Initial assessment
We do an initial assessment to:
- make sure you have supplied all the relevant information
- determine testing requirements.
We may able to visit you on site to inspect large instruments.
After the initial assessment, we provide an outline of the testing needed. We will also give a cost estimate if required. Learn more about pattern approval fees.
You may also need to:
- provide any extra information we’ve requested
- make any necessary instrument modifications we’ve requested.
Full assessment
Once we receive the requested extra information and you have made any modifications to the equipment, we can conduct a full assessment of your pattern.
When we examine instruments for pattern approval, we assess:
- your instrument’s documentation
- how your instrument operates against the pattern approval requirements
- the results of your instrument’s performance testing.
Performance testing
Performance testing ensures your instrument:
- is accurate, reliable and functions as designed
- can continue to meet allowable maximum permissible errors when subjected to a range of conditions designed to replicate conditions in the field.
We base our performance tests on the specifications detailed in the pattern approval requirements.
We conduct:
- temperature testing
- damp heat, steady-state and cyclic humidity testing
- AC and DC power variation testing
- immunity to radiated interference testing
- immunity to conducted radio-frequency field strengths testing
- electrostatic discharge testing
- line-borne interference testing.
We will contact you with the results of each test after we perform them.
Acceptance of test results
We accept test results from other ISO 17025 accredited facilities with appropriate scope of accreditation. We generally do not accept manufacturer’s test results.
To help us to determine acceptability, you can provide:
- full detailed test reports, including test results
- details of the laboratory that conducted the test including its ISO 17025 certificate of accreditation, if they are not part of a formal mutual acceptance agreement.
We have mutual acceptance agreements with:
- Office for Product Safety and Standards in the United Kingdom to accept test reports for:
- load cells
- non-automatic weighing instruments
- water meters
- continuous totalising automatic weighing instruments
- automatic catchweighing instruments
- automatic gravimetric filling instruments
- automatic rail-weighbridges
- discontinuous totalising automatic weighing instruments
- fuel dispensers (excluding for liquefied petroleum gas)
- multi-dimensional instruments
- Netherlands Measurement Institute to accept test reports for:
- load cells
- non-automatic weighing instruments
- fuel dispensers (excluding liquefied petroleum gas)
- Trading Standards in New Zealand to accept test reports for non-automatic weighing instruments
- countries participating in the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) mutual acceptance arrangement and the OIML certification system
Approving authorities
We may appoint approving authorities to test measuring instruments.
Find an approving authority to test your measuring instrument for pattern approval.
Decision to issue a certificate of approval
After we have assessed your instrument pattern and documentation, we make a decision. If we approve your instrument, then we issue a certificate of approval.
Non-passing instruments
We will notify you if your instrument does not comply with a requirement or specific test. You will be able to make modifications and resubmit your instrument.