Jindal Aluminium Ltd. Quality Policy
Through continuous perseverance of Quality Assurance programme, the Company renews its commitment to ensure reliable quality at a competitive price and in turn earn the customer’s satisfaction.
In order to accomplish this, the company strives:
- To detect and prevent any non-conformance during production and implement the means to prevent its recurrence.
- To upgrade technology and improve techniques, systems, procedures and to carry out continuous innovation to meet changing customers' needs.
- To create most congenial and healthy working environment for attainment of quality goals with excellence.
- To develop highly motivated and skilled human resources imbued with strong sense of values and commitment to quality.
To improve the quality of life of communities living around the company in particular and society in general by providing basic needs like health, water, education etc.
Quality – A Motto
JAL strives to accomplish and maintain the finest quality of products in the industry. To achieve this purpose, Company utilizes :
- Ultra modern microprocessor based, PLC controlled extrusion press.
- Computerized Spectrometer for instant metal analysis.
- Computer aided die manufacturing facilities.
- Well equipped physical, chemical, mechanical and metallurgical testing laboratory and sophisticated R&D Division duly recognized by the Dept. of Scientific and Industrial Research, Govt. of India.
The strict adherence to quality to make the products superior and incomparable in the market forms the guiding principle for every Jindal employee. Standing testimony to JAL’s achievement is the IS/ISO 9001:2000 certification, awarded by the Bureau of Indian Standards, the first one in the Indian aluminium extrusion industry. Numerous other National and International awards have also been added to JAL’s list of accomplishments.
Log Casting
At Jindal Aluminium Ltd, quality and reliability is of primary importance. In order to ensure this, JAL undertakes vertical integration to manufacture logs having a specific chemical composition. Raw materials procured from primary producers have purity of 99.7% and above.
For log casting, the procedure followed is as stated below:
- The Melting Furnaces melt the aluminium ingots and the Holding Furnaces help carrying out the alloying process.
- A computerized Spectrometer instantly tests and analyses the liquid metal sample to ensure compliance to the established standards.
- A uniform and fine grain size is obtained by adding Titanium-Boron grain refiner.
- Subsequently, the liquid metal is filtered through ceramic foam filters, which eliminate entrapment of any non metallic inclusions.
- Finally, an eco friendly Nitrogen Degassing System removes the gas entrapment and any other form of contamination from the liquid metal.
Homogenising and Extrusion
The process of Homogenising ensures a uniform distribution of alloying elements, thereby resulting in uniform properties. Being an expensive process, homogenising is avoided by many extruders in India.
- The cast logs are homogenised and preheated before being fed into the extrusion container.
- The heat and tremendous pressure applied on the solid aluminium forces it through the extrusion die opening and gives it a high degree of structural stability.
- The extruded aluminium profiles are then handled on the PLC controlled conveyor system to prevent any damage to the output.
- The products are then stretched in order to straighten and stabilise them, after which they are cut according to the required length.
Quality Assurance
A full-fledged Quality Assurance and Technical Service Department established within the JAL premises, along with its state-of-the-art equipments, takes care of the metal analysis, mechanical testing, metallographic examination and other studies. Some of the contemporary tools used are:
- Computerized Direct Reading Optical Emission Spectrometer.
- Carl Zeis Microscope.
- Computerized Tensile Testing Machine.
- Hardness Testing Equipments.
- Automatic Profile Measuring Systems.
- Electrical Conductivity Meter.
- Straightness Table.
- Hardness Tester.
- Ultrasonic Testing Equipment and many more.
JAL performs continuous laboratory tests and undertakes quality assurance measures wherever necessary to subscribe and sustain the standards of excellence.
Tool Shop
The dies and toolings used to create the extrusions are manufactured in-house by JAL in their Tool Shop, equipped with the latest manufacturing facilities like Wirecut, CNC Milling, CNC Machining Centre and Spark Erosion Machine.
Imported heat resistant H-13 grade die Steel is used to make the dies and toolings, which ensures uniform hardness after heat treatment. This is followed by surface treatment that makes the exterior wear resistant and therefore, close dimensional tolerance is maintained.
JAL tool shop can produce more than 200 new dies /month and also is in a position to offer multi mandrel dies.
Branding
The proprietary "Jindal" Logo along with the four digit lot number imprinted on all the architectural and heavier sections ensures traceability and individual product identity. Each lot number has a distinct data sheet attached to it at the production end, from where the product details such as its chemical composition, manufacturing date, alloy, die number and the staff responsible for the lot can be identified.
Ageing
Ageing of the products is done at a specific temperature for a certain time in air circulated ovens. Subsequently, the hardness of the products is tested using portable Webster and Barcole Testers.
Packing
Once the Quality Assurance Dept. gives clearance, the products are sent through an Automatic Packing Conveyor that ensures online spiral wrapping with polythene film, weighing, packing, strapping and finally packaging them in HDPE woven sacks.
The computerized Bar Code label attached to each package indicates details such as the section number, bundle number, bundle weight, number of pieces, lot number etc. for accountability and traceability.
The modes of packing are customized as per the customer’s requirements and the entire packaging process is automated and done online.
Captive Power through Wind Mills
The acute power shortage faced by Karnataka state every year due to the scarcity of conventional sources of energy, has necessitated JAL to go in for an alternate, unconventional but renewable source of natural energy - Wind Energy, an environment friendly, green technology.
JAL’s 12.04 MW Wind Power project is situated at Chitradurga District, Karnataka.
The company has not only attained self sufficiency in power, but also channelizes the surplus to the state grid.