Hyundai Steel said on the 12th that it earned accreditation from the Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (KOLAS) under the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards in the field of cryogenic material testing, a core area for next-generation energy storage facilities.
KOLAS accreditation is an international certification system that recognizes the competence of testing, calibration, and inspection bodies in line with international standards, and it has equal effect in 104 member countries of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).
This accreditation was granted for the cryogenic tensile test. The test is a quality verification procedure that evaluates the ability of rebar to withstand impact and load in an ultra-low-temperature environment of minus 165℃ or below.
It requires highly precise test control capabilities, not merely lowering the temperature but also controlling temperature deviations at the specimen's core, complying with hold time after reaching ultra-low temperatures, and controlling strain rate.
Because of this, cryogenic testing in Korea had to be outsourced to the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), a specialized overseas testing organization, but Hyundai Steel said it achieved technological self-reliance by localizing the capability with its own technology.
Hyundai Steel further emphasized that this accreditation represents the first case in Korea to fully meet the testing requirements of the world's most stringent liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage tank design and construction standards.
With this accreditation, Hyundai Steel expects to secure the ability to provide a "one-stop solution" that covers everything from material production to issuing internationally accredited reports in-house, helping shorten delivery times and boost competitiveness.
A Hyundai Steel official said, "This KOLAS accreditation shows that Hyundai Steel has evolved from a mere steel material supplier into a technology company that provides customers with trust and safety," adding, "We will become the partner customers seek first by enhancing our research and development and test analysis capabilities."