BAM provides its expertise within the framework of European statutory regulations and agreements both on a national and international level as a materials technological and chemical technological Federal Institute.
BAM operates as a national institute for metrology in chemistry in agreement with the Federal Institute of Physics and Metrology (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, PTB). This includes development and provision of reference procedures and reference materials to build up a German system for the traceability of chemical measurements to common standards (national measurement standards) for chemical analysis. International acceptance is established in the framework of an Agreement between the Member States of the Metre Convention (Comité International des Poids et Mesures, Mutual Recognition Arrangement, CIPM MRA).
BAM has national and international statutory functions in the transport of dangerous goods, for example approving containment systems for dangerous goods and recognition of national testing laboratories and manufacturers' QM systems. BAM is also the approval authority for pyrotechnics and explosive systems under the German Explosives Act and for pyrotechnical ammunition under the German Weapons Act.
BAM is a Notified Body named by the Federal Government to the European Commission and the EU member states (EU registration number 0589) within the scope of European Guidelines listed here. It acts primarily in the field of structural design suitability testing and approval of manufacturers' QM systems.
All of BAM's departments possess a very high specialist expertise, specifically recognised and assessed in certain areas by external bodies. For this reason all specialist departments possess an accreditation, which meets the requirements of DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 (General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories).
In January 2009, ISO (International Standardisation Organisation), ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) and IAF (International Accreditation Forum, Inc.) agreed on a joint communiqué (PDF, www.ilac.org). According to this communiqué the management system of testing and calibration laboratories holding an accreditation against ISO/IEC 17025:2005 complies with the principles of ISO 9001:2008.
Furthermore, the Divisions V.2 Mechanical Behaviour of Materials and V.3 Service Loading Fatigue and Structural Integrity have been granted an accreditation by Nadcap with the scope mechanical testing and hardness (certificate no. 116750). Natcap is a worldwide cooperative programme within the aerospace and automotive industries.
Department II has a GLP certificate (Good Laboratory Practice). The department is supervised in regular intervals by the Federal GLP Office (certificate, PDF).
Ing. Jörg Ehreke
BAM QM representative
Unter den Eichen 87 12205 Berlin
Germany
phone:
+49 30 8104-1941
fax:
+49 30 8104-1947
email:
qmb@bam.de