Dear colleagues,

We are glad to inform you about the roll out of our two new programs in 2013 of the PTB Ex Proficiency Testing Scheme. Please find attached the Roll Out Paper with all information for participation. Our policy for the scheme is to keep everything as simple as possible, but achieving consistent, reliable and valuable results.

The team would be very happy to welcome ExTLs, applicant ExTLs and other laboratories having experience in applying the IEC 60079-0 and IEC 60079-1 to join the program in total or in parts, depending on the individual in house resources. Each contribution is highly appreciated to collect experience for the programs and for the continuous improvement process of the whole scheme.

The interested ExTLs, ExTL applicants and other Ex laboratories will confirm their participation by filling in the respective form enclosed as Annex B (which you can find in the Roll Out Paper) and send them back to PTB in accordance with the schedule

before 2013-05-01.

The coordinator will confirm the receipt of the declaration of participation accordingly. The programs are considered as two separate programs, so it is possible to participate in both programs or in just one of them.

The test samples described in the attached document are designed as the basic module which will be used in the future for further programs with other measurands within the types of protection.

The test samples are designed as a model of a virtual product using a type of protection for eliminating an ignition source. This concept has been developed in order to achieve a higher probability for repeatability of the experimental results.

You can find general information about the scheme and the programs here on our new designed website.

All detailed information, specific descriptions and data for the performance of the new programs 2013 will be uploaded on the website soon.

Please feel free to contact us at any time for further information. All team members are excited to serve you as best as possible.

Kind  regards

Your Ex Proficiency Testing Team

Uwe Klausmeyer, Jia Wu, Tim Krause