Quality Control Centre is a component of PSQCA. Before the formation of PSQCA, the Quality Control Centre (QCC) was known as Central Testing Laboratories (CTL).
Realising the importance for assessment of quality and grade of industrial raw materials and finished products, Central Testing Laboratories were established in 1951 on the recommendation of the first Pakistan Industries Conference held in 1949 to promote growth of Industries on Scientific lines as a counter-part of the Alipur Government Test House Calcutta, India.
A Regional office of Central testing labs was also established in 1959 at Lahore to meet the regional requirements.
With a few exception almost all the Divisions and Department of Federal Government, Provincial Government, Semi-Government, Local Authorities, Public Institutions as well as a number of private entrepreneurs are being benefited from the services of these laboratories, Department of Printing and Stationery, Export Promotion Bureaus, Excise & Land Customs, WPADA, PIA, Trading Corporation of Pakistan, Standards Development Centre (Formerly PSI), Army Stores are the common beneficiaries.
These laboratories, charge a nominal testing fee for their services.
-- Technical & Non- Technical Staff
-- Staff at QCC, Karachi - 100
-- Staff at QCC, Lahore- 44
-- The Head office and main laboratories of this centre are located at Karachi with a branch Office at Lahore and a Liaison Office at Peshawar.
-- Different Sections of the Quality Control Centre
-- Both the Quality Control Centre Karachi & Lahore have the following Sections
1. Chemical
2. Microbiological
3. Physical & Engineering
4. Electrical
5. Building Materials
6. Textile
CHEMICAL SECTION:
The chemical section carries out testing of products such as, Ferrous & Non-ferrous materials, Alloys, Cement, Sand, refractoriness, Minerals & rocks, Ores, Fertilisers, Animal Feeds, Vegetable Oils, Butter, Paper, Paper Board, Bitumen's, Ghee, Dairy products, biscuits, grains & Cereals, Water, Paints, Toilet Soaps, Washing Soaps, Detergents, Petroleum Oils & Lubricants, Sugar, Fats, Stationery Items, Coal, Coal tar, Leather. etc.
MICROBILOGICAL SECTION:
Before the formation of PSQCA there was no Microbiological Section in the formerly Central Testing Laboratories. Two years back the testing of some items like beverages, Mineral water, Bottled drinking water etc were made compulsory under the Compuslory Certification Marks Scheme. These labs had to send the afore mentioned items to some other labs for microbiological testing. Recently a Microbiological Section has been established in Quality Control Centre from our own resources. The Microbiological testing of Mineral water and beverages is carried out in these labs.
PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING:
This section has testing facilities for the items such as, Non-Pressure/Pressure Oil Stoves, Petromax, Compressor Reservoir Tank, PVC Pipe for portable water, PVC water stop, Rubber Sheet upto 3mm, transmission/Conveyor belts, Paper, Chain, Shackles, Structural Steel, Aluminium rods and Other non-ferrous metals, timber, Pressure gauges, Hardboard, Hydraulic jack, Nut and Bolts, Pencil and Ball points, Safety Razor Blades, Disposable razors, Swing Machine Parts.
ELECTRICAL SECTION:
This section has testing facilities for the items such as Electric Fans (Ceiling, Pedestal and bracket), Incandescent Lamps, Fluorescent lamps, Electric Switches, Sockets and Plugs, ballast, Electric Cables, Enamel Wire, copper conductors, Electrical Insulation material, Electric Iron, Insulators, Line & Pin Insulators, Electrical heater, Water Heater, Transformer Oils, Lead Storage Battery.
BUILDING MATERIALS SECTION:
This section has testing facilities for the tests such as Crushing Strength, compressive Strength, Molduls of Fitness, Loss-Angles Abrasion, Chatler's, initial Setting time, Final Setting time, Grading tests-Sieve Analysis, Density, Curing test, Ordinary Portland/Blast furnace slag/Sulphate Resistant/While Cement, Sand Aggregate, C.C. block/Cylinder/Cubes and Clay Brick, R.C.C Pipe.
TEXTILE SECTION:
This section has testing facilities for the tests such as staple length of Fibres, Tensile Strength of Fibre, Linear density of Yarn (Count), Single yarn and Lea Breaking Strength, R.K.M. of yarn, Threads per inch in Fabric (Density), Breaking-Bursting & tearing Strength, Colour Fastness, Flame resistance tests, Wool grade, Moisture content, Identification of Fibre, Twist in yarn and Cords, Yarn evenness and imperfections, Crimps in yarn, Count of Yarn in Fabric, Fibre Composition, Water Proofing tests, Air permeability, Percentage of extractable materials in Fabrics.
Revenue Earnings of OCC Karachi/Lahore (formerly CTL).
The record of revenue earnings and number of samples tested during the last five years is given in the table A.
THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED
1. Standardisation & Quality Control.
2. Modernisation of CTL, Karachi/Lahore.
-- Standardisation & Quality Control
-- Cost of the Project - 7.6 million
-- Funded by: UNIDO
-- Duration: 1980-84
-- Equipment Purchased.
1. Atomic absorption Spectrophotometer
2. Gas chromatograph
3. High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC)
4. UV Visible spectrophotometer
5. Infra Red Spectrophotometer
Under the above projects some staff members received foreign trainings.
-- Modernisation of CTL Karachi/Lahore.
-- Cost of the Project - 63.641 million
-- Funded by: UNIDO
-- Duration: 1990 -1995
Under this project a portion of the Laboratory was renovated and some Instruments were purchased for CTL, Karachi & Lahore.
THE LISTS OF INSTRUMENTS PURCHASED FOR KARACHI & LAHORE ARE AS UNDER:
KARACHI:
1. Spectrolab - M5 (An Emission. Spectrophotometer)
2. Hydraulic Dynamometer
3. Electronic Calibrator
4. Digital Multimeter
LAHORE:
1. Spectrolab - M5 (An Emission Spectrophotometer)
2. Schenck Dynamic Balancing Machine (Capacity 13 tons)
3. Pipe Crushing Machine (upto 8 ft dia)
NEW PROJECTS
THE NEW PROJECTS ARE AS UNDER:
1. Strengthening of testing facilities in CTL (QCC) in PSQCA Karachi.
- Cost of the Project - 39 million
-- Funded by: Government of Pakistan
-- Duration: Two Years.
2. Balancing & Modernisation of testing facilities at QCC Lahore.
-- Cost of the Project: 39.6 million
-- Funded by: Government of Pakistan
-- Duration: Two Years
These above two projects have already been approved by DDWP. The funds to the tune of Rs 20 million have already been released for the financial year 2004-2005 for the project at Karachi & Rs 18 million for the project at Lahore. Some latest scientific equipment have already been received and a few are expected to be received shortly. The Purchase of new equipment will create more testing facilities in the QCC and thus help in the improvement of quality of Industrial products.
TABLE A:
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Years KARACHI LAHORE TOTAL
No of Revenue No of Revenue No of Revenue
Samples Earned Samples Earned Samples Earned
Tested Tested Tested -
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2000 - 2001 897 744,220 8767 2,836,866 9,664 3,581,086
2001 - 2002 1186 2,120,350 6274 5,156,150 7,460 7,276,500
2002 - 2003 1205 2,038,420 4387 4,838,700 5,592 6,877,120
2003 - 2004 1274 2,271,150 4386 4,352,500 5,660 6,623,650
2004 - 2005 1286 2,223,200 5010 4,659,450 6,296 6,882,650
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