Fake calibration certificate?

This topic has 34 replies, 16 voices, and was last updated 3 January 2026 at 11:37 by Robert Atkinson 2.

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23 November 2025 at 11:23 #825856
Robert Atkinson 2
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@robertatkinson2
First of all this not a complaint about the supplier or even really Dasqua.

I just bought a Dasqua 25-50 mm outside digtal micrometer from one of the usual UK suppliers. Overall pleased with the micrometer. It’s not a Mitutoyo but it’a a third of the price. In the package with the instructions was a calibration certificate.

I’m used to looking at calibration certificates and this one did not look or feel (literally) right. Closer examination revealed that the the measured values and claibration “stamp” are halftone printed.

Now it’s possible the measurements might be ink jet printed but the font looks like a mechanical type. There is no bleed you would get from inkjet or impression from typing. Also if the calibration values are typed or printed on a blank form why is the serial number hand written in pencil. This is pencil, it’s impressed and there was graphite dust I could wipe off.
Even more telling is how do you calibrate a 25 to 50mm micrometer with 2.5 to 25 mm gauge blocks
I’ve seen this before with electronic measuring instruments from the far east. You buy several items and they all have identical errors…
None of this really matters to hobbyists but if you are an organisation with any sort of quality system or approval it could catch you out.
I’m not suggesting that the micrometer does not meet it’s specification.Mainly because it doesn’t seem to have one other than “Strictly made in accordance with DIN863” which implies +_ 4 um. Just making some awareness.

Robert.
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23 November 2025 at 13:12 #825889
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Could they be rubber stamped, that would give a half tone
23 November 2025 at 13:20 #825894
Bo’sun
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@bosun58570
Isn’t Dasqua an Italian brand, or at least some items of Italian origin? If so, the seemingly fake certificate doesn’t surprise me.
23 November 2025 at 13:44 #825898
Robert Atkinson 2
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@robertatkinson2
On 23 November 2025 at 13:12 JasonB Said:

Could they be rubber stamped, that would give a half tone

Hi Jason,

I’ve never seen a half tone rubber stamp. Is this a new thing? I’d have thought the stamp pressure would have flattened any half tone “bumps”.

B.T.W I ment to put a question mark at the end of the title. Can you add one for me please?

Robert
23 November 2025 at 14:02 #825900
cedric 1
Participant
@cedric
On 23 November 2025 at 13:20 Bo’sun Said:

Isn’t Dasqua an Italian brand, or at least some items of Italian origin? If so, the seemingly fake certificate doesn’t surprise me.

Italian company originally but their factory has been in Chengdu, China, for many, many years.
23 November 2025 at 15:10 #825914
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
On 23 November 2025 at 13:44 Robert Atkinson 2 Said:

On 23 November 2025 at 13:12 JasonB Said:

Could they be rubber stamped, that would give a half tone

Hi Jason,

I’ve never seen a half tone rubber stamp. Is this a new thing? I’d have thought the stamp pressure would have flattened any half tone “bumps”.

B.T.W I ment to put a question mark at the end of the title. Can you add one for me please?

Robert

I was looking at the individual results they look like they may have been stamped, the big circular one is printed
23 November 2025 at 15:19 #825919
Robert Atkinson 2
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@robertatkinson2
I forgot to say, the other discrepancy is no date.

Robert.
23 November 2025 at 16:05 #825924
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Probably best to email them an image as get it from the horse’s mouth, look forward to hearing what they have to say
23 November 2025 at 16:43 #825933
old mart
Participant
@oldmart
I have several Dasqua products and they are all better than average quality. I had always suspected that they were not made in Italy because of the price, but it shows that China can make good stuff if they want to. I cannot comment on the certificate as all my Dasquas are at the museum, but I do have my Tesa at home and it has a certificate which has no date on it, but does have the part number and serial number.
24 November 2025 at 08:38 #826031
Robert Atkinson 2
Participant
@robertatkinson2
Jason,

I’ve sent dasquatools.com the question. Interestingly their website does not recognise the model number. Additionally dasquatools.co.uk goes to a RGD tools website and Dasqua.co.uk goes to a Cronos website. The plot thickens.
I also note that there is no CE or UKCA marking on the instrument, instructions or packaging. This means it’s non-compliant. I’ve asked the supplier about this.

Robert.
24 November 2025 at 09:00 #826034
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
That I why I linked to the Manufacturer’s contact page not the local distributor
28 December 2025 at 16:12 #830273
DMB
Participant
@dmb
Possibly breaking the law by not having CE or UKCA markings. I wouldn’t blindly trust such markings anyway. Far too much dwindling going on in all spheres today. Best to go by perhaps reputations then general appearance and finish of the product and finally, useage – does it perform to expectations?
28 December 2025 at 16:43 #830279
Nigel Graham 2
Participant
@nigelgraham2
Would a caliper need CE or UKCA accreditation anyway?
28 December 2025 at 18:38 #830289
duncan webster 1
Participant
@duncanwebster1
CE mark means it complies with relevant EU Regulations. I can’t off hand think of one that applies to something which operates on 2 volts or so. UKCA appears to be a dead duck, CE marking continues to be acceptable in IK where applicable.
28 December 2025 at 19:29 #830294
John McCulla
Participant
@johnmcculla
I got a Dasqua 25-50mm outside micrometer for Christmas. Here’s the calibration certificate.

The figures are at least different.
28 December 2025 at 22:14 #830310
Huub
Participant
@huub
You would expect the measurements and the serial number to be written, not printed. If the results would be entered in a data sheet, than the serial number would also be entered in the same data sheet. So the probability this is fake is pretty high.

