Round Robin Tests / Services

Organising Round Robin Tests

Comparative tests performed at regular intervals are an important monitoring tool both for a certified quality assurance system and for in-house purposes. They enable quality supervisors and management to place the results obtained by the laboratory performing the tests in a wider framework and to communicate assurance and confidence both in the test results and in the products tested. In particular, round robin tests with international participation are becoming increasingly important with the advance of globalisation. This is why TESTEX organises round robin tests for many years in the fields of yarn, colour fastness, fabric properties and function, and is accredited under ISO 17043 since 2011.

However, in addition to the testing process as such, which is laid down in the test specification and standards, a whole series of factors which are hard to define and relatively difficult to grasp play a crucial role in the testing system as a whole, consisting of the material being tested, the test specification, testing equipment and personnel. Making these factors comparable is a major objective of round robin tests. In this respect round robin tests help to bring to light systematic sources of error in the testing system and can give rise to necessary corrective action, e.g.:

  • calibration/maintenance of the testing equipment
  • training of the laboratory personnel
  • adjustment of influencing factors relevant to testing (e.g. climate).

If the objective of making test results from different testing laboratories comparable and thus of mutual recognition is achieved, substantial cost savings can be made, since the repetition of tests which have already been performed can usually be dispensed with. This can be of crucial importance for the economic success of internationally wide-spread industries such as the textile and clothing sectors. In this case regularly performed round robin tests create the necessary confidence in the informativeness and accuracy of test results between the parties involved.

Further arguments for participating in round robin tests are:

  • supporting in-house quality assurance systems
  • building confidence in in-house results
  • creating a basis for accurately establishing where one stands, in-house and externally
  • building confidence in contacts with third parties (customers, suppliers)
  • systematic production control.