What is Product Quality Certification and Quality Management System Certification？ What are the Organizations?

Certification definition: According to the ISO and the IEC, certification refers to the certification body recognized by the state to prove that an organization’s products, services, management systems comply with relevant standards, technical specifications or mandatory requirements of conformity assessment activities.

A certification is a form of credit assurance, according to the object of certification, certification can be divided into two categories: product quality certification and quality management system certification.

★ Product Quality Certification

What is product quality certification?

The definition of product certification of ISO is: Through the inspection and evaluation of the enterprise’s quality management system and sample type test to confirm whether the enterprise’s products, processes or services meet specific requirements, whether the ability to consistently and consistently produce products that meet the requirements of the standard, and give written proof of the procedure.

Product certification is relatively broad, the use of different, in general, on personal safety, health and other laws and regulations have special provisions for mandatory certification, that is, “the legal system to enforce the certification system”, other products to implement voluntary certification system. At present, most countries and regions in the world set up their own product certification bodies, the use of different certification marks to indicate the degree of compliance of certified products to the relevant standards.

What are the common product certification marks?

Nowadays, no matter what industry in the world, the electronic appliances used must pass various safety certifications, which is a kind of safety commitment of each manufacturer to their products. A variety of product certification marks, do you understand what it means? Here to electronic products, for example, a brief introduction to some of the most common safety certifications, I hope that in the future hardware procurement will be helpful to you.

CE certification

The CE mark is now increasingly used, and the CE mark is applied to goods that meet the requirements of a series of European directives on safety, health, environmental protection and consumer protection, etc. CE is limited to the basic safety requirements of the product, not the general quality requirements, and the general quality requirements are the task of the standard. Therefore, the precise meaning is: CE marking is a safety conformity mark rather than a quality conformity mark.

UL certification

UL is Underwriter Laboratories Inc., founded in 1894, UL Safety Laboratory is the most authoritative in the United States and the largest private organization in the world engaged in safety testing and accreditation. It is an independent, not-for-profit, for public safety testing of professional institutions.

UL uses scientific testing methods to study whether various materials, devices, products, equipment, buildings, etc. are hazardous to life and property and the extent of the hazards, and to determine, prepare, and issue the corresponding standards, while conducting factual research operations.

CCC certification

China Compulsory Product Certification was implemented on May 1, 2002, the name of the certification mark “China Compulsory Certification” (abbreviation of China Compulsory Certification “CCC”). Mandatory testing and audit shall be carried out on the products listed in the first batch of the product catalogue for compulsory product certification.

Where included in the directory of products not certified by the designated body, not in accordance with the provisions of the certification mark, shall not be factory, import, sale and use in business services.

GS certification

GS certification is a voluntary certification based on German product safety law and tested in accordance with the EU unified standard EN or German industrial standard DIN, which is a recognized German safety certification mark in the European market.

GS mark indicates that the safety of the use of the product has passed the test of a credible independent organization. Unlike CE, GS mark is not compulsory by law, but since its safety awareness has penetrated into the general consumers, an electrical appliance with GS mark may be more competitive in the market than general products.

FCC certification

FCC: Federal Communications Commission, as the FCC has developed a number of electronic equipment involving electromagnetic compatibility and operator personal safety and a series of product quality and performance standards, and these standards have been widely used and recognized by technical supervision departments or similar institutions in many countries around the world.

Therefore, in the technical manuals of various manufacturers of electronic products are often printed by the FCC issued by a certificate of compliance with a standard, or a statement of compliance with a standard of the FCC. FCC certification applied to computer devices are mainly about the product electromagnetic compatibility and radiation limits and other standards.

TÜV certification

TÜV (German: Technischer Überwachungsverein, English: Technical Inspection Association) is the abbreviation of the German Technical Supervision Association. Currently the larger TÜV organizations are TÜV SÜD, TÜV Rheinland, TÜV NORD, of which TÜV SÜD is the largest. All products sold to Germany, their safety use standards must be certified by TÜV, so the TÜV certification mark is also the same as the above five marks appear on a variety of IT products and household appliances.

