Certification services include companies that test, inspect, register, and/or certify products, components, equipment, instruments, processes, management systems or facilities using a variety of methods and standards. Typically, product certification services administer a battery of electrical, aging, climatic, dynamic, ergonomic, or other specialized tests. Selecting product certification services requires an analysis of services and capabilities, testing and certification standards, products tested, system assessment, and facility approvals. Many product certification services provide product comparisons, in process or in-line testing, online documentation or reports, evaluation and analysis, research and development, training, troubleshooting, and certification. Certification services also include organizations that evaluate, audit, assist, train, and/or register companies on facility or system wide assessments such as ISO registration, process quality audits, health and safety assessment, and management systems evaluation.    

Types of Certification Services

Some product certification services specialize in testing the following:

• abrasion or wear
• acoustics
• aging
• chemical compatibility
• corrosion
• creep testing
• design or engineering verification
• product safety or liability testing
• electrical characteristics
• electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
• ergonomics or usability
• fatigue or cyclic loading
• flammability

Lead and seal testing, as well as mechanical and structural testing, are also available. In some laboratories, functional or automatic test equipment (ATE) is used to measure optical products, performance, physical properties, reliability and robustness, thermal characteristics, and toxicity. Product certification services that perform core network-equipment-building system (NEBS) tests measure airborne contaminants, drop, lighting, and acoustics, as well as the effects of earthquakes and vibration.

Standards

Certification services meet the requirements of many standards organizations. Examples include the:

• CE Mark (Europe)
• FCC (US)
• VCCI (Japan)
• DENAN (Japan)
• TUV-GS (Germany)
• EZU (Czechoslovakia)
• RLL (Korea)
• PCBC (Poland)
• C-TICK (Australia)
• PSB (Singapore)
• IRAM (Argentina)
• NOM (Mexico)
• SABS (South Africa)
• GOST (Russia)
• T Mark (Taiwan)
• BSMI (Taiwan)
• CSA
• ETL
• GS
• UL
• cUL
• S
• CB report
• CISPIR
• IEC
• GSA / QQ
• MIL-SPEC
• ASTM
• Telecordia or Bellcore
• ISTA
• OEM specific

Typically, test laboratories or testing services have facility or system assessments certified or qualified to meet the requirements of ISO 7779, ISO 9000, ISO 13485, ISO 14000, ISO 17025, ISO / TS 16949, QS 9000, TE supplement, and TL 9000. Additional certifications include ASME approvals, Bluetooth compliance, and A2LA accreditation.

Applications

Product certification services meet the needs of a wide variety of products, applications, and industries. Examples include aerospace and avionics equipment, appliances, automotive parts, building products, commercial food equipment, consumer electronics, fasteners, food and drugs, electrical distribution products, combustion equipment, hazardous location equipment, health care and medical equipment, HVAC equipment, illuminators and lighting products, industrial equipment and machinery, instrument sensors, IT and telecommunications equipment, marine equipment, motors, packaging products, plumbing products, RF and wireless products, rubber products, semiconductors and IC packages, and transportation and product certification services for carrier safety management products. 

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