Type Approval

A Product Design Assessment is a technical evaluation that confirms the product design complies with ABS Rules and requested regulations or standards.

A Manufacturer Assessment is an evaluation that verifies that a manufacturing facility’s quality systems and processes can consistently manufacture a product as approved by ABS Rules.

A MA status is displayed on the ABS website as MA/Tier 3 and a Certificate of Type Approval will be made available for download. Click here to begin the application process.

Product Quality Assurance verifies that each product is manufactured in accordance to ABS Rules and standards. It does this by assessing the manufacturer’s processes, equipment and quality controls to confirm they can consistently produce items to those standards, reducing the need for individual product reviews.

• Ideal for mass-produced items that require unit certification.
• The PQA program allows the manufacturer to witness and document the Rule-required surveys and tests which would normally be witnessed by an ABS surveyor.
• Unit Certification is provided by ABS through a document review.
• The scope of MA is expanded to include semi-annual endorsements of the certificate and quality system.
• Manufacturer’s PQA status will be displayed on the ABS website as PQA/Tier 4 and a Certificate of Type Approval will be available for download.

Materials Certificate

Manufacturer’s Certification is a formal document provided by the manufacturer that verifies a product meets the applicable design and production requirements. It confirms that the item was manufactured under controlled processes and inspected or tested according to the relevant standards or procedures.

• Self-Certification to a recognized standard and no ABS plan review.

PDA Application Process

Complete and submit the required PDA Request online form, available here. The request is non-obligatory and ABS Engineering will return a quote for their services. The ABS Engineering team will begin work on your submittal only after the quote has been accepted.

• Engineering Evaluation: ABS engineers evaluate technical documentation, drawings, materials and quality processes against the requested or applicable ABS Rules, as well as any specified regulations or standards.
• Prototype Testing (as applicable): Products undergo one-time design qualification testing as determined during the engineering evaluation. The prototype test must be witnessed by an ABS surveyor. A successful test completes the engineering evaluation.
• Issuance of a PDA Certificate: ABS issues a PDA certificate valid for five years, subject to changes in the applied Rules, regulations and standards or a change in the product design.

Upon successful review and prototype testing, the product is added to the ABS Type Approval database as design-assessed.

Type Approval Process: PDA+MA

Initial Application:

• Verification of valid PDA certificates as well as ISO 9001 quality system certification or equivalent are prerequisites.
• ABS audits the quality control systems and the manufacturing processes.  
• Click here to begin the application process.

Issuance of a MA Certificate:

• ABS issues a MA certificate that is valid for five years with annual endorsements.
• Together with PDA, MA results in Type Approved status in the ABS Type Approval database.

Type Approval for Unit Certification Required Products: PDA+MA+PQA

• Type Approval process via Product Quality Assurance.
• Ideal for mass-produced items that may need unit certification.
• The PQA program allows the manufacturer to witness and document the Rule-required surveys and tests which would normally be witnessed by an ABS surveyor.
• Unit Certification is provided by ABS through a document review.
• The scope of MA will be expanded to include a confirmatory evaluation, including an initial audit, semi-annual, and annual endorsements and renewal audit of the quality system at the 5-year term.

Unit Certification: PDA+UC

Unit Certification is an ABS process that provides individual certification for a specific manufactured unit, confirming that the exact product being supplied complies with ABS Rules, industry standards and approved design requirements.

This applies especially to products made in batch quantities, where each individual item must be inspected or tested for compliance rather than relying on Type Approval for an entire product line.

• ABS Rules require periodic attendance of the ABS Surveyor during any stage of manufacturing.