CSA certification

CSA, the Canadian Standards Association, founded in 1919, in the North American market for the sale of electronic, electrical and other products are required to obtain safety certification. CSA is currently the largest safety certification body in Canada, and one of the most famous safety certification bodies in the world. It can provide safety certification for all types of products in machinery, building materials, electrical appliances, computer equipment, office equipment, environmental protection, medical fire safety, sports and recreation.

PCT certification

According to the Russian law, goods in the “List of goods subject to compulsory certification for entry into the customs territory of the Russian Federation” can enter the Russian market only if they have obtained the State Standard Certificate of Conformity (GOST Certificate of Conformity) issued by the Russian State Committee for Standards and Metrology.

PSE certification

PSE is the Japanese Electrical Appliance Safety Certification. The Japanese market for electrical products is huge, and Japanese consumers also attach great importance to the safety of electrical products. Since April 1, 2001, the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law has been in effect, and most electrical products for home or commercial use and some important parts and accessories sold in Japan are subject to the control of the new law.

In the law, most of the electrical products are adopted by the voluntary declaration of manufacturers, so that the Japanese government’s intervention is minimized. The testing organization performing the test is also relaxed from a public interest corporation to a government-approved private laboratory, adding the mechanism of free market competition. At the same time, the bill increased the provisions related to the recycling of dangerous goods, but also increased the penalties for non-compliance.

EMC certification

EMC (Electro Magnetic Compatibility) directive requires that all electrical products sold to Europe must not exceed a certain standard of electromagnetic interference generated by the basic body, so as not to affect the normal operation of other products, while the electrical products themselves also have a certain anti-interference capability (EMS) so that in the general electromagnetic environment can normally use.

The directive has been officially enforced on January 1, 1996. It is mainly for all kinds of electronic products, is the pass of all electrical products sold to the European market.

MPR-II certification

MPR-II is developed by the Swedish National Board for Measurement and Testing, mainly on the degree of electromagnetic radiation of electronic equipment, such as the implementation of standard restrictions, MPR-II is still one of the common test standards followed by the display industry.

In 1990, the MPR-II standard was reformulated for general working environment design. Further detailed list of 21 monitor standards, including flicker, jump, linearity, luminance, reflectivity and font size, etc., the ELF (ultra-low frequency) and VLF (very low frequency) radiation proposed the maximum limit, the purpose of which is to reduce the electromagnetic radiation around the monitor to a reasonable degree.

TCO certification

TCO is a display device certification standard developed by SCPE (Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees), and this standard has become a worldwide standard. Take a look at your monitor to see if it has the TCO certification mark. There are currently four standards, TCO 92, TCO 95 and TCO 99 and the latest TCO 03. In addition, there is the Australian product safety certification SAA certification, Saudi Arabia Standards Organization SASO certification and so on.

The significance of product quality certification role

The purpose of implementing product quality certification is to ensure product quality, improve product reputation, protect the interests of users and consumers, promote international trade and the development of international cooperation in quality certification. The significance of the specific performance in the following areas.

• Guiding consumers to buy satisfactory goods.
• Bring credibility and more profit to the seller
• Help manufacturers establish a sound and effective quality system.
• Save a lot of inspection costs.
• The state can implement product certification system as an important means of improving product quality.
• The implementation of a mandatory safety certification system in the country to protect the personal safety and health of consumers an effective means.
• Improve the competitiveness of products in the international market.

Product certification bodies in countries around the world

Issuing Agency	Product certification bodies
European CE certification	TÜV SÜD, TÜV Rheinland, TÜV NORD, VDE, BV, SGS, NPS, ITS
North American Certification	UL, ETL, TUV, CSA
China CCC, CQC certification	CQC directive testing laboratory and other national laboratories.
Japan PSE certification	JET, JQA, Japan UL, TÜV Rheinland, PSE, NPS, CQC

★ Quality Management System Certification

What is quality management system certification?

