Help

Please login into the current platform. You will find a link to log into the previous PTP website. Please be aware that the passwords of both accounts can be different.

1 – Click on login on the top right corner

2 – Select “Sign up now” with the e-mail address used on the previous PTP website and click on “Send verification code”

3 – Type the 6-digit verification code you received by e-mail and click on “Verify code”

4 – Create your new password, enter your name and click on “Create”.

5 – For improved security, the new website has a multi-factor authentication. Please scan the QR code with the Authenticator app.

6 – Type the verification code given by your app.

Please, follow this Tutorial to create a new Account and fill in your Company Information,

If one of your team already created an account, please follow this Tutorial.

Please, cleake here to follow the tutorial

Please inform your sponsors. With their agreement you may order a new kit.

The geometry in the technical definition is advised but not mandatory.

You can subcontract the machining as you are used to doing when performing tests for the sponsors.

You can follow this tutorial here

You can find your invoice through your order. Click on the tab "Order" > PTP-XXXX > Invoice Tab.

Please, check it with your tracking number if the kit has not been sent. If it is still pending, it will be sent later by PTP team, but it means that there is technical reasons.

You can download both documents from your account on the website, if they are not available please contact us.

Please check that every step in the ordering process has been completed. Make sure the payment has been made.

Examples: Awaiting bank transfer means that your payment has not yet been confirmed.

Please, follow the process to place an order: Tutorial to place an order.

To order your test kits, please click on the relevant scheme page (ie Metallic or Composite) to see all of the available kits. You can then add the required kits to your basket and proceed either by logging into the website or registering as a new user.

For each kit you select the relevant sponsor (if applicable) to allow them access to your results and reports.

Clicking on the button “get proforma invoice” will finalise the order.

Please contact your sponsor to know which kits you are required to order.

If the kit you wish to order is no longer available, please click on the "notify me when back in stock" link to be informed when new kits are available

If the kit I need to test is not available in the current year's PTP program, and my sponsor requests results, then I am allowed to purchase a kit from the Comparison Scheme.

If I need to repeat testing because I failed the previous kit, I can also do so with the approval of my sponsor.

No, it will be selected randomly by PTP. Then, your results will be compared to the acceptance classes from the corresponding year.

The kit is not available yet, but it will be shortly.

The PTP Team is still in the process of uploading them to the new website.

Comparison Scheme means that your results will not be part of the population for the analysis of the Scheme (determination of the acceptance classes). Thus, we will simply check if your mean and standard deviation (if the characteristics needs several results) belong to the classes determined during the analysis of the results from participants in the PTP Program of the year 20XX. Of course, when you buy a comparison kit, you don't know which program you will be compared to (20XX).

No, you can submit the results when you want. Your results will be available soon after the submission of your results.

Please contact the scheme sponsors and the PTP team to see what can be organized.

IRR (Internal Round Robin)

The IRR program allows a laboratory to carry out additional tests within its own structure when it has several machines or operators performing the same type of tests. The objective is to evaluate these additional resources. The results are then compared to the acceptance classes defined by the PTP program for the relevant kit.

This process makes it possible to verify the consistency of results between different machines and operators, and to ensure the overall reliability of internal testing.

For example, Company Bob has two tensile testing machines (A and B) and two operators (1 and 2). It first participates in the PTP with machine A and its main operator (1), by ordering one PTP kit of 5 specimens.

To also evaluate machine B and operator 2, the company orders two IRR kits (3 specimens each). Operator 1 performs 3 tests on machine B, while operator 2 carries out 3 tests on machine A.

In total, Company Bob therefore receives:

• 1 PTP kit of 5 specimens

• 2 IRR kits of 3 specimens each

Here you can find some general information about our Proficiency Testing Schemes.
PTP is ISO 17043 accredited since 2009 - Accreditation number N° 1-2466

https://tools.cofrac.fr/annexes/sect1/1-2466.pdf

You can downloads it directly on the scheme home page.

A five year schedule is downloadable on the scheme home page.

You have to participate in all the tests for which you are accredited or looking for accreditation by your sponsors.

PTP schemes can allow your laboratory to :

• Evaluate your technical competence
• Identify your possible bias
• Check the scatter of your results (repeatability and reproducibility)
• Compare your performance to other laboratories 
• Identify areas for improvement
• Demonstrate your competence to stakeholders
• Support your internal quality control

The PT Scheme has been designed to guarantee optimum confidentiality by means of the following:

No commercial, financial or other pressures will be allowed by PTP.

