In 2002, O-Ring Prüflabor Richter GmbH was accredited by the DAkks (Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle, the national accreditation body of the Federal Republic of Germany) for the first time. Since then, we have been listed on the DAkks website and continue to maintain, monitor and renew this accreditation for our laboratory.
The DAkks-Accreditation certifies our professional competence to perform the examinations and tests we offer on elastomers, thermoplastic elastomers and plastics correctly and validly.
The scope of our flexible accreditation covers mechanical-technological tests and resistance tests on seals, moulded parts and materials.
In total, the list of accredited tests contains 70 different test standards (ISO, DIN, VDA, ASTM test standards). The individual test standards covered by the accreditation can be found here in the annexes to the DAkkS accreditation certificates. The test methods in the flexible scope of accreditation are listed in Annex 2 to the accreditation certificate D-PL-17196-01-00.
Due to the flexibility of the accreditation, it also covers tests according to comparable standards, different editions or similar test methods which are not listed in the above mentioned DAkks Annex.
If you are unsure whether the test standard you require is also part of our accreditation, please contact us.
What benefits do you get from our accreditation?
With the accreditation, the highest national body confirms,
- that our test methods are reliable in terms of quality and safety
- that they are compliant with the relevant laws and standards
- that we are a competent partner in terms of elastomer testing and that our employees are technical experts in their respective area
- that you can refer to our independent test results without hesitation in case of conflicts (complaints, legal disputes) and that these are also acknowledged internationally,
- that our test results can also be internationally compared with those of other, accredited test laboratories,
- that we are always up to date with the latest testing technology, as our accreditation has to be renewed on a regular basis.
Accreditation or Certification? What is the difference?
How does accreditation differ from certification
Certification
The word “certification” is derived from Latin and can be described as “to secure something”. Certification attests to conformity with a defined requirement or standard. I.e. it is an evidence that a company, a person, an organisation, a system, a product or a service complies with the requirements. Thus, it is primarily the correctness of procedures that is examined, not whether their contents are factually correct or meaningful in each specific individual case. Certification is carried out by an independent certification body (e.g. TÜV, DQS, etc.) and is limited in time. In simple terms, one might say that certification is a kind of preliminary stage to accreditation.
Accreditation
The term “accreditation” comes from Latin and means “to give credence to”. Accreditation also attests to the conformity and, in addition, also formally attests to the technical competence of the company and its personnel. In the accreditation procedure, the company proves to an independent accreditation body that it performs its activities in a professionally competent manner, in compliance with legal and normative requirements and at an internationally comparable level. In simple terms, the company and its staff are capable not only to carry out procedures correctly, but also to decide which procedures, if any, make sense. Accreditations are carried out in Germany by the DAkks. Accreditations are valid longer than certifications, but must also be renewed.
A testing laboratory is accredited if it meets the requirements of DIN ISO/IEC 17025. This standard describes the requirements for the expertise and QM system of a testing laboratory, is recognised worldwide and includes the QA standard DIN EN ISO 9001:2008.