Many small buyers don't know where their products can be laboratory tested in China. Actually, many of them don't even know that they are responsible for compliance with their country's safety regulations. A handful of international groups have laboratory testing capabilities for the most common consumer goods. I listed them below. You can tell them what you are buying (with photos + a bit of context) and the importing country. They will give you a list of relevant tests with … [Read more...]
Investigating the Causes of Product Failure and Improving Design
You conduct reliability tests on your new products. You and your suppliers do product inspections and laboratory tests on mass production orders. Your customers probably give you feedback on the issues they find on what you ship to them. You collect many data this way. You set aside samples that don't pass. But do you learn from this? One of the most important activities is the investigation of the causes of product failure when certain samples fail the inspections/tests or fail in the hands of … [Read more...]
What Is Compliance Testing? [Podcast]
Why is compliance testing so important for buyers who import products from China? Compliance testing helps assure your product's compliance with your market's product and safety standards. By conducting such testing, you'll be testing whether the product is safe for consumers under normal use, doesn't contain hazardous substances above acceptable levels, and won't be restricted from being imported. Because importers are usually held responsible for any safety problems caused by … [Read more...]
3 Ways To Get Faster Results From Laboratory Tests On Your Products
The world is full of technical testing standards. The ASTM alone publishes more than 12,000 each year! However, in some cases, you might find that you need a customized test approach that fits your specific needs. Here are 3 tips that will help you get faster results. … [Read more...]
How to Check Lab Test Certificates/Reports?
As I wrote in What are Laboratory Certifications Worth in China?, it is important to verify the test reports or conformity certificates. I would guess that between 10% and 30% of the certificates given by Chinese suppliers to their customers are fake. Why is that? On the supplier's side, things are simple. There is no liability if the product is dangerous, and there is virtually no punishment if a customer finds out that a document is fake. On the other hand, paying a laboratory costs … [Read more...]