The Physical Testing Laboratory is the most comprehensively equipped laboratory in this part of the world for testing rubber and rubber products. It was also the first laboratory within the government service to be accredited with the quality management system MS ISO/IEC 17025 for testing and calibration under the 'Skim Akreditasi Makmal Malaysia (SAMM)'. It can undertake tests to International Standards (ISO), and all the major national standards such as Malaysia Standards (MS), British Standards (BS), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS), etc. Tests to other national standards may also be accommodated.

The Physical Testing Laboratory also undertakes performance tests on complete products or components, and if necessary, such performance tests may be designed to suit individual needs. The Physical Testing Laboratory is constantly involved in upgrading its complement of test equipment. To maintain a high standard laboratory performance and integrity at all times, all testing equipment are subjected to stringent calibration and the calibrations are traceable to SI units of measurement. To maintain the integrity of its result, the lab participates in international Proficiency Testing. It also organises Proficiency Testing for Malaysian testing laboratories on examination gloves.

Email: Physical Testing Laboratory

Tyres and tyre related products account for about 70% of natural rubber usage worldwide. Requirements of tyres have also become more stringent as a result of improvements in automobile performance, highway standard and increasing requirements in safety, comfort and economy. Vehicle manufacturer/ assembly companies also require that the tyres meet certain specifications. Export tyres often have to be tested and certified by an independent third-party laboratory. The MRB Tyre Testing Laboratory is the only independent tyre testing facility available in Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific. One of the constraints faced by the industry is the large capital expenditure and technical expertise in tyre research and development. The MRB has certain testing capability not available in the facilities of the Malaysian tyre companies. MRB thus acts as a centralised test center where Malaysian tyre/retread/tube companies can obtain the benefit of economical and competent testing services. Retreads are safety-related products and conformity to ISO 9001 is one of the steps towards improving retread safety and achieving an orderly development of the retreading industry. Part of the requirement of the SIRIM ISO 9002 QSAS (Quality System Assurance Supplement) is to have regular surveillance testing of their retreaded tyres.

Email: Tyre Laboratory

The Calibration Laboratory was started in earnest since 1997, and expanded and subsequently accredited to MS ISO/IEC 17025 in early 2004. The Calibration Laboratory is able to provide calibration services in the field of mechanical testing, with special emphasis on rubber and rubber product testing equipment, including on-site calibration. The Calibration Laboratory has an extensive range of calibration equipment for rubber testing. It is the only calibration laboratory in Malaysia who is accredited for the force measurement to a maximum range of 5000 kN, measurement of the ozone gas concentration and SMR testing equipment.

• To provide efficient and prompt technical service to the rubber industry in particular the SMR Scheme
• To provide maintenance and calibration services which manufacturers/suppliers of SMR equipment were unable to provide efficiently
• To maintain sufficient supply of spares required during course of providing such services.
• To provide trouble-shooting on testing procedure/methods

The SMR support services are an important and integral part of the organisation responsible for maintaining SMR standards. Sampling and testing are the first steps towards a means of classifying a product and the test results on the samples can only be related to the production if the sampling is representative. Although the MRB lays down procedures for sampling intensities and methods for different raw materials and processing conditions, the responsibility for actual implementation of these sampling procedures rests with producer.

Under the SMR Scheme, large producers have therefore been encouraged to set up their own testing laboratories to share work-load of testing and certification. There are at present twenty five approved commercial laboratories throughout Malaysia including the Standard Laboratory (SMR Laboratory at 260, Jalan Ampang). The job functions are for checking the test results and certificates issued by the commercial test laboratories against the results of Inspectorate samples shipments of SMR.

To maintain the integrity of test results of SMR scheme, the MRB has established round robin for SMR laboratories local and international participants.

Email: Calibration, Instrument Services