Its Pohang testing center recently received international accredited testing-lab recognition from KOLAS, an accreditation body under the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, for cryogenic tensile testing.
KOLAS accreditation is an international certification system that recognizes the competence of testing, calibration and inspection bodies under global standards. Test reports bearing KOLAS accreditation are recognized as equivalent in 104 member countries of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, or ILAC, and are widely seen as a marker of technical credibility.
Hyundai Steel said the accreditation is also the first case in South Korea to meet test requirements under what it described as the world’s most stringent standards for LNG storage tank design and construction. The recognition covers not only the test itself but also strict temperature-control conditions.
Cryogenic tensile testing is a required quality-verification process that evaluates how steel reinforcement withstands impact and loads in extreme cold of minus 165 degrees Celsius or lower.
The company said the work demands precise control, including managing temperature deviation at the center of the specimen, meeting required holding times after reaching cryogenic temperatures, and controlling strain rate.
Because of those requirements, domestic companies had relied on overseas specialized labs such as the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, or LIST, for cryogenic testing. Hyundai Steel said it has localized the capability with its own technology, strengthening technical self-reliance.
With the accreditation, Hyundai Steel said it can now provide a one-stop solution, from producing materials to issuing internationally recognized test reports. It also said it can sharply cut the time needed to issue certificates, which typically took three months or longer, helping shorten delivery schedules.
The company said the capability is expected to be especially useful in LNG terminal projects. It said Korea Gas Corp. and Doosan Enerbility have been reported to highly value the ability to conduct fast and accurate verification in South Korea without relying on overseas institutions.
A Hyundai Steel official said the KOLAS recognition shows the company is evolving beyond a steel supplier into a technology company that provides customers with trust and safety. “Through continuous R&D and more advanced testing and analysis capabilities, we will become a premium partner that customers seek out first,” the official said.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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