Quality management system refers to the quality management system of an enterprise is assessed based on the officially released quality management system standards by a third-party certification body that obtains the quality management system certification qualification.

For qualified enterprises, a third-party agency to issue a quality management system certification, and to give registration announced to prove that the enterprise quality management and quality assurance capabilities in line with the corresponding standards or the ability to provide products in accordance with the specified quality requirements of the activities.

Quality management system certification ISO 9000

The latest ISO 9000: 2000 series standards issued by ISO organization, now the latest standards for 2015 implementation standards, have four core standards.

• ISO 9000: 2015 Quality management system – Fundamentals and vocabulary
• ISO 9001: 2015 Quality management system –  Requirements
• ISO 9004: 2018 Quality management – Quality of an organization – Guidance to achieve sustained success
• ISO 19011: 2018 Guidelines for auditing management systems

Among them, the ISO 9001: 2008 Quality Management System Requirements is the criteria on which certification bodies base their audits, it is also a standard that needs to be met by companies that want to be certified, and it is a certification that gives customers peace of mind about their business or company.

Features of ISO 9001 Quality System Certification

1 The object of certification is the quality system of the supply-side.

The object of the quality system certification is not a product or service of the enterprise, but the quality system itself. Of course, the quality system certification will necessarily involve the system that covers the product or service, some companies apply for the certification of the total quality system, including all types of products or services, some applications only include a certain or part of the product or service quality system certification. Although the range of products involved is large or small, the object of certification is the quality system of the supplier.

2 Certification is based on quality assurance standards.

Quality system certification, certification is based on the quality assurance model standards. In order to make the quality system certification and international practice achieve mutual recognition, the best choice for the supplier is ISO 9001: 2015 standard.

3 The certification body is a third-party quality system evaluation body.

To make the supply-side quality system certification can have impartiality and credibility, the certification body and the certified company does not have a stake in the economy and no administrative affiliation. This certification body must have experienced and well-trained personnel, resources and procedures to meet the requirements, in addition to its excellent certification practices to win the support of the government and the trust of society, with authority and impartiality.

4 Certification is approved by the mark is registered and issued a certificate.

When the assessment results are judged to be qualified, the certification body gives the registration of certified enterprises and issued a certificate, and the enterprise will be included in the quality system certification directory, publicly released. Approved certified enterprises, can be used in promotional materials, exhibitions and other promotional activities in the registration mark, but the mark shall not be used directly on the product or its packaging to avoid confusion with product certification. The registration mark is protected by law, and may not be used and forged.

5 Certification is the autonomous behavior of enterprises.

Quality system certification, mainly to improve the quality of enterprise reputation and expand sales, is generally voluntary, the initiative to apply is part of the enterprise’s independent behavior. But the enterprises that do not apply for certification, often subject to the natural formation of the market pressure of distrust or trade barriers, and forced to fight to enter the ranks of certified enterprises.

Information to be prepared of ISO 9001 certification

• Certification letter of attorney of the management system
• Copy of business license (copy) or approval for the establishment of the organization
• Proof of relevant qualifications (when required by laws and regulations, such as licenses, etc.)
• Management system documents (electronic version)
• Production process flow chart or service delivery flow chart
• Organizational chart

ISO 9001 certification can increase competitive advantage, improve business performance, attract investment, streamline operations to reduce waste and increase customer satisfaction, the ISO is a universal standard recognized worldwide.

Global well-known certification bodies inventory

1 SGS group

SGS is the world’s leading organization for inspection, accreditation, testing and certification, a globally recognized benchmark for quality and integrity, with over 97,000 employees operating more than 2,600 branches and laboratories worldwide. The core services of SGS fall into four categories: inspection, testing, certification and accreditation.

2 Intertek

Intertek Group, the UK’s largest international consumer goods testing, inspection and certification organization, has a global reputation for proven professionalism, quality and integrity. With more than 1,000 laboratories and branches in over 100 countries and more than 42,000 dedicated employees, Intertek creates innovative and customized assurance, testing, inspection and certification solutions that bring peace of mind to our customers’ operations and supply chains.

