Can multiple products be tested together?

Yes, multiple products can be tested together under a process called “Product Grouping” (or Family Grouping), which can save you thousands of dollars in laboratory fees.

However, you cannot simply lump random items together. Laboratories and regulators enforce strict rules on what qualifies as a single product family.

For a laboratory to test multiple items under a single report, the products must meet the following criteria:

• Every product in the group must be made from the exact same raw material grade, chemical formulation, and fabric composition from the same supplier.
• The items must be produced at the same factory using the same production methods (e.g., injection molding, casting, or weaving).
• The products must serve the same function and target the same user demographic. You cannot group a toddler’s toy with an adult’s novelty item, even if they use the same plastic.

How Different Tests Handle Product Grouping:

1. Chemical and Material Testing (REACH, RoHS, Prop 65, CPSIA):

• Laboratories frequently use “Composite Testing.” Instead of testing five different plastic items separately, the lab mixes samples of up to 3 or 4 different materials/colors into a single test tube and runs one test.
• This can slash your chemical testing costs by 50% to 70%.
• If the composite test fails a chemical threshold (e.g., it detects too much lead), the lab cannot tell which product caused it. You will have to pay extra for the lab to re-test every single item individually to find the culprit.

2. Mechanical and Physical Safety Testing (EN 71, ASTM F963):

• If you have five toy cars that use the exact same chassis but have slightly different plastic shells, the lab will identify the “Worst-Case Scenario” product. They will subject that specific model to full destructive testing (drop tests, pull tests, impact tests).
• The remaining models in the family will only undergo minor visual inspections or partial testing, reducing your overall bill.

3. Electronics & Wireless Testing (CE, FCC):

• If you sell an electronic device in three different colors, the internal circuit boards (PCBs) and electrical components must be 100% identical.
• The lab will perform full electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and safety testing on one unit. The other color variations are added to the final report as “Variant Models” for a nominal administrative fee.