Role of CMT (Chemical & Metallurgical) lab

Introduction

The Chemical and Metallurgical Department of Indian

Railway is as old as the Indian Railways itself. With the
change in technology, Steam locomotives were gradually
phased out and the Diesel era became predominant.
Electric traction also started in parallel, playing an
important role in the Railway mode of transportation. In
the changed scenario, the role of Chemical and
Metallurgical laboratories became very vital because
they have to deal with new technology and large varieties
of materials, metals and non-metals being used in
manufacturing and maintenance of Electric and Diesel
locomotives, coaches, wagons and railway track items.

In all railway workshops, Diesel sheds, and

Manufacturing units, the field laboratories are working
round the clock where the condition of incoming Rolling
stocks in respect of various types of materials, lubricants
and coolants are checked for their suitability and
maintaining the required Physico- Chemical properties to
assess the health of rolling stocks. In Sheds and POH
workshops, the C&M officers and Supervisors are
required to examine thousands of critical components by
DPT (Dye-Penetrant test), MPT (Magnetic Particle test),
UST (Ultrasonic testing) and other NDT techniques to
ensure that the components those having surface and sub-
surface cracks (developed during production of new
components as well as in service) are identified,
segregated and withdrawn from service. The process
control is also exercised by C&M laboratories on various
metal working operations such as cold and hot working,
heat treatment, phosphating, electroplating shot blasting,
corrosion repair, welding, machining, painting etc.,
alternative engineering materials like FRPs, plastics and
rubbers etc. are also being examined by these labs.
100% axles of goods and passenger trains are subjected
for Periodic Ultrasonic examination. The flawed axles, if
continued in service would have resulted serious
accidents and derailments of trains those may cause huge
loss of Railway revenue & property, disruption of traffic
and most important life of innocent passengers & crew.
 The detailed chemical and metallurgical investigation of
components involved in accidents and failures of goods
and passenger trains during service suggests not only the
cause of failure but the remedial corrective & preventive
measures to be taken, in terms of modifying
specifications, drawings, manufacturing procedures &
maintenance practices. The fact is that C&M cadre is the
backbone to the other technical cadres particularly
mechanical, electrical and civil and it provides very
strong technical support to production, repair and
maintenance of coaches, wagons, locos and track items.
The metallurgical and chemical technologies in Zonal
Railways and production Units are indispensable on
quality and reliability of Rail Transport System. The
officers and staffs of Chemical and Metallurgical
disciplines are huge responsibilities for maintaining
safety and reliability of trains.

Organisation and Responsibilities

Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) is

an ISO 9001 research and development organization under
the Ministry of Railways of India, which functions as a
technical adviser and consultant to the Railway Board, the
Zonal Railways, the Railway Production Units, RITES
and IRCON International in respect of design and
standardization of railway equipment and problems related
to railway construction, operation and maintenance.

RDSO (Metallurgical & chemical) Directorate

Executive Director (M&C)
Additional Executive Director (M&C)
Dy. Director (M&C)
ARO (Assistant Research officer)
Metallurgical supervisors / Chemical Supervisors

Metallurgical and Chemical (M&C) Directorate

(RDSO)
It functions as premier R&D establishment for
conducting research, evaluation, testing and
standardization on materials (metals, alloys, paints, fuels,
lubricants, rubber, plastics composites, welding
consumables etc.) with the objective of employing the
most efficient, cost effective and reliable material on
Indian Railways. It functions as a consultant to Railway
Board, Design establishments, Zonal Railways and
Production Units in the areas of materials selection, up
gradation, testing, indigenization, welding technology,
foundry technology, and investigation into failures of
components in service. Besides, it also imparts training
to Railway personnel in the field of Non-Destructive
Testing, Welding Technology, Corrosion Prevention and
failure analysis to equip them with the latest
development.

