE Conference - ANTEC 2005.
8. Englich, S., Shanthakumar G. C., Padmanabhan, B., “Screw Element Characterization an in-line LFT-D Process”, SPE Conference – ANTEC 2007.

1. “Fractional and Higher Lobed Co-rotating Twin-Screw Elements” US 6783270 B1, Aug 31, 2004
2. “Super Treated Twin-Screw Elements” 669/MAS/1999 Indian Patent Application
3. Twin-screw Intake Elements for an Extruder System” PCT/IB2006/001845, Nov 2006

• VGT’s – A New Concept for Manipulator Joints, III prize winning entry in the ASME Mechanisms Design Contest, Graduate Division, Orlando, Sep 1988.
• Free Trip to Cancun, Mexico, having been one of the top student dealers from Virginia Tech, awarded by the South Western Company.
• Proficiency award as the top undergraduate student