Sports Equipment Testing

QC Tailored for the Sports Equipment Industry

Equipment used in sports must adhere to safety standards and meet performance requirements set by various committees, organizations, and governing bodies for the sport. With a $45 billion industry in America alone, manufacturers whose products are safe, consistent and effective can gain a competitive advantage through reliable testing and quality control. Rigorous testing by an independent quality control partner provides retailers and consumers with confidence that your products meet specifications, perform consistently, and last.

QIMA offers sports equipment testing to help you demonstrate safety, quality and compliance, and to qualify for certifications from an athletic body or other organization. With global experience in the latest quality testing methods, QIMA keeps up with regulations for sporting goods around the world. Use QIMA's laboratory testing services to ensure that your sports products meet the applicable requirements.

Sports Equipment Testing Requirements

Each sport has its own equipment and specifications for the performance of the equipment. Padding and helmets must keep players safe, balls must be the same size and weight, goals have the same measurements, and equipment cannot provide players with an unfair advantage. To help manufacturers meet the standards for a particular sport and ensure that players are sufficiently protected, athletic associations and various regulatory bodies set equipment requirements for specific sports.

Organizations that issue standards for equipment include:

• ASTM (Association for Testing and Materials) International

• Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

• European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee 136

• Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC)

• International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)

• National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE)

• National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

• National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

• Technical Committee ISO/TC 83

In addition to these standards, sports and fitness equipment must comply with laws and directives that relating to product safety and environmental issues. QIMA's accredited laboratories offer the following tests for your sports products, ensuring that they meet the quality and safety standards for your destination market:

• Electrical safety

• Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)

• Heavy metal analysis (lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel)

• Plasticizers (phthalates)

• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)

• Product safety testing (UL/IEC)

• RoHS testing

• Toxics in packaging

• US California Proposition 65 for Consumer Products

Fitness Equipment Testing Expertise                               

QIMA’s sports equipment tests focus on physical properties and safety through physical, mechanical, and chemical processes. We test your products in accordance with applicable laws, sport specifications, and customer-specific requirements. We can also conduct lab tests at every stage of your production cycle, including pre-production, production, and after market, testing samples of raw materials as well as finished products. Our sample collection process ensures that we evaluate a representative sample, not just the sample a supplier may want you to test.

QIMA has global experience testing a wide variety of sports equipment, such as:

• Helmets

• Headgear

• Mouthguards

• Face shields

• Protective goggles and glasses

• Padding

• Shin guards

• Gloves

• Baseballs and softballs

• Tennis balls

• Bowling balls

• Pucks

• Bats

• Racquets

• Hockey sticks

• Soccer and hockey goals

• Track and field equipment

• Gymnastics equipment

• Playground equipment

• In-line skates / roller skates

QIMA’s testing services include physical, mechanical and chemical tests to check the safety, quality and performance of your fitness products. Depending on the product, these may include:

MECHANICAL TESTS

• Strength tests

• Durability tests

• Verification of specifications

• Testing performance characteristics

• Internal construction review

• Noise level measurement

• Product function/performance test

• Stability test

CHEMICAL TESTS

• Prohibited azo dyes according to REACh Annex XVII

• Dispersion dyes

• Plasticizers (phthalates)

• RoHS conformity

Certifications for the Sports Equipment Industry

QIMA’s certifications for sporting goods can set you products apart and demonstrate superior product quality and safety to your consumers. Certification service you may choose from:

• In-house / fit-for-use quality and test marks

Why QIMA for Product and Supplier Compliance?

The QIMA Benefits

• A network of global labs providing one-stop service to you and your suppliers

• Industry leading turnaround time for testing

• Testing capabilities covering a wide range of consumer products including electrical & electronics, hardlines, softlines, toys and juvenile products

• Lab experts trained and certified in regulatory standards and the newest testing methods

• Global technical support team with rich experience to help you build tailor-made testing programs

• Easy online and mobile booking and dashboard for managing orders and accessing data anywhere, any time