Sialkot—The Ministry of Science and Technology has set up Cast Metals and Foundry Technology (CM&FT) Centre at a cost of Rs.304 million in mini-industrial estate Daska and the centre has become operational, disclosed Project Director Faheem A. Milk.
Talking to the media on Tuesday at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) he said the concept of setting up of this modern centre was to facilitate the business community engaged with cast metals and foundry, automobile, agriculture machinery, textile units, cement and sugar plant manufacturing and cooking utensils, metal products and surgical industries. The centre will organize and conduct three years Diploma of Associate Engineers in Cast Metals and Foundry Technology for 30 students per year as its feature.
The centre will also arrange short term training courses for service personnel’s to upgrade their knowledge and skills on state of the art equipment. Apart from consultancy, advisory and technology services to cast metals and foundry would also be provided. The centre will provide common facilities for testing of materials and finished goods. The centre will extend help the local industry to assimilate new technologies and research and development (R/D) facilities to the industries and also provide information on quality standards of ISO-9000 for developing competitive edge of Pakistani products both domstic and international markets.
The Project Director of CM&FT further stated that Federal government has taken various steps for enhancing the growth of industrial sector in the country. However, local efforts especially R/D inputs pertaining to cast metals technology were necessary for the sake of import substitution he said. He said at present local industries were manufacturing automobiles, tractors, machines tools, two wheelers on the basis of imported complete knocked down or semi knocked down kits which is burden on national economy.
The deletion of the imported components could be restored by developing these parts locally and this was possible by adopting latest technical know-how and made available to the industry along with R/D inputs for improving the cast of products he said. The centre he said will not only play an instrumental in the efforts of the government to attain rapid industrialization but also enhance the export potential.
The centre has been equipped with laboratories and workshop with state of the art equipment where melting and casting shop, mould and core shop, sand testing shop, heat treatment shop, non-ferrous shop, metallographic laboratory and metal analysis facilities would be available, he added.—APP