3 BV

Bureau Veritas is one largest inspection companies and classification societies of the world’s. BV Certification (BV Inspection) offers a wide range of quality inspection, certification, consulting, supervision and notary services in a variety of industries, in addition to ship inspection and classification, with approximately 10,000 employees worldwide and 600 offices in 140 countries and territories.

4 DEKRA

DEKRA has three business units: Motor Vehicle Services, Industrial Services and Personnel Services. These services cover the following business units: Vehicle Inspection, Expert Assessment, Used Vehicle Management, Regulatory Certification Testing and Type Approval, Claims Service, Industrial and Construction Verification, Material Inspection and Verification, Product Testing and Certification, Business Assurance and Management System Certification, Safety Consulting Services, Qualification Training, and Temporary Employment.

5 TÜV SÜD

Founded in 1866 in Germany, TÜV SÜD is a leading provider of professional training and consulting services, offering one-stop solutions and expert guidance in the fields of certification, testing and inspection, etc. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, TÜV SÜD’s services cover certification, testing, inspection, information and expert guidance.

6 TüV Rheinland

TÜV Rheinland, founded in 1872, is an officially authorized German governmental supervisory body, a world-renowned international certification company, a leading international technical service provider, and a well-known brand in the field of third-party testing and certification services worldwide. TÜV Rheinland offers approximately 2,500 services in 39 areas, covering six major service areas: industrial services, transportation services, product services, life science services, education and consulting services, and management system services.

7 UL

UL Certification was founded by UL, LLC, a global testing and certification organization and standards developer. UL is one of the world’s leading testing and certification organizations, with its own set of organizational management, standards development and product certification processes.

8 Eurofins group

Eurofins group, founded in 1987 in Nantes, France, has an international position in the field of food, pharmaceutical and environmental testing, and is the European testing organization in the field of testing.

9 CCIC

CCIC is an independent third-party inspection and certification organization with the main business of “inspection, identification, certification and testing”, serving enterprises, organizations, governments and individuals, covering important industries such as oil, chemical and mining, agricultural products, industrial products, consumer goods, food, automotive, construction, as well as logistics and retail. Currently, CCIC has about 300 organizations, 200 partner laboratories and more than 16,000 employees worldwide, with an operational network covering more than 20 countries and regions and major ports, cities and cargo distribution centers around the world.

★ The difference between product quality certification and quality management system certification

The certification object is different

The object of product certification is a specific product, both to do type tests on the product to determine whether the quality of the product meets the specified standard requirements, but also to assess the organization’s quality management system to assess whether the organization has quality assurance capabilities, can continue to provide stable and qualified products. The object of the quality management system certification is the organization’s quality management system, only to evaluate the organization’s quality management capabilities to meet the requirements of the certification standards.

The certification basis is different

The basis of quality management system certification is equivalent to the relevant national standards of the ISO 9000 family of standards. Its role is to improve the customer’s trust in the supplier, increase orders, reduce the customer’s inspection and evaluation of the supplier, and help customers choose a qualified supplier. The basis of product certification in addition to the certification body to determine the requirements of the quality management system, but also includes the technical basis, that is, the application for certification of products related to national or industry product standards.

The use of certificate and mark is different

Enterprises through the quality management system certification only prove that its quality management level meets the requirements of the corresponding certification standards, but does not prove that each batch of products is qualified, so the quality management system certification can only be used for corporate publicity, can not be used in the products produced by the enterprise. Quality management system certification can not use the certification mark.

The object of product certification is a specific product, the enterprise through the product certification that its products are to meet the requirements of the corresponding product standards, so the enterprise can be used in addition to product certification certificate for publicity, but also according to the requirements of the certification body to use the certification mark on the certified products.

The above is the basic content of product quality certification and quality management system certification, if you want to know more about product quality testing, please pay attention to our blog, TESTEX specializes in textile testing instruments and will continue to bring you more professional knowledge.