UNILAB Laboratori Industriali srl

UNILAB Laboratori Industriali S.r.l. is an independent, accredited testing and calibration laboratory headquartered at Via Umbria 22, 35043 Monselice (Padova), Italy. Founded in 2000 as a spin-off from the University of Padua and originally located at the VEGA Science and Technology Park in Venice, the company was established by Roberto Guggia and Roberto Meneghello with the mission of providing high-quality outsourced analytical and metrology services to Italian and international manufacturing companies. In 2011, UNILAB relocated to its current facility in Monselice, significantly expanding its laboratory space and adding dedicated areas for industrial tomography and metallographic examination. Today, the laboratory offers a broad, multidisciplinary portfolio covering industrial metrology, contamination analysis, materials characterization, failure analysis, non-destructive testing by computed tomography, corrosion and aging testing, and certified technical training.

UNILAB's Industrial Metrology division provides comprehensive dimensional inspection and measurement services for precision-manufactured components. Capabilities include contact and non-contact 3D scanning using laser and optical systems, dimensional controls on complex geometries, profile and surface roughness surveys, and gear geometry analysis. The laboratory also deploys a mobile metrology unit capable of performing on-site measurements at client production facilities, making it well-suited for large, heavy, or otherwise non-transportable components. Complementing this, UNILAB operates as Accredia-accredited Calibration Centre LAT 229, offering traceable calibration services for a wide range of measuring instruments including torque wrenches, pressure gauges, length gauges, and temperature sensors, with calibrations performed both in-house and on-site at the customer's facility.

Among UNILAB's most distinctive capabilities is its industrial contamination testing service (prove di contaminazione), for which it holds the distinction of being one of Italy's first nationally accredited laboratories under UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17025 (Accredia) specifically for contamination tests executed in conformity with ISO 16232 and VDA 19 (Parts 1 and 2). The contamination laboratory conducts rigorous cleanliness analyses on both fluid-carrying components (hydraulic valves, pumps, hoses) and precision mechanical parts, determining the quantity, size distribution, and morphology of particulate contamination extracted from components. Services include residual oil quantification on machined components, clean room classification and verification per ISO 14644, and on-site contamination audits via the mobile laboratory. The team also offers the proprietary Clean Formula protocol for developing customer-specific cleaning and validation procedures, providing manufacturers with documented evidence of cleanliness conformance to stringent OEM and Tier-1 supplier specifications.

The Materials Characterization and Failure Analysis division performs a wide range of mechanical and metallurgical tests on metals, alloys, and engineered components. Mechanical testing includes hardness measurement by Brinell, Vickers, Rockwell, and microhardness methods, tensile and compression testing, and impact testing, all conducted in accordance with applicable UNI and EN standards. Metallographic examination (metallografia) covers sample preparation, polishing, etching, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDS (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) for chemical microanalysis at the micro-scale, enabling precise identification of material phases, non-metallic inclusions, surface treatments, coating thicknesses, and defect root causes. The laboratory is also qualified to support UNI EN 1090 structural steel certification activities, and its failure analysis service is routinely engaged to investigate field failures, component fractures, corrosion damage, and heat treatment anomalies for clients across multiple industrial sectors.

UNILAB's Industrial Tomography (tomografia industriale) service employs computed tomography (CT) scanning to provide non-destructive internal visualization of components, detecting voids, cracks, porosity, inclusions, and assembly defects that are inaccessible to surface inspection. The CT system enables direct geometric comparison against nominal CAD models, dimensional measurement of internal features, and wall-thickness mapping, making it particularly valuable for qualifying castings, sintered parts, and injection-molded components. Corrosion and aging testing is offered in parallel, including accelerated corrosion evaluation in salt spray (nebbia salina) chambers per ISO 9227 and applicable EN standards, assessing the durability of coatings, anodizing, plating, and bare metal surfaces under standardized aggressive environments. These tests support both R&D product validation and incoming quality control for surface-treated parts.

UNILAB Laboratori Industriali S.r.l. holds dual accreditation from Accredia, the Italian national accreditation body: Testing Laboratory LAB1634 and Calibration Centre LAT 229, both under the UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard. The testing accreditation specifically covers mechanical tests, metallographic analysis, and contamination testing including ISO 16232 and VDA 19 protocols, while the calibration accreditation covers measuring instruments for torque, length, pressure, and temperature. The organization additionally holds ISO 9001:2015 certification (Certificate C554331) scoped to the design and delivery of industrial training activities (IAF scope 37). Regular surveillance audits by Accredia ensure ongoing traceability, technical competence, and operational impartiality, making UNILAB test reports fully accepted in cross-border supply chains across the European Union and internationally.

The laboratory serves a diverse range of manufacturing sectors including automotive components, hydraulic systems, pumps, agricultural machinery, industrial appliances, precision engineering, and foundries. Clients include internationally recognized manufacturers such as Electrolux, Polti, De'Longhi, Kohler, and Carraro, alongside more than 40 additional industrial companies. These clients rely on UNILAB for third-party verification, supplier qualification, incoming material control, production quality monitoring, and product development support. The laboratory's geographic positioning within the Veneto industrial district — one of Europe's highest concentrations of precision manufacturing — makes it a natural outsourcing partner for OEMs and Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers requiring accredited, impartial analytical support without investing in in-house laboratory infrastructure.

Beyond its testing and calibration services, UNILAB delivers certified technical training through its Unilab Academy division. Courses cover materials technology, industrial metrology, contamination control, corrosion prevention, and related engineering disciplines, and are designed for quality engineers, production supervisors, and laboratory technicians employed in manufacturing environments. These training programs are covered under the laboratory's ISO 9001:2015 certification, confirming that course design, instructional delivery, and quality management meet documented and audited standards. The combination of accredited laboratory testing and structured technical education positions UNILAB Laboratori Industriali as a full-service industrial quality partner — one that can both generate authoritative analytical data and help client teams build the internal competence to interpret and apply that data effectively within their production and quality systems.