Euskirchen (Germany) – The Nuclear and Electromagnetic Effects (NE) department of the Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis INT in Euskirchen has been awarded the certificate of compliance under the ISO 9001:2008 quality management standard. This certification applies to “scientific work on the effects of nuclear and electromagnetic radiation as well as conducting and developing procedures for their characterization”. Thus, the quality management system of the Nuclear Effects in Electronics and Optics (NEO) business unit previously certified in 2013 was expanded to the entire department in order to offer even greater transparency and better quality for the department’s customers.

Official recognition by DNV GL Business Assurance on 17 July 2017 was preceded by years of preparations. All processes from technical implementation to documentation to bookkeeping were reviewed again for the entire department, optimized, and precisely documented. Continuous monitoring and documentation of the processes will make it easier to identify and correct errors in the future. Even if problems occur, for example in the form of complaints, these can be resolved more readily thanks to certification.

The conversion applies to all processes and the related procedures and activities in the NE department. For measuring tasks for example, this means that all equipment always has to be calibrated. QM certification also demands that suitable means for internal communication have to be used. The institute hopes to further improve service levels and the quality of results through this certification. “The requirements for accuracy and reliability are extremely high, especially in the testing of highly sensitive satellite electronics or systems that are part of critical infrastructures. This certification is a guarantee for our customers, clients, and partners that the applicable quality standards are met,” explains Dr. Stefan Metzger, head of the NE department.

The NE department at Fraunhofer INT combines the Electromagnetic Effects and Threats (EME), Nuclear Security Policy and Detection Techniques (NSD), and Nuclear Effects in Electronics and Optics (NEO) business units. The department conducts its own experimental and theoretical research on the effects of ionizing and electromagnetic radiation on electronic components, systems, and for radiation detection. The institute has the latest measuring technology for this purpose. Radiation sources, electromagnetic simulation equipment, and detector systems that can, in this combination, not be found in any other civil facility in Europe constitute the key laboratory and large equipment.

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