Key Concepts: Types of Conformity Assessment

Testing

The determination of a product’s characteristic against the requirement of a standard.


There are two types of testing:

  • Non-destructive evaluation (e.g. X-ray, ultra sound, pressure testing, electrical, etc.)  where after the product is still fit for use.
  • Total destructive analysis (e.g. chemical, mechanical, physical, microbiological, etc. or any combination thereof) where after the product is no longer fit for use.

Testing is conducted by:  test laboratories; pathology laboratories; environmental laboratories (private/public)

ISO/IEC 17025:2017 focuses on general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.