Are certification, approval, inspection and testing stupid and unclear?

Inspection VS testing

Detection is a technical operation to determine one or more characteristics of a given product, process or service according to a specified procedure. Detection is probably the most commonly used conformity assessment procedure, which is the process of determining that products meet specific requirements. Typical inspection involves size, chemical composition, electrical principle, mechanical structure, etc. Testing is carried out by a wide range of institutions, including government agencies, academic institutions and research institutions, commercial organizations and industry.

Inspection refers to conformity evaluation through measurement, observation, detection or measurement. There will be overlaps between testing and inspection, and such activities are usually carried out by the same organization. The inspection mostly depends on visual inspection, but it may also involve detection, usually using simple instruments,such as gauges.

The inspection is generally carried out by highly trained employees according to objective and standardized procedures, and the inspection usually depends on the subjective judgment and experience of the inspector.

Certification VS recognition

Certification refers to the conformity assessment activities where the certification body certifies that the products, services and management systems comply with the mandatory requirements or standards of the relevant technical specifications.

Accreditation refers to the qualification assessment activities recognized by the accreditation body for the ability and practice qualification of certification bodies, inspection bodies, laboratories and personnel engaged in evaluation, audit and other certification activities.

The objects of accreditation are certification institutions, inspection institutions and laboratories; The objects of certification are products, services, management systems and personnel.

1. The most confusing words

ISO 9000 VS ISO 9001

ISO9000 does not refer to a standard, but a group of standards. The ISO9000 family of standards is a concept put forward by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1994. It refers to the international standards formulated by ISO/Tc176 (TechnicalCommittee for Quality Management and Quality Assurance of the International Organization for Standardization).

ISO9001 is one of the core standards of the quality management system included in theISO9000 family of standards. It is used to verify that the organization has the ability to provide products that meet customer requirements and applicable regulatory requirements, with the purpose of improving customer satisfaction. It includes four core standards: quality management system - foundation and terminology, quality management system - requirements, quality management system - performance improvement guide, and quality and environmental management system audit guide.

CNAS VS CMA

CMA: China Metrology Accreditation. The Metrology Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that the product quality inspection institution that provides notarized datafor the society must pass the metrological verification, testing ability and reliability assessment by the metrological administrative department of the people's government at orabove the provincial level. This assessment is called metrological certification.

Metrological certification is a means of compulsory assessment of the inspection institutions (laboratories) that issue notarized data for the society through metrological legislation in China, which can also be said to be the compulsory recognition of laboratories by the government with Chinese characteristics. The data provided by the product quality inspection institution that has passed the metrological certification shall be used for trade certification, product quality evaluation and achievement appraisal as notarial data and have legal effect.

CNAS: China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) is a national accreditation institution established and authorized by the National Certification and Accreditation Administration Commission in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Certification and Accreditation, which is responsible for the accreditation of certification bodies, laboratories, inspection institutions and other relevant institutions.

Laboratory accreditation is voluntary and participatory. The standard adopted is equivalent to iso/iec17025:2005. There is a mutual recognition agreement signed with ILAC and other international laboratory accreditation cooperation organizations for mutual recognition.

Internal audit vs external audit

Internal audit is to improve internal management, promote quality improvement by taking corresponding corrective and preventive measures for the problems found, internal audit of the enterprise, first-party audit, and see how your company is running.

External audit generally refers to the audit of the company by the certification company,and the third party audit to see whether the company operates according to the standard system, and whether the certification certificate can be given.

2. The most commonly used certification terms

1. Certification institution: refers to the institution that has been approved by the certification and accreditation supervision and administration department of the State Council, and has obtained the legal person qualification according to law, and can engage in certification activities within the scope of approval.

2. Audit: refers to the systematic, independent and documented process to obtain auditevidence and evaluate it objectively to determine the degree of meeting the audit criteria.

3. Auditor: refers to the person who has the ability to carry out the audit.

4. The local certification supervision and administration department refers to the local entry-exit inspection and quarantine institution established by the quality and technical supervision department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region andmunicipality directly under the Central Government and the quality supervision, inspection and quarantine department of the State Council authorized by the national certification and accreditation supervision and administration department.

5. CCC certification: refers to compulsory product certification.

3. Terminology related to product certification and organization

1. New application: all certification applications except change application and review application are new applications.

2. Extension application: the applicant, manufacturer and manufacturer have already obtained the certification of products, and the application for certification of new productsof the same kind. Note: Similar products refer to products within the scope of the same factory definition code.

3. Extension application: the applicant, manufacturer and manufacturer have already obtained the certification of products, and the application for certification of new productsof different types. Note: Different types of products refer to products within the scope of different factory codes.

4. ODM mode application: application in ODM mode. ODM mode, that is, ODM manufacturers design, process and produce products for manufacturers in accordance with relevant agreements and other documents.

5. Change application: the application made by the holder for the change of certificate information, organization and possibly affecting product consistency.

6. Reexamination application: before the expiry of the certificate, if the holder needs to continue to hold the certificate, he/she shall apply for the product with the certificate again. Note: The application for reexamination shall be submitted before the expiration of the certificate, and a new certificate shall be issued before the expiration of the certificate, otherwise it shall be deemed as a new application.

7. Unconventional factory inspection: due to the long inspection cycle or other reasons, the enterprise applies for and is approved by the certification authority to conduct factory inspection when the formal test of the product for certification has not been completed.