All PTP staff involved with the control and management of the PT Scheme are totally independent of any other activity carried out within the organisation (e.g. calibration, testing, specimen manufacturing etc).

All data and information relating to the PT Scheme (including communications) is kept separate from the laboratory activities by use of a dedicated server and offices.

Participant Laboratory results and name are known only to the PTP staff, and the selected scheme sponsors thereby assuring confidentiality of the individual laboratory’s performance in the PT program.

In the exceptional circumstances, whereby a regulatory authority requires proficiency test results to be disclosed, this will be coordinated by the PTP staff and the participant(s) laboratory(s) shall be notified in writing.

The PTP activities are managed with confidentiality and impartiality by the staff.

Collusion and falsification of your PTP results are totally forbidden. In case of identification or suspicion of collusion or falsification, the laboratory will be excluded from the program and the sponsors will be immediately informed.

Please use the ticket section accessible from your login area and select “Query” or “Complaint”

After receiving your complaint through the ticket system, PTP will review it and give an appropriate answer.

If the problem can be solved quickly, PTP will answer directly on your ticket.

If the complaint requires more investigation, PTP will follow the below process : 
-  Step 1 : PTP will contact you to gather information and fully understand the problem (by e-mail, phone or video conference)
- Step 2 : Summary of the information obtained by PTP and assignement to a team member depending of the nature of the issue (technical, quality…)
- Step 3 : Immediate corrective actions
- Step 4 : Investigation and root cause analysis
- Step 5 : Action plan
- Step 6 : PTP will send you the conclusion of the investigation

If you need information on how to submit your PTP results, please click HERE.

If you don't find you submission form, even if you received you kit, please, verify that you checked the button “Participate in PTP Program” and that you paid Administrative fees.

It is also possible that submission form of the kit is not available for the moment.

For filling out multiple submission forms (ex: Hardness, Chem...) You can check this tutorial Submit a multi‑sheet results form | Scribe

No, these data are not mandatory and will not impact your PTP results.

Please click here to view our step by step tutorial.

If you received a "Failed" report but you don't have a sponsor or your sponsor doesn't use the PTP nonconformity module, you can close the nonconformity yourself.

Please click here to view our guide to have more explanation.

Depending on the type of problem that lead to the nonconformity, your sponsor can ask for additional information, documents or results.

Please click here to view our guide and see all the possible scenario.

If your results are out of the acceptance criteria for a kit, your participation report status will be "Failed" and a nonconformity will be open on the PTP website.
You have 30 days to submit your feedback starting from the report publication date.

Please click here to view our guide on how to complete your nonconformity.

When a report is published, you will receive an automatic e-mail with a link to download the report.

You can also download your report directly from the website. To do so, please click HERE to refer to our guide.

Depending on the type of kit and results required in the technical instructions, several types on analysis are possible

Quantitative data - measurable information expressed as a numerical value (Ultimate Tensile Strength, Brinell hardness, Aluminium concentration…):

The acceptance classes are based on the participants results submitted before the deadline.We apply algorithm A from ISO 13528 and we obtain an value (x*) and a standard deviation for proficiency assessment (s*).
If we ask for several results per characteristic, we also apply algorithm S from ISO 13528 and obtain a repeatability standard deviation (w*).

The acceptance classes are defined as follow :

Acceptance classes on the mean value

Class 1 : x* +/- 1 s*
Class 2 : x* +/- 2 s*
Class 3 : < x* - 2 s* or > x* + 2 s*

Acceptance classes on the repeatability (if applicable)

Class 1 : 0 to w*
Class 2 : w* to 2 w*
Class 3 : > 2 w*

Qualitative data - descriptive or categorical information that cannot be measured numerically (inclusion type, broken/non broken sample…)

You will find in the technical instructions how each chracteristic is analysed

• Mode analysis (microstructure type for example)

The assigned value is based on the answer given the most by participants

• Expert analysis (inclusion analysis for example)

PTP designates a team of internal and/or external experts to set up assigned values and acceptance classes. The participants results are compared to the experts analysis.

• Median analysis (number of a pits on a corroded sample for example)

The assigned value is based on the median of the participant population.

The acceptance classes are defined as follow :

Class 1 : Percentile 0,2 to 0,8
Class 2 : Percentile 0,1 to 0,9
Class 3 : < Percentile 0,1 et > Percentile 0,9 

Please cleak HERE to reach the process of PTP participation and the different steps of the PTP.