10 years MBS test laboratory

Neutral BACnet conformance tests with high quality results

Krefeld, March 15, 2022 - The BACnet test laboratory at Krefeld-based MBS GmbH is currently celebrating its tenth anniversary. In 2012, the "conformity assessment body" of the building automation specialist was certified for the first time by the German accreditation body DAkkS in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025. "The founding of the test laboratory was a logical addition to our successful activities in the BACnet sector," recalls Nils-Gunnar-Fritz, Managing Director of MBS GmbH.

Test results of the highest quality

The work of the test laboratory and the quality of the test results are of great importance for smooth BACnet communication. This is because the manufacturer-independent standard enables data exchange between different components of a building automation system. The currently most widely used bus protocol has long played a major role in the MBS product range - hardware such as routers and gateways, as well as software such as the BACnet Test Framework or the BACnet stack from sister company CS-Lab, are used in numerous properties. "When we started, there were two test labs for the BACnet standard worldwide," says Fritz. "Given its success story, that was clearly not enough."

The Krefeld-based company now manages around 20 testing projects per year. "Of these, 80 percent are existing customers," reports Alexandra Henczka. The trained physics laboratory technician specializes in BACnet and has headed the test laboratory since 2021. Together with her colleagues, she ensures that the new products of these customers undergo the conformity test in accordance with the current requirements of the umbrella organization BTL (BACnet Test Laboratories) and the ISO 16484-6 standard. 20 percent of customers are companies that want to participate in public tenders for technical building systems for the first time. Henczka: "The use of the bus protocol is mandatory here, especially in German-speaking countries, as it is considered a key technology for independent building management systems, efficient property operation and innovative network technologies."

Complete range of services

Together with its sister company CS-Lab, MBS offers its customers end-to-end support from the native hardware to the certified BACnet end device - starting with BACnet integration, specifications and requirements, the coordination of test procedures, the definition of technical requirements through to product testing and certification. In addition to the extensive experience of MBS GmbH, which is celebrating its 35th company anniversary this year, contacts with the umbrella organizations BTL and ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) and participation in the BACnet Interest Group are also essential. "Based on this network, our expertise and many years of experience, we provide our customers with reliable advice at the highest level," emphasizes Fritz. The certification of the test laboratory also ensures that every result is determined neutrally in defined processes in the future.