Conformity Assessment
Martin Kellermann · 2019
Defines conformity assessment—the collective term for a number of services based on the core functions of the quality infrastructure (QI): standards, metrology, and accreditation—as the demonstration that specified requirements of a product, process, system, person, or body prove fulfilled in ISO/IEC 17000 (“Conformity Assessment”) of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The specified requirements may typically appear in regulations, standards, and technical specifications. Generally speaking, the elements of conformity assessment include inspection, testing, and certification used in all fields of investigation, innovation, process improvement, productivity, product development, product compliance, and many more. The impact of conformity assessment on trade proves immense, and this will increase as technology becomes more sophisticated and consumers more discerning. Furthermore, the manufacturing global value chains stretching over many countries demand the seamless integration of components and subassemblies into the final products, and this requires a continuous demonstration of compliance with standards and specifications.