Accredited testing laboratory
Certified processes define the way we work. By continuously monitoring and documenting extensive testing, calibration, and laboratory parameters, we guarantee the highest quality standards for independent verification. We are an independent laboratory providing conformity assessments.
After two years of groundwork, the accreditation of the Fogra card testing laboratory was successfully passed in 1996. The standard at that time was DIN EN 45001 and the accrediting body was the German Accreditation Council (DAR), which was merged into the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS) on 1 January 2010.
At that time laboratory space and accreditation range were not large:
- 5 Fogra employees
- 27 tests within the scope of accreditation
- 40 m2 Laboratory area
Since then, our quality management has been subject to a continuous improvement process.
In the meantime our lab has been accredited as a conformity assessment body for 30 years according to ISO 17025 and has significantly increased both in range and laboratory space.
- 10 Fogra employees
- 20 standards with more than 100 tests within our scope of accredition
- 260 m2 Laboratory area
Accreditation as a conformity assessement body is no longer restricted to standards but is accepted as flexible accreditation of levels A to C. The laboratory can include standardised or equivalent test procedures and also its own test methods in its given scope of accrediation.
International standardization
Fogra also protects and supports the interests of its members within the international standardisation process. It is represented in numerous standardisation committees for this purpose.
In the International Standardisation Organisation (ISO), for example, two Fogra employees lead working groups of the TC 130 Graphic Technology Technical Committee.
Arne Müller, head of the Security Applications Department, is active in ISO/DIN committees, e.g. in the international working group for physical testing of chip cards and for passport tests. As the new editor, he will be responsible for the ISO/IEC 10373-1 standard from 2021.
