An SDS, TDS, test report and certificate are not four versions of the same proof. An SDS communicates hazard and handling information. A TDS identifies the product and summarizes declared properties. A test report records what happened to a named specimen under a named method. A certificate confirms conformity or certification only within its stated scheme and scope.
Ask for the document that owns the question. Then verify product identity, intended use, issuer, date, revision, scope and exclusions. A correct document type with the wrong product scope is still unusable.
Choose the File from the Sintered Stone Decision
| Decision | Request | Must include | Not a substitute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify the offered slab | TDS / product data sheet | Manufacturer, model, design, thickness, format, finish, intended use, revision. | Brochure or product photo. |
| Review hazard communication | Current SDS | Product identifier, hazards, composition disclosure, first aid, handling, storage, exposure controls, disposal, revision. | A generic safety poster or test certificate. |
| Verify a measured property | Full laboratory report | Report ID, specimen, sampling, method, conditions, units, results, authorization, complete pages. | A TDS summary value without source. |
| Verify a certified scope | Certificate plus current directory/listing where applicable | Issuer, holder, site/product scope, scheme/standard, dates, exclusions, status. | Logo on a brochure. |
| Support an EU construction-product route | Applicable declaration + CE information + supporting technical file | Product type, intended use, technical specification/ETA, characteristics, AVS, responsible operator, signature. | A test verification document titled “certificate.” |
| Release project work | Approved submittal/drawing/revision record | Package ID, revision, response status, comments, conditions, action released. | Email saying “looks good.” |
The Sintered Stone TDS: Slab Identity and Declared Properties
A useful sintered stone TDS names the design and product code, body or construction group, nominal slab and usable dimensions, thickness, finish, rectified/factory edge condition, backing or mesh if supplied, recommended conversion/use, referenced methods, declared values or classes, date and revision. A small tile-size sample or laboratory coupon should not be allowed to erase the commercial large-slab configuration.
The inspected Funtek product data image shows product and batch fields, dimensions, finish, recommended use, a property table, referenced ISO/EN methods and a statement that the values are based on internal laboratory tests. That wording is material: the sheet is a product-control record, not an independent laboratory report.
A TDS can summarize a value. It cannot silently upgrade an internal result into third-party certification. Keep the source of every value visible.
The SDS for Slab Handling and Dust-Producing Fabrication
An SDS answers hazard-communication questions about the supplied slab: identification, hazard classification, composition disclosure within applicable rules, first-aid measures, firefighting, accidental release, handling and storage, exposure controls, physical properties, stability, toxicology, disposal, transport and regulatory information. The revision date matters because composition and classifications can change.
An SDS does not measure the worker’s airborne exposure during cutting, grinding or polishing. It also does not design the employer’s engineering controls, exposure assessment or respiratory-protection program. For silica-related work, keep product content, dust-generating task, exposure evidence and employer duty as separate records; the silica content and exposure guide explains that boundary.
Why a Test Report Cannot Be Replaced by a TDS
| Field | TDS | Full test report |
|---|---|---|
| Primary function | Product identification and declared/summarized properties. | Record of a defined test performed on a defined specimen. |
| Product link | Usually design/model, body, commercial slab format, thickness and finish. | Source slab or submitted sample, coupon dimensions, thickness, finish, orientation, marks and sampling details. |
| Method detail | Often a method reference only. | Method edition, preparation, conditions, equipment or deviations as required. |
| Results | Selected typical, required or declared values/classes. | Individual values, mean/class/observation, units and qualifiers. |
| Issuer | Manufacturer or supplier. | Laboratory or testing organization. |
| Best use | Shortlisting and controlled product specification. | Evidence review against a separate acceptance source. |
Use the 12-field report check before copying a result into a project matrix.
Read the Certified Object, Not the Word “Certificate”
“Certificate” may refer to a product certification, management-system certificate, conformity document, factory-production-control certificate, material origin certificate or another scheme. Read the subject before the standard number. An ISO 9001 certificate concerns a quality-management system at named entities/sites; it does not certify water absorption or stain resistance. A certificate of origin supports customs/origin, not product performance.
The visible Funtek NSF/ANSI 51 certificate identifies a holder, product category, intended food-contact use, certificate number, issue date and expiry date. Those fields are the start of review; current status and exact product coverage should also be checked in the scheme’s directory where available.
The visible “Test Verification of Conformity” referencing EN 14411 contains a decisive limitation: it states that it does not permit use of the CE marking. The correct reading follows that limitation. The presence of a CE graphic or EN number cannot override the document’s own legal wording.
Where DoP, DoPC and CE Information Fit
For products placed on the EU construction market, first determine whether the exact product and intended use are covered by an applicable harmonised technical specification or follow a European Technical Assessment route. Under the CPR framework, the declaration and CE marking sit inside that route; they are not generic substitutes for a TDS or laboratory report.
