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Independent material testing, analysis, and failure analysis

Accredited material testing, fire testing, damage analysis, and environmental simulation, delivered through an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited Assessimus network specialist. From product development and market approval through to in-service failure analysis, the Assessimus network covers the full materials lifecycle.

What is independent material testing?

Objective testing from accredited specialists

Independent material testing is the assessment of a material's physical, chemical, thermal, or mechanical properties by an accredited laboratory with no commercial stake in the outcome. Results are generated using calibrated instruments, documented methodologies, and traceable uncertainty data, making them suitable for regulatory submissions, customer approval, and legal proceedings.

Credible evidence for approvals, disputes and claims

When a manufacturer tests its own materials, the result carries an inherent conflict of interest. Regulators, customers, and certification bodies recognize this. Test results from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited independent laboratory carry the credibility and defensibility that in-house data cannot provide, a distinction that becomes critical during product approvals, field failure analysis, and liability claims.

From test data to technical answers

The Assessimus network's material testing capability goes beyond issuing a test report. Clients receive a full technical interpretation of results, including root cause analysis, recommendations, and, where failures are involved, a complete failure investigation report.
Comprehensive material testing

Four disciplines. One accredited network member.

Fire testing

EN 45545 · EN 13501 · CPR
Assessment of how materials behave when exposed to fire: ignitability, flame spread, heat release, and smoke production. Classification results to EN 45545 (rail vehicles) and EN 13501 (construction products) for market approval, CE marking, and customer compliance.

Materials analysis & characterization

Composition · Structure · Properties
Analytical testing to determine material composition, microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal behavior, for material qualification, production quality control, and root cause investigation after field incidents.

Damage analysis & failure analysis

Root Cause · Liability · Engineering Report
When a component or material fails in field, the Assessimus network investigates the failure mechanism, identifies the root cause, and produces a documented engineering report, used by manufacturers, insurers, and legal teams to understand cause and prevent recurrence.

Environmental simulation

Weathering · Aging · Exposure Testing
Assessment of material performance under UV exposure, humidity, thermal cycling, and chemical exposure, to validate durability claims and meet regulatory requirements across transport, construction, and industrial applications.
material testing standards

Standards the Assessimus network supports

ISO/IEC 17025

Testing & Calibration Laboratories
Accreditation held by the network's material testing specialist through DAkkS (Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle), confirming internationally recognized competence and impartiality.

EN 45545

Fire Protection on Railway Vehicles
Primary European standard for fire behavior of materials in rail vehicles. Defines hazard levels HL1–HL3. Required for market approval across EU member states.

EN 13501

Fire testing of Construction Products
European fire testing framework under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). Required for CE marking of construction materials.
Temperature profiling industries

Who relies on independent material testing

Rail & Transport
Construction
Aerospace & Defense
Automotive
Industrial Manufacturing
Research & Development

Applications

Rail vehicle manufacturers

EN 45545 approval for interior components, cables, textiles, and structural elements

Construction material suppliers

EN 13501 fire testing for CE marking under the CPR

Industrial equipment manufacturers

Material qualification during product development and production QC

Insurers and legal teams

Independent damage analysis and failure analysis for liability cases

R&D teams

Materials characterization for new material development programs
Temperature profiling specialists

Who delivers this service

ASSESSIMUS NETWORK MEMBER
MATERIAL TESTING & ANALYSIS

Accredited Material Testing Specialist

Hennigsdorf, Germany · ISO/IEC 17025 accredited (DAkkS)
This service is delivered through an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited Assessimus network member based in Hennigsdorf with deep expertise across fire testing, materials analysis, failure analysis, and environmental testing. Despite origins in rail system testing, their laboratory scope covers a wide range of industrial, construction, aerospace, and R&D applications, wherever a traceable, independent test result is required.
ISO/IEC 17025
DAkkS Accredited
EN 45545
Hennigsdorf, Germany

Frequently asked questions

EN 45545 is the European standard for fire protection on railway vehicles. It defines reaction-to-fire performance requirements for materials in rolling stock (seat materials, floor coverings, wall panels, cables, and structural components), classifying them into hazard levels HL1, HL2, and HL3 based on vehicle type and material location. Materials must be tested and classified before approval for use in rail vehicles in EU member states. 

ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Accreditation confirms a validated quality management system, calibrated equipment, qualified personnel, and documented test methods with quantified measurement uncertainty. Results from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory are internationally recognized and accepted by regulatory bodies and customers worldwide. 

Damage analysis assesses what physically broke and the extent of degradation. Failure analysis goes further, identifying the root cause: why the component failed and what initiated the failure. The Assessimus network provides both, in engineering reports that cover the full picture from observed damage to identified cause. 

Yes. The material testing capability within the Assessimus network covers construction, aerospace, automotive, industrial manufacturing, and R&D programs. The rail specialization reflects the heritage of the specialist involved, but the laboratory scope is general materials and fire testing. 

Material testing is one part of a coordinated compliance picture. Products that require material qualification often also need EMC testing, temperature profiling, or pre-compliance consulting. Because these are all available through the Assessimus network, clients can address multiple compliance requirements through a single partner rather than managing separate supplier relationships for each discipline. 

Get in touch

Ready to submit a testing inquiry?

Tell Assessimus about your material, the standard you need to meet, and your timeline. We will connect you with the right specialist and confirm applicable test methods, specimen requirements, and expected turnaround. Where your project requires additional services, the wider network is available to coordinate.
The specialist network for testing, technical instrumentation, and R&D
Built for engineers who need answers they can rely on
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Managing Director: Abgar Barseyten · 
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