Welcome To National Test House

R & D Services on Test Engineering :

In pursuance of the directives of the Deptt. of Supply vide letter No. J-11011/11/97-NTH dt. 10.08.99, the paper on R & D Services of NTH has been prepared for consideration of the Department.

NTH, is a premier scientific institution rendering test and evaluation services for the past eight decades and accumulated a wealth of experimental data on test and evaluation of multidisciplinary materials and products. Importance of test and evaluation has increased manifold. The recent past because of rapid industriliasation, competitiveness and globalisation of product. This has resulted in setting up of a number of test laboratories in public and private sector and also inhouse test facility in industries and users' organisation. The time is appropriate for NTH to provide research and development service in the field of test engineering to disseminent the wealth of experience gained for the benefit of industry and trade.

The R & D in a test laboratory could be categorized under infrastructure development (test set up), development of jigs and fixtures for testing, preparation of test specimen, automation and optimization of test method. NTH aims to improve productivity though its R & D services, value addition to the product through characterisation and optimisation and automation of the test method for providing test and evaluation service at minimum cost and time. NTH will have about 40 (Joint Director level) senior scientists in a period of coming three years who have gained long experience during there service in NTH laboratory and their expertise could be utilised for the purpose.

02. Introduction :

NTH is the largest multi-regional and multidisciplinary industrial testing laboratory in India. NTH scientists possess indepth knowledge and experience in testing, standards formulation and industrial quality assurance. The industries and trade are extensively using this unique infrastructure and expertise of NTH for the last 87 years. This gives NTH a pioneering status in industrial quality testing in India. Industries and trade in the country are in need for an organisation having countrywide network, infrastructure, time tested competence who can provide R & D in the field of test engineering.

NTH covers the following technological areas - chemical technology, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, non-destructive testing, rubber, plastics and textile technology. The scientists and technologists of these labs. shall provide R & D service on test engineering in these areas of technology.

03. R & D Services :

01. Customer can use NTH facilities (equipment, machinery and infrastructure)for development/ improvement of product before or after submission of the product for testing. This service shall not be linked with testing and evaluation of the same materials and products of the same customer at NTH. In this type of service the equipment/machinery of NTH will be handled by NTH scientists as required by the customer in their presence.

02. Customer may approach NTH to undertake improvement/modification of the product by NTH scientists in which representative of customer will not be involved. NTH will undertake this type of development work as a project and hand over the end result to the customer.

03. To undertake development of test method as a project as per national/international standards from standardisation authorities or as per the requirement of the customer.

04. To undertake development projects in the field of Test and measurement from Govt./Semi. Govt./Public Sector Undertaking /Private Bodies and Agencies like UNDP, UNIDO, World Bank, Asian Development Bank etc.

05. To modify/update the permissible limits prescribed in the standards based on the test results obtained in carrying out such experiments.

06. To assist industries and institutions in setting up infrastructure related to test facilities as given in standards, development service for preparation of test specimen for testing and also development of jigs and fixtures for conducting test.

07. To undertake characterisation of indigenous products with reference to imported one and issue product data report.

08. Failure analysis of engineering material, test design deficiency and impact of environment leading to failure.

09. Development of radiographic test methods and grading of radiographic defect levels as per specifications to reduce the defect in the product.

10 Residual life assessment based on Test and Evaluation.

04. Methodology :

The R & D service in NTH will be provided on a project mode through the collaboration and partnership with the industry/ participating institutions. A customer shall approach Director of Regional NTH for R & D service. Officers at the Facilitation Center shall advice the customer to write to the Director after it is considered as a R & D Service. Director shall nominate an officer of the level of Joint Director (Team leader) who will progress the project. The customer should write to NTH about the R&D service required which will be examined by the team leader who will prepare the feasibility report in consultation with scientists of his own discipline or scientists from other disciplines. The feasibility report shall deal with (a) the layout of the project indicating the executing labs. (b) materials/consumables required for the project (c) implementation location (d) transforming customers requirement into technical specification along with verifiable indicators (e) tentative time frame of the project (f) performance measurement and monitoring schedule (g) provision for midway cancellation. No fee will be charged for the preparation of the feasibility study report. However, customer may have to pay TA/DA as per rules in case NTH scientists are required to visit any site at outstation.

The client shall accept the feasibility report and confirm about suitability of the technical specification and deposit an initial sum of Rs.10,000 or 10% of the calculated fee whichever is more for starting the project. Technical specification once finalised shall not be changed in general. In case a customer wants change in the technical specn. during progress of the project, any additional expenditure for such deviation from original is to be borne by the customer. The team leader shall obtain the approval of the project feasibility report along with confirmation of the customer from the Director NTH region and start work on the project.

