Why Product Certification?
It is a long tradition in testing and evaluation of products in Germany, because of the fact that products often look as like as two peas. The >>Typetest<<, the assessment of the manufactured product and a periodical surveillance of the serial product leads into the quality >>Made in Germany<<.
Conformity
Conformity signifies compliance. The assessment of conformity, its verification and documentation are essential requirements today for both manufacturers and users. The scope of conformity assessment comprises the testing, evaluation and routine inspection of products and services. Testing and evaluation procedures may assume a number of different forms, ranging from the manufacturer's declaration of conformity to third-party assessment, from the testing of an individual product to type testing, and may also include the assessment of quality management or environmental management systems.
Quality improvement through product assessment
System assessment by itself, however, does not automatically yield products of high quality. For that, product assessment is required. To ensure consistent product quality (e.g. after further processing) subsequent product surveillance is recommended. Product assessment and surveillance may be undertaken by the manufacturer or by independent third-parties.
To document the competitive advantage of technical products of high quality and of safety-, fitness for use- and environment-related aspects, the product certification will get more and more importance.
Conformity assessment by DIN
Products will more readily find a market if they display marks that convey a clear message, if those marks are known at national, regional and international level and meet with a corresponding degree of confidence. The marks offered by DIN enjoy such confidence. A conformity mark confirms the compliance of a product with the requirements of the relevant directives, standards or other technical specifications.
The round table at which experts formulate standards and agree on conformity assessment procedures stands for transparency and competence. Originating from one of the world's leading standards organizations, the marks of DIN have gained an international reputation and indicate quality that has been "made in Germany".
Principles of certification work
DIN CERTCO Gesellschaft für Konformitätsbewertung mbH is the certification organization of DIN. Its remit is to pool the expertise of the "interested parties", i. e. manufacturers, users, government agencies, scientific and technical organizations, in order to reach common solutions on questions of conformity assessment and to ensure independent testing, evaluation and monitoring. This process ensures that the certification schemes developed by DIN CERTCO are tailored to meet the specific requirements for the product or service concerned. In consequence, the scope and level of conformity verification are exactly as those involved deem necessary.
