Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung IFAM
Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung IFAM

Quality assurance for production processes

State-of-the-art: Quality assurance standards for adhesive bonding technology

Today, the state-of-the-art 123 is demanded by product safety regulations. This is only binding 4 under product safety regulations, and includes bonded products. DIN 2304 (for the use of adhesive bonding technology in general industry and the handicrafts sector) and DIN 6701 (for the use of adhesive bonding technology in rail vehicle manufacture) describe the state-of-the-art for the organization of bonding processes, namely they codify the state-of-the-art for the implementation of adhesive bonding technology 4 and are hence binding. Companies that possess certification in accordance with one of these standards for their bonding process demonstrate that they use adhesive bonding technology for their process in accordance with the binding state-of-the-art in product safety regulations and that their employees have undergone training in adhesive bonding technology as specified in the standards.

1          For example in accordance with §14, para.1, no. 3, and para. 2, clause GPSG (German Equipment and Product Safety Act)

2          Art. 3, para. 3e of the Product Safety Directive

3          Annex I General Guidelines no. 3, Annex IX no. 9.2, and recital 14 of the Machine Directive

4          Prof. Dr. Thomas Wilrich, Was bedeutet "Stand der Technk"?, CE INFO Service, Issue No. 05 – 05-2010, © IBF GmbH – www.ibf.at

 

DIN 2304 "Adhesive bonding technology – Quality requirements for bonding processes"

DIN EN ISO 9001 is the basis of DIN 2304. DIN 2304 specifies a binding state-of-the-art in product safety regulations for the correct implementation of bonding processes. It stipulates both the requirements for manufacturing quality bonded joints and the general organizational, contractual, and technical-production basis for manufacturing bonded joints.

DIN 2304 comprises the following core elements:

  • Classification of bonded joints in accordance with safety requirements
  • Assignment of supervisors in charge (SICs) of adhesive bonding work
  • Verification: Actual load < Load limit of the bonded joint
  • Company certification in accordance with DIN 2304

DIN 6701 "Manufacture of bonded joints on rail vehicles and parts of rail vehicles"

DIN EN ISO 9001 is the basis of DIN 6701. DIN 6701 specifies a binding state-of-the-art in product safety regulations for the correct implementation of bonding processes in the rail vehicle manufacturing industry. It stipulates both the requirements for manufacturing quality bonded joints and the general organizational, contractual, and technical-production basis for manufacturing bonded joints in the rail vehicle manufacturing industry.

DIN 6701 comprises the following core elements:

  • Classification of bonded joints in accordance with safety requirements
  • Assignment of supervisors in charge (SICs) of adhesive bonding work
  • Verification: Actual load < Load limit of the bonded joint
  • Company certification in accordance with DIN 6701

In the meantime an increasing number of rail vehicle manufacturing companies around the world have been certified in accordance with DIN 6701.

Company certifications in accordance with DIN 6701 and DIN 2304

DIN 6701 and DIN 2304 allow user-companies to be certified in accordance with these standards. The certification of a company in accordance with DIN 6701 or 2304 gives customers and regulatory authorities the confidence that bonded joints are correctly manufactured in accordance with the current state-of-the-art stipulated in the standards.

Company certification in accordance with DIN 6701 or DIN 2304 demonstrates that the user-company operated in accordance with the standard in the periods between the first certification, monitoring audits, and re-certifications.

Company certifications can be carried out by certification bodies that are officially accredited by the Deutsche Akkreditierungsgesellschaft (DAkkS) in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17065 for performing DIN 6701 and DIN 2304 certifications.