A public Dekton declaration example shows how a declaration ties together manufacturer, product family, intended use, EN 14411, assessment system and declared characteristics. It is useful as document anatomy only. It does not establish a StoneFuntek declaration or route. The separate EU CPR 2024 guide explains the current transition and Annex V fields.
Source boundary: See the European Commission’s CE marking and declaration overview and this named Dekton DoP example. Scope stays with the named products and uses.
Files That Complete a Slab Order but Do Not Prove Performance
| File | Legitimate job | Not a substitute for |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of analysis / batch test summary | Reports selected batch results or production checks at its stated basis. | A full accredited type-test report or legal declaration unless the scheme says so. |
| Inspection report | Records observed quantity, dimensions, appearance, packaging or witness points for a named order. | Laboratory performance evidence outside the inspection scope. |
| Factory audit report | Assesses a facility, process or management controls at a point in time. | Exact-product test results or shipment inspection. |
| Declaration of conformity | A responsible party declares conformity under the named legal/scheme basis. | Independent certification unless the route requires and identifies it. |
| Fabrication / installation manual | Controls the named slab thickness, cutting sequence, cutout radii, edge build-up, handling, support, joint and installation procedures. | Project-specific piece drawing, fixture model, support design, engineering or cut release. |
| Warranty | States contractual coverage, conditions, exclusions and remedy. | Proof that a performance property meets the specification. |
| Packing list / commercial invoice | Reconciles crates, slabs or cut pieces by product code, dimensions, quantity and traceability IDs. | Product approval, test scope, face/vein approval or inspection acceptance. |
How Technical Libraries Separate Product, Safety and Fabrication Files
A mature document library does not place every PDF under “certificates.” The public Cosentino library separates safety data sheets, technical data, declarations, European Technical Assessments, factory-production-control records, manuals and certifications. Lapitec’s technical documentation similarly distinguishes a technical sheet, safety sheet, management-system certificates, mechanical reporting, fire classification and processing manuals.
That structure gives buyers a practical rule: organize the folder by question and authority, not by marketing importance. Keep product-control, safety, measured performance, legal declaration, management system, fabrication and project-release folders separate.
Source boundary: Examples: Cosentino Dekton document library and Lapitec technical documentation. These sources demonstrate document-family structure, not Funtek scope.
Audit the Supplier Folder File by File
Create a one-line audit for every supplied file before drawing conclusions. Use the visible title and issuer, not the buyer’s downloaded filename. Then record product scope, intended use, date/status, authority, decision supported and any limitation. A file called “CE certificate.pdf” may turn out to be a test verification with a limitation; a file called “test data.pdf” may be an internal data sheet.
| Audit field | Example of a precise entry | Weak entry to reject |
|---|---|---|
| Document identity | SGS report SZXEC25052189601, issued 29 May 2025, 8 pages. | SGS certificate. |
| Product scope | Calacatta White FT-CW1260, 1200 × 600 × 12 mm specimen. | All sintered stone. |
| Authority | Laboratory report issued/approved by named SGS entity. | International certification. |
| Question supported | Test scope lists ISO 10545-3/-4/-14/-13/-9; result pages required. | Product is certified. |
| Current status | Complete controlled PDF requested; cover page currently inspected. | Valid. |
| Limitation | Results refer to tested sample unless report states otherwise. | None. |
| Next action | Obtain result pages and compare with specification clause. | Approve order. |
At folder level, look for contradictions. Does the TDS list a thickness that the report does not test? Does the certificate holder differ from the invoicing entity? Does the declaration name a use that differs from the project? Does the manual revision predate a product change? Resolve contradictions in the evidence register instead of choosing the most convenient file.
FILE AUDIT ID: _________________________________
Visible title / issuer / number: _______________
Product / site / use scope: ____________________
Issue / expiry / revision / page count: ________
Authority: manufacturer / lab / certification body / legal operator / project reviewer
Decision supported: ___________________________
Limitations / contradictions: _________________
Disposition / next action / owner: _____________An Exact Document Request for a Sintered Stone Order
Please provide the current [DOCUMENT TYPE] for:
Product / model: ______________________________
Format / thickness / finish: __________________
Intended use: _________________________________
Destination market / project: _________________
Question or property: _________________________
Required method / scheme / legal route: _______
Required scope: exact SKU / family / site / use
Required status: full report / current revision / directory listing
Acceptance source or specification clause: ____
Requested by / due date: ______________________Examples: “Provide the complete ISO 10545-4 report for the 12 mm polished model, including specimen details and result pages,” or “Provide the current SDS for the supplied product and revision date.” These requests can be answered precisely; “send all certificates” cannot. Use the standards and documents hub to route any remaining approval question.
Ask for the Document That Owns the Question
Send the product code, thickness, finish, intended use, destination and the decision to be made. Funtek can identify available data, safety, test, certificate and project records at their stated scope.