05. Equipment & Manpower :

It is necessary that equipment, machinery, laboratory facilities and manpower are required for a development project. Laboratory facilities and equipment available at NTH shall be used. However, small equipment and facilities costing less than Rs.10,000/- could be procured by the executing laboratory from NTH fund after obtaining approval of the team leader and the Director. Equipment purchased will be an asset of the laboratory. Special equipment/machinery service not available in NTH but available in other laboratory/organisation could be used on hire terms. Cost involved for such purpose will be charged from the customer. Development project will be handled by Senior Scientists (SD/SC) and get the job done in NTH labs. like inter-laboratory samples. It will not be viable to identify separate manpower for such project work.

In case there is need for technology specialised manpower which are not available in NTH could be taken on loan/contract basis from available organisation and cost involved for such purpose shall be included in the project and the cost shall be borne by the customer.

06. Cost & Price :

The expenditure involved for implementing the project shall be met from the appropriate Head of Accounts of the regional NTH. The expenditure towards raw materials, fabrication job and getting job done through sub-contractor shall be funded from the budget of the lab. Amount involved for such expenditure would depend on the nature of the project. The project cost could be revised in exceptional cases if it is found that the project expenditure exceeds the amount charged from the client as development fee.

The Govt. may allot Rs.10 lacs for R & D project in four NTH regions for the first year (2000-2001) and the fund required in the subsequent years could be projected based on requirement. An amount of Rs.5 lacs from the current plan budget will be earmarked for procurement of different stores which are essentially required for execution of the project. As such, the additional amount required for execution of the project will be deposited by the client as developmental charge under the major head "1425" - other scientific research - "NTH". In case project cost is so high that it may not be possible to manage with the funds available in R&D (Plan), a separate proposal for additional fund is to be put up to the Department of Consumer Affairs for sanction.

The team leader while preparing the feasibility report shall calculate the fee to be paid by the client based on man hour requirement, overhead expenditure, inter lab, testing charge, cost of raw materials, fabrication, sub-contracting job, and office expenses including TA/DA. A format for estimation of project cost is given in Annexure "A". The team leader shall submit the feasibility report for approval to the Director, NTH region. The work will start with an initial deposit of Rs.10,000 or 10% of the project cost whichever is more and 40% of the total project cost is to be deposited on or before the completion of half of the project time schedule, verifiable indicators as given in feasibility report. Next 40% of the cost is to be paid at the time of demonstration of the progress of the project to the customer and the balance 10% at the close of the project. In case project cost for a particular project is Rs.10,000/- or less, the full amount to be deposited in advance. Financial terms of the project shall be approved by the Director, NTH region for projects costing less than Rs.1.00 lac. For project involving higher cost shall be submitted to NTH, HQs for approval.

07. Performance Evaluation & Monitoring :

The team leader shall keep Director informed about the progress of work and it should be linked with the verifiable indicators in the technical specn. Director should monitor the progress at regular intervals and the customer should be informed about the progress at the stages as indicated in the feasibility report. In case the client does not deposit the required fee as per schedule the project will be closed at that stage and the amount deposited in advance stands forfeited. In case NTH fails to progress the project as per time schedule and/or is unable to meet the verifiable indicators in the technical specn. the charge deposited by the customer shall be refunded after deduction of the amount of expenditure already incurred for procurement of stores for the project. In case NTH fails to complete development work it would be a loss for NTH in terms of use of manpower and infrastructure.

8. Programe of Implementation :

As this is a new type of activity, it will take some time for scientists to absorb the concept and may find many difficulties in its implementation. It is proposed that four NTH regional labs at ER, WR, SR, NR may initiate two projects from the financial year 2000-2001. During the last quarters of the current financial year Directors shall discuss with senior scientists and probable customers about the scheme. Initially it may be difficult to get a customer for R & D services in test engineering. The cost involved for implementation of the projects during the first year shall be met from the budget allotted to the lab. An amount of Rs.10 lacs will be projected in the Annual Plan for 2000-2001 for progress of R & D projects. One or two projects will enthuse the senior scientists to demonstrate this as their achievement and also the customers should be encouraged to avail R&D service for their test engineering activities.

09. Confidentiality :

No employee of the NTH whether concerned or not with the development project shall pass on any information regarding progress of the project to the client or any other organisation/individual. The team leader can brief the client regarding progress of the project during its appraisal and monitoring. Information related to this project shall not be revealed to any other agency. Technical achievement of the development project could be published only on receipt of written permission of the Director, NTH and the client.

10. Documentation :

After completion of the development the project as stipulated in the feasibility report and modified from time to time shall be demonstrated to the customer and the test result/measurement data along with end product if any on the development project shall be handed over to the client. The detailed history of the project and the result achieved shall be computerised for future reference. Result of any development project is the property of the client which cannot be transferred to any other client without the permission of the original client.

11. Closure of The Project :

After completion of the developmental work the project shall be finally closed with the issue of final report duly approved by the Director, NTH region. The final report shall contain in brief - the project, the technical specification, results achieved and the views of team leader in implementation of such project. A copy of the closure report could be given to the client. The summary of Income and Expenditure statement duly approved by the Director, NTH region and a copy of the final report could be kept as official record for examination by the competent authority.