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The Central Laboratory for Testing of Irrigation Materials and Equipment (CENTER, for its acronym in Spanish) dependent on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, was inaugurated in 2004, with the objective of evaluating and testing irrigation equipment in accordance with current national and international regulations.

Through these tests, the Laboratory provides an objective, independent and technically rigorous evaluation of materials and equipment, contributing to market transparency, reinforcing the credibility of manufacturers and generating trust among end users.

The work of the Laboratory is carried out under a quality management system according to the UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard, "General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories". which guarantees technical competence, traceability of results, and the reliability of the tests performed. This has allowed the main tests of meters and valves carried out in the Laboratory to be accredited by the National Accreditation Body (ENAC).

Furthermore, the CENTER Laboratory is a national and international benchmark in the testing, evaluation, and validation of irrigation technologies, supported by its technical capabilities and infrastructure, as well as the experience and expertise of its team.

Its activities encompass the evaluation of a wide range of equipment and technological solutions, from hydraulic and control elements in irrigation networks to advanced systems related to automation, sensors, and remote control, in line with the sector's digitalization processes.

• Verify and confirm the technical specifications declared by manufacturers, which are fundamental for the design, sizing, and proper operation of irrigation systems.
• Issue technically valid test reports that guarantee the reliability, comparability, and transparency of the information available on the market.
• Evaluate prototypes, new materials, and emerging technologies, contributing to technological development and the continuous improvement of the irrigation sector.
• Support the development and revision of technical standards, actively participating in national and international standardization committees and contributing test results as a scientific basis.
• Promote the interoperability and standardization of irrigation systems, especially in the areas of remote control and digitalization, through the testing and evaluation of equipment and technological solutions.
• Facilitate knowledge transfer to the sector, providing government agencies, irrigation communities, and companies with rigorous technical information for decision-making.

The Laboratory's Quality Policy is aimed at ensuring that all its activities are carried out in compliance with the Quality Management System established in accordance with the UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 international standard, involving and motivating the laboratory staff in order to seek their participation in the management and development of the System.

All personnel involved in testing activities are familiar with the system documentation and implement its policies and procedures in their daily work.

Management assumes the commitment to lead the Quality Policy, committing to the development and implementation of the system and securing the necessary resources to achieve the proposed objectives, among which the following stand out:

• To continue enhancing the recognition of the Testing Laboratory as a national and international benchmark, expanding the scope of ENAC accreditation and implementing new test benches and methods to ensure that the sector's needs are met and that the latest technologies used in irrigation are incorporated.
• To guarantee customer satisfaction, impartiality, and confidentiality, complying with established, legal, and regulatory requirements and always acting responsibly and transparently.
• To ensure the availability of highly qualified personnel to perform assigned functions and to continuously improve the technical competence of all staff through training and participation in external quality assurance exercises.
• To maintain control and evaluation mechanisms that ensure the quality of our results, as well as to identify areas for improvement in the development of our activities.
• To actively participate in national and international Standardization Committees for the review of regulations on irrigation materials and equipment, as well as for the development of new standards.
• Continuous communication and collaboration with various members of the irrigation sector to understand and address their needs, attending national and international forums and conferences, where the Laboratory will also share the knowledge acquired through its daily activities, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the quality of equipment installed in irrigation networks according to the specifications defined in the standards.
• Protecting the environment by promoting environmental protection activities, preventing pollution, and minimizing the environmental impacts associated with the activities carried out in the Laboratory, and actively contributing to the protection of the environment from such impacts.

In the Laboratory, irrigation equipment undergoes testing according to national and international standards. This allows for an objective comparison between materials with the same application, providing greater transparency to the sector, credibility to the materials themselves, and confidence to the end user.

Sprinklers	Filters
Meters	Remote control systems
Sprayers	Valves
Emitters and emitting pipes	Air valves

Test Request

If you are interested in having your equipment tested at the CENTER Laboratory, you can begin the process by completing the form available at the following link:

(link to form)

Once received, the Laboratory will analyze your request and contact you as soon as possible to finalize the technical details and, if applicable, proceed with the formalization of the corresponding collaboration agreement.

The CENTER Laboratory has a wide range of test benches specifically designed for the characterization and evaluation of the main irrigation elements: meters, hydrants, valves (isolating, control and non-return valves), air valves, filters, sprinklers, sprayers, emitters and emitting pipes.

These test benches allow for testing under controlled and standardized conditions, guaranteeing reliable, reproducible, and comparable results across different equipment and materials.

Each test bench has its own automation system, generally based on programmable logic controllers (PLCs), which enable both precise control of test conditions via user interfaces (touchscreens) and automated data acquisition and recording.

In the case of durability test benches, they all follow the same testing philosophy, focused on evaluating the evolution of performance and the behavior of equipment after prolonged use, simulating continuous operating conditions and scenarios representative of field operation.