POF Metallurgical Laboratory explained

POF Metallurgical Laboratory
City:	Wah in Punjab
Country:	Pakistan
Operating Agency:	Pakistan Ordnance Factories
Website:	https://www.pmt-labs.com.pk/

The POF Metallurgical Laboratory (also known as "ML") is a research and development laboratory located near the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) in Wah Cantonment, Punjab, Pakistan.^[1] It's a part of POF Materials Testing Laboratories (PMTL Labs).^[2]

Established in 1972 to study non-ferrous metals, it played an important role during the development of Pakistan's clandestine nuclear weapons program.^{[3] [4]} It's activities include research into non-ferrous and ferrous metals, materials science as well as testing, accreditation and quality assurance.^[5]

History

The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) used the Metallurgical Laboratory in 1972 to conduct basic research into the chemistry and physical metallurgy of non-ferrous metals. Dr. Khalil Qureshi played a pioneering role as the lab's principal investigator.^{[6] [7]}

The lab also undertook classified studies, as codename: Wah Group Scientists, in designing and developing the non-nuclear physical components and performing metallurgy testing of explosives to be used in nuclear devices under Dr. Zaman Sheikh, a physical chemist.^[8] The importance of its work in materials science and understanding the chemistry and metallurgy of plutonium evolved in the Metallurgical Laboratory into a critical laboratory, similar to the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology.^[7] Due to the sensitivity of the projects and security concerns of scientists at the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), the program was definitely moved to KRL in the 1980s.

Current Role

These days POF Metallurgical Laboratory offers a variety of material testing services, including:^[9]

• Metallographic testing: This examines the microstructure of metals and alloys to understand their properties and behavior.
• Chemical analysis: This determines the elemental composition of a material.
• Mechanical testing: This evaluates the mechanical properties of a material, such as its strength, ductility, and hardness.
• Testing for ferrous and non-ferrous materials: ML can test both iron-based (ferrous) and non-iron-based (non-ferrous) metals and alloys.

Accreditations

The lab is accredited by various accreditation bodies including PNAC^[10] and ISO 14001:2004 by TUV Austria Bureau.

Customers

Following industries utilize the services of ML:

• Automobile industry
• Research Institute
• Oil and gas Industries
• Defense production
• Manufacturing units
• Research & Development
• Steel industries

Further reading

• Rehman, Shahid-Ur (1999). Long Road to Chagai. Islamabad, Pakistan: Shahid-ur-Rehman. p. 157.
• Khan, Feroz (2012). Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb. Stanford University Press. p. 552. Retrieved 3 February 2024.

Notes and References

1. Web site: LABORATORIES IN PAKISTAN . 2 February 2024.
2. Web site: :..PMT LABS..: . 2024-04-01 . www.pmt-labs.com.pk.
3. Web site: Brochure PMT labs . pmt-labs.com.pk.
4. Book: Khan, Feroz Hassan. Eating grass the making of the atomic bomb. 2012. Stanford Security Studies, an imprint of Stanford University Press. Stanford, California. 978-0804784801.
5. Web site: Director of Metallurgical Lab. Scope of Metallurgical Laboratory. Director of Metallurgical Lab. 27 August 2013.
6. Rehman, Shahidur (1999) [1999], "§5 The Group at Wah", Long Road to Chagai (1 ed.), Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory: Printwise Publications, pp. 75–89
7. [Samar Mubarakmand|Mubarakmand, Samar]
8. Nayak, Pandav, Pakistan, Dilemmas of a Developing State, 1985, Aalekh Publishers, p. 252
9. Web site: Farid Ullah Khan and Amin Ur Rahman. An Overview. https://web.archive.org/web/20131216044706/http://mrl.upesh.edu.pk/Files/jpms5/8.pdf. dead. 16 December 2013. Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC). 27 August 2013.
10. Web site: Testing and Calibration Laboratories . 2024-04-01 . www.pnac.gov.pk.