M&C Directorate, is broadly divided into two disciplines

i.e. Metallurgical and Chemical and it is equipped with
state of art equipments e.g. Scanning Electron
Microscope, Vacuum emission spectrometer, fatigue and
fracture mechanics test system, ultrasonic equipment, X-
Ray machine, Universal Testing Machine complete test
set up for evaluation of almost all the Rly materials.
Major laboratories of M&C Directorate are Metallurgical
Investigation, Non-Destructive Testing, Paint &
Corrosion Engineering, Rubber & Polymer, Welding,
Tribology, Fuels & Lubricants, Composite Development
Center, Metallurgical Technology Development, Fatigue
and Fracture Mechanics.
Role & main activities of M&C directorate:

• The Directorate renders advisory services on

Metallurgical & Chemical aspects in
Standardization & R&D activities to the design
directorates of RDSO.

• Undertakes R&D Projects in the field of Metallurgy,

Non-destructive testing, Corrosion Engineering,
Welding research, Polymer technology, Oil
Lubricants and Tribology.

• Metallurgical investigation of failed components,

received from Zonal railways.

• Imparting regular & refresher training on Ultra-

sonic testing of rolling stock axles and rails for
PWIs & M&C Supervisors of Zonal Railways.

• Testing & Evaluation of Materials, related to R&D

Projects, received from Design directorates.

• Framing & review of specifications on Paints,

Welding consumables, Rubber & other polymeric
materials, USFDs including code of procedures on
UST.
 • Vendor registration/renewal on Paints, Welding
consumables, USFDs (ultrasonic flaw detection) &
Lubricants for M&Ps.

In Zonal railways the organisation structure and

responsibilities are as follows-

Organisation structure
Dy. CCMT (Deputy chief Chemist and Metallurgist)
CMS (Chief Quality Manager)
Dy. Quality Manager
Technical Manager (CMS & CMA)
Lab Assistant / Technical Assistant

Dy. CCMT (Head Quality Manager):

• He is responsible and authorized to set the Quality
Policy and Objectives for the Laboratory.
• He is authorized and responsible for Laboratory
administration and heading the Lab As top
Management.
• Providing laboratory resources.
• Approving all documents related to Laboratory
Quality Management System.
• Overall responsibility to run the laboratory activities.
 • Approving and improving Laboratory Infrastructure
and Laboratory.
• Reviewing Purchase proposal and signing purchase
indent.
• Responsible for purchasing laboratory equipment’s.

CMS (I/C) CUM Quality Manager:

• Overall responsibility for Implementing, Controlling
and Monitoring of the Quality Management system.
• Controlling the documents.
• Issue of Quality Manual and its Amendment.
• Organizing internal audit and review of Management
system.
• Organizing Management Review
• Communication with accreditation body (NABL).
• Maintaining training records.
• Identification of training need.
• Authorized to sign in Test Report.
• Solving Customer’s complaint.

Dy. QUALITY MANAGER (CMS):

• Assisting Quality Manager and also Technical
Manager.
• Play the Role of Quality Manager in the absence of
Quality Manager and play the Role of Technical
Manager in the absence of Technical Manager.
TECHNICAL MANAGER (CMS & CMA):
• The technical operation of the concerned lab.
• Updating of knowledge and professional skill of all
technical personnel in own department through
appropriate training and periodical evaluation of
them.
• Selection and recommending procurement of test
machinery and equipment of right kind and quality
and other specifications requirements.
• Responsible for maintaining updated technical
specification/ literature/ handbooks in His/her sphere
of activity.
• Quality of testing.
• Reviewing purchase proposal and approving
purchase indent.
• Authorized to sign test reports.
• Responsible for identification of departmental
training need.
• Controlling non-conformance in laboratory.
• Corrective action and preventive action planning
• Taking corrective and preventive actions when
needed
• Solving Customer’s complaint.

LAB ASSISTANT cum Technical Assistant:

• Assisting Technical Manager.
• Assisting in carrying out the testing.
• Recording results.
• Maintaining the records.
• Typing the Test report.
• Maintaining proper House- keeping of the
laboratory.
• Ensuring timely calibration of the equipment and
maintaining related records.
• Preservation of all Samples (To be tested/already
tested) with proper Identification
• Maintaining consumable stock records in the
laboratory.
• Ensuring proper handling and preservation of
materials during storage.
• To maintain environmental conditions to comply
with the specific requirements for accurate testing to
get correct observations.
• Preparation and release of final reports, maintenance
of Test records and final test reports, handling of
customer complaints and addressing it to the
satisfaction of the customer.