My Mitutoyo calibration reports seems authentic.

None of the Chinese reports that came with my tools or machines are somehow trust worthy.

The “test record” of my German Paulimot F207-V milling machine is, based on the measurements (none of the 12 measurement ends on a 0,2,3,4,7 or 9), authentic with a 0.05% probability. The results do not match the actual machine state and the report is 100% printed. That combined it is likely a fake document.
29 December 2025 at 09:07 #830330
Nicholas Farr
Participant
@nicholasfarr14254
Hi, I don’t know for sure, but it could be the certificate is printed automatically, and the tester signs it once the test has finished.

Regards Nick.
29 December 2025 at 09:41 #830334
cedric 1
Participant
@cedric
On 28 December 2025 at 18:38 duncan webster 1 Said:

CE mark means it complies with relevant EU Regulations. I can’t off hand think of one that applies to something which operates on 2 volts or so. UKCA appears to be a dead duck, CE marking continues to be acceptable in IK where applicable.

There are two almost identical CE marks. One is EU, the other is Chinese and means nothing. You can look up on the net how to distinguish the subtle differences.
29 December 2025 at 09:46 #830337
cedric 1
Participant
@cedric
29 December 2025 at 11:36 #830350
Robert Atkinson 2
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@robertatkinson2
On 28 December 2025 at 18:38 duncan webster 1 Said:

CE mark means it complies with relevant EU Regulations. I can’t off hand think of one that applies to something which operates on 2 volts or so. UKCA appears to be a dead duck, CE marking continues to be acceptable in IK where applicable.

Well the Measuring Instruments Directive 2014/32/EU for a start. And for UK Measuring Instruments Regulations 201.

The EMC directive also applies. The operating voltage (actually 3V for the instrument I bought) is irrelevent to the legislation. There are other directives that apply to items that may not have any electrial components.

Robert.
29 December 2025 at 11:42 #830353
Robert Atkinson 2
Participant
@robertatkinson2
On 29 December 2025 at 09:46 cedric 1 Said:

On 29 December 2025 at 09:41 cedric 1 Said:

On 28 December 2025 at 18:38 duncan webster 1 Said:

CE mark means it complies with relevant EU Regulations. I can’t off hand think of one that applies to something which operates on 2 volts or so. UKCA appears to be a dead duck, CE marking continues to be acceptable in IK where applicable.

There are two almost identical CE marks. One is EU, the other is Chinese and means nothing. You can look up on the net how to distinguish the subtle differences.

There is no such thing as a “China Export” mark. The original CE mark was just the two letters but that had legal difficulties becuase you can’t stop people putting letters on their products. So they changed it to a defined symbol which does not match an existing font.

Robert.
29 December 2025 at 12:11 #830363
duncan webster 1
Participant
@duncanwebster1
Well being particularly bored I looked up the uk measuring eqpt regs, which are heavily based on the EU directive and I think you’d be stretching a point to apply them to a digital caliper. They are aimed at things like water meters, taximeters etc

Similarly EMC, has anyone ever had interference caused by a digital caliper?
29 December 2025 at 13:16 #830372
cedric 1
Participant
@cedric
On 29 December 2025 at 11:42 Robert Atkinson 2 Said:

On 29 December 2025 at 09:46 cedric 1 Said:

On 29 December 2025 at 09:41 cedric 1 Said:

On 28 December 2025 at 18:38 duncan webster 1 Said:

CE mark means it complies with relevant EU Regulations. I can’t off hand think of one that applies to something which operates on 2 volts or so. UKCA appears to be a dead duck, CE marking continues to be acceptable in IK where applicable.

There are two almost identical CE marks. One is EU, the other is Chinese and means nothing. You can look up on the net how to distinguish the subtle differences.

There is no such thing as a “China Export” mark. The original CE mark was just the two letters but that had legal difficulties becuase you can’t stop people putting letters on their products. So they changed it to a defined symbol which does not match an existing font.

Robert.

Can you not see the difference in letter shape and letter spacing in the above graphic? One is the real CE mark, the other is the Chinese imitation, designed to confuse. Widely used on products I buy directly from China on Aliexpress. Whether it actually stands for Chinese Export or not is moot.
29 December 2025 at 14:22 #830385
Robert Atkinson 2
Participant
@robertatkinson2
No, It’s just a bad representation. They don’t care about copyright or trademark. I’ve seen otherwise compliant “white goods” from a big manufacturer which had a computer printed label, including serial number, that had a non-compliant CE mark because the printer could not handle the non-standard font.
Even these labels for sale https://www.labelsonline.co.uk/ce-labels? are non-compliant as the spacing is too close…

Robert.
29 December 2025 at 15:55 #830396
Robert Atkinson 2
Participant
@robertatkinson2
On 29 December 2025 at 12:11 duncan webster 1 Said:

Well being particularly bored I looked up the uk measuring eqpt regs, which are heavily based on the EU directive and I think you’d be stretching a point to apply them to a digital caliper. They are aimed at things like water meters, taximeters etc

Similarly EMC, has anyone ever had interference caused by a digital caliper?

If no-one has had interference from a digital caliper the system must work 🙂

It is true that very low power items like a digital caliper are unlikely to cause interference. But the EMC directive is not just about causing interference. Items must also be immune to interference. If the result of interference does not cause damage or an unsafe condition the manufacturer can simply state this in their declaration. This approach is used inthe USA for a lot of equipment for compliance with FCC requirements.
None the less the manufacturer or importer must make the determination of compliance, keep records, declare compliance and mark the item. For a small low power item like a digital caliper this may be just a paