As a third party, Vinçotte can always offer a totally independent and impartial assessment of the equipment, based on the requirements of the ATEX Directive, the European harmonised standards, and the experience of experts.

Vinçotte applies the Module G procedure when acting as a Notified Body for the ATEX Directive: Unit verification. As a result, each unit (the equipment or component to be certified) shall be handled on a case-to-case basis. This approach is therefore highly amenable for custom made applications and small series.

The procedure consists of:

• reviewing the design: have suitable protection methods been selected, and have they been correctly implemented?
• documentation review: are all necessary and relevant documents present, complete and factually correct?
• inspection of the unit: verification of the implementation of the design based on inspection and relevant tests.

Vinçotte provides the necessary flexibility in this regard: each order will be approached in a unique manner, tailor-made to the needs of the customer. With regard to inspection and testing, Vinçotte can rely on its wide experience and expertise within a wide range of possible services. Some examples are the acceptance of electrical systems, the functional testing of machines, thermography, and non-destructive testing. With these options, Vinçotte can carry out a suitable ATEX inspection for a wide range of applications. In addition, Vinçotte also has the necessary experts in-house, who will help you comply with the various relevant directives: Machinery Directive, PED (Pressure Equipment Directive), AREI (General Regulations for Electrical Installations), etc.

Vinçotte shall issue a (certificate of conformity) after completing the procedure. This evidences the conformity of the equipment. Depending on the exact application, this is a statutory requirement, or can be used for commercial advantage: the expertise of Vinçotte will reinforce your reputation and will foster trust in you.