Rigorous testing gives you confidence that you’re only putting products to market that meet published standards of safety and performance. It’s also an important part of research and development, providing vital insights that help you innovate and expand your range. The Test & Research Centre has a temperature-controlled laboratory that’s fully equipped to conduct everything from component testing right up to full product certification.
Everything from component testing right up to full product testing in our temperature-controlled laboratory.
Gain your TargetMark and Certificate of Conformity, proving your product and production method meet the highest standards.
When you get a product tested by a Test Laboratory, it’s a one-off. We will test a sample of your product and check that it conforms to the specified requirements. You’ll receive a test report containing all the details about what we found, including all dimensions taken, and photographs of the testing.
Having your product tested by a Certification Body goes much further. It involves both your product and its production being evaluated to the requirements of a Certification Scheme. Certification Schemes are based on regional, national or international standards together with any other criteria deemed necessary by the scheme owner.
For example, we manage a Certification Scheme for mobile access towers on behalf of PASMA. This is based on European Standard EN 1004 but also includes an additional requirement for safe assembly, alteration and dismantling methods to be used. The product will be evaluated usually against the requirements in product standard.
The production evaluation will include an audit of elements of the quality management system which could affect product conformity. This ensures that the product supplied for testing can be produced to the same, consistent quality level as the tested product, time after time.
On successful completion of activities you’ll be given a Certificate of Conformity. You will also be granted use of our Certification Mark, the T&RGETMARK, to apply to the product. To maintain the Certification Mark your product and its production must pass regular surveillance audits. The schedule for these will be risk based but would usually be annual. Gaining a Certification Mark allows you to demonstrate that your product continues to meet the quality and safety standards required by the scheme.
So you’ll see, there’s a significant difference between product testing by a Test Laboratory and a Certification Body. Test & Research Centre can fulfil both roles and which approach is best for you will depend on your own circumstances, the requirements of your market, distributors or end users and whether there is a Certification Scheme in place for your product. We’re happy to discuss this with you and together we’ll come up with a product testing plan that meets your needs.
We’ve summarised the differences below.
Gain your TargetMark and Certificate of Conformity, proving your product and its production conform to standards
34 Regal Drive, Soham, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5BE.
A UK-based Certification Body, Test Laboratory and training facility that specialises in access equipment.
A member of the British Measurement and Testing Association.
