Legal Metrology Department

[Perfection]

• Hallmarking

Pure gold (Au) is soft and very malleable. It has a melting point of 1064 deg. C. As gold is too soft, jewelers mix copper, silver, palladium to make gold ornaments. Purity of gold is measured in Carat (ct). So basically, a gold ornament is an alloy. The word carat is etived from the Greek word kerátion. The spelling karat (k or kt) is used in US and Canada

It is said that more than 40% of gold (969 t of gold/annum - World Gold Council report 2011) in the world is purchased by Indians. Hallmarking system in gold ornaments was introduced in the country by the year 2000, under the certification scheme of BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards). For this, recognition is given to Hall Marking and assaying centers for hallmarking of gold jewellery as per relevant Indian Standards (IS 141).

Gold ornaments



Goldsmith's company was headquartered in London at Goldsmiths' Hall from whence the English term "hallmark" is derived. In 1478, Assay office was at Goldsmiths' Hall.

Hallmark is the symbol, which indicates your gold jewelry is genuine gold. Pure gold (100 %) is made of 24 karat and is practically impossible. Electrolytic refining can produce 999 gold. The number associated with Gold Hallmark varies with gold purity. A 9 carat gold item will have 375 in it. A 14 carat item will have 585 on it. On an 18 carat item, 750 will be put. 916 can be seen on 22 carat gold (91.6% gold). 80% of the gold jewellery is of 22 ct.

Hallmark is done using punches or by Laser marking machines. Hallmarking is done on gold, silver and platinum.

Jewelers own Hallmarking centres (working on the guidelines of BIS) and are putting the mark of their own gold ornaments. In Kerala, public can know the purity of their gold ornaments from Gold Purity Testing Laboratory at Kakkanad Legal Metrology Bhavan, Kochi (Phone-0484-2423180) and it avoid cheating in terms of purity of gold.



99.5 % pure gold bar

Gold Purity Tests

Earlier Acid test kits were used to find the purity of the gold (Fire Assay Method/ Cupellation). A small sample is taken randomly and is lost during the test. The test result tells only about the purity of the outer layer of gold in the ornament. Now Electronic testing kits, X-ray fluorescence (a non-destructive technique) etc. are widely used to find gold purity.

[Perfection]

The Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2011 (Draft)

The following 9 items will be verified and stamped by Government Approved Test Centres wef from 1 Jan 2012.

1. Measuring system for liquids other than water
2. Water meter
3. Electricity meter
4. Sphygmomanometer
5. Clinical thermometer
6. Glucometer
7. Compressed Natural Gas dispenser
8. Weigh bridges
9. Automatic rail weigh bridges

Government has invited application for GATC at a fee of Rs 10,000 per type of measuring instrument. The license issued for an initial period of 2 years. GATC has to follow the Act and rules framed by the government. It has to verify and stamp (using punches issued) the Weights & measures by collecting prescribed stamping fee and issue a certificate of verification. Immovable items are done insitu free of cost. Licesee has to get trained in NPL New Delhi/IILM Ranchi/Fluid Control Research Institute (FCRI), Palakkad.

FCRI, Palakkad has provided authorized and reliable third party certification with traceability to National / International Standards, assisted industries in testing and calibration of flow products, development of special products and getting ISO 9000 certification.

37. Penalty for contravention by Government approved Test Centre. - (1) Where any Governent approved Test Centre contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made there under, or the conditions of the licence, it shall be punished with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees.

(2) Where any owner or employee of a Government Approved Test Centre performing duties in accordance with the provisions of this Act or the rules made there under, willfully verifies or stamps any weight or measure in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder, he shall, for every such contravention, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees or with both.

[Perfection]

A sphygmomanometer or blood pressure meter is a device used to measure blood pressure. Mercury manometers are considered to be the gold standard and are consistently accurate. It consists of an inflatable cuff, a measuring unit (the mercury manometer, or aneroid gauge), and inflation bulb and valve, for manual instruments. The cuff is normally placed smoothly and snugly around an upper arm, at roughly the same vertical height as the heart while the subject is seated with the arm supported.

By observing the mercury in the column while releasing the air pressure with a control valve, one can read the values of the blood pressure in mm Hg. The peak pressure in the arteries during the cardiac cycle is the systolic pressure (normally 120 mm Hg), and the lowest pressure (at the resting phase of the cardiac cycle) is the diastolic pressure (80 mm Hg, normal). A stethoscope is used in the auscultatory method. Systolic pressure (first phase) is identified with the first of the continuous Korotkoff sounds. Diastolic is identified at the moment the Korotkoff sounds disappear (fifth phase).

[Perfection]

Peg is an informal unit of measurement of alcoholic spirits (60 ml). Peg measures for use in preparing alcoholic drinks can hold anywhere from 1 to 2 fluid ounces (30-60 ml).

[Perfection]

Fuel Dispensers

One of the most important functions for the pump is to accurately measure the amount of fuel pumped. A fuel dispenser is a machine at a filling station that is used to pump gasoline (Petrol), diesel, CNG, CGH2, HCNG, LPG, LH2, ethanol fuel, biofuels like biodiesel, kerosene, or other types of fuel into vehicles. Fuel dispensers are also known as bowsers (in Australia), petrol pumps (in Commonwealth countries), or gas pumps (in North America).

A modern fuel dispenser is logically divided into two main parts — an electronic "head" containing an embedded computer to control the action of the pump, drive the pump's displays, and communicate to an indoor sales system; and secondly, the mechanical section which in a ‘self contained’ unit has an electric motor, pumping unit, meters, pulsers and valves to physically pump and control the fuel flow.

Nozzles are attached to the pump via flexible hoses, allowing them to be placed into the vehicle's filling inlet. In some countries, pumps are able to mix two grades of fuel together before dispensing; this is referred to as blending or mixing.

Flow measurement is almost always done by a 4 stroke piston meter connected to an electronic encoder. In older gas pumps, the meter is physically coupled to reeled meters (moving wheels with numbers on the side), while newer pumps turn the meters movement into electrical pulses using a rotary encoder.

Gasoline is difficult to sell in a fair and consistent manner by volumetric units. It expands and contracts significantly as its temperature changes. Modern tanks are (submerged) non-metallic and sealed to stop leaks. Some have double walls or other structures that provide inadvertent thermal insulation while pursuing the main goal of keeping gasoline out of the soil around the tank. The net result is that while the air temperature can easily vary between -1.11°C and 29.4°C, the gasoline in the insulated tank changes temperature much more slowly.



5 litre conical measure



Conical measures are made of G.I sheets, Stainless Steel and Brass. The various capacity of the measure are 100 ml ,200 ml, 500 ml, 1 l, 2 l, 5 l, 10 l, 20 litre.

[Perfection]

1. Controller Legal Metrology, Controller Office, Vikas Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram-695033, Phone-0471-2305996
2. Assistant Controller (HQ)-do, Phone-0471-2303821

3. Deputy Controller, South Zone, Soorya Nagar, Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram-695002, Phone-0471-2346058
4. Assistant Controller (FS), Thiruvananthapuram- do
5. Assistant Controller, Thiruvananthapuram -do
6. Assistant Controller (FS), Kollam-KMC 3/408, Prathibha Junction, Kadappakkada, Kollam, Phone-0474-2745631
7. Assistant Controller, Kollam- do
8. Assistant Controller (FS)-Pathanamthitta-Pettah, Pathanamthitta-685645, Phone-0468-2322853
9. Assistant Controller, Pathanamthitta- do
10. Assistant Controller (FS), Alappuzha-Kaichundi, Kalarikkal Junction-688013, Phone-0477-2234647
11. Assistant Controller, Alappuzha- do

12. Deputy Controller-Central Zone-Legal Metrology Bhavan, Kakkanadu, Ernakulam-682030, Phone-0484-2423180
13. Assistant Controller (FS), Ernakulam District- do
14. Assistant Controller- do
15. Assistant Controller (Net Content)- do
16. Assistant Controller (Central Lab)- do
17. Assistant Controller (FS), Kottayam-Mini Civil Station, Kottayam-686001, Phone-0481-2582998
18. Assistant Controller, Kottayam- do
19. Assistant Controller, Idukki-Muthalakkodam Post, Thodupuzha-685605, Phone-0486-2222638
20. Assistant Controller (FS)-Trissur-Legal Metrology Bhavan-Olarikkara Post, Thrissur-682012, Phone-0487-2250996
21. Assistant Controller -Trissur- do
22. Assistant Controller (FS)-Palakkad-19/375, West Yakkara H.P.O, Palakkad-678009, Phone-0491-2535468
23. Assistant Controller -Palakkad- do

24. Deputy Controller-North Zone-Civil Station-Kozhikode-673020, Phone-0495-2371897
25. Assistant Controller, Kozhikode - do
26. Assistant Controller (FS)- do, Phone-0495-2371757
27. Assistant Controller (FS)-Malappuram-Mini Civil Station, Manjeri-676123, Phone-0483-2766157
28. Assistant Controller -Malappuram- do
29. Assistant Controller- Wyanad District-Muncipal Building, Kalpetta-673121, Phone-0493-6203370
30. Assistant Controller –Kannur-Highway Junction, Chirakkal Post-670011, Phone-0497-2776560
31. Assistant Controller (FS) –Kannur- do
32. Assistant Controller –Kasaragod-Civil Station, Vidhya Nagar Post-671123, Phone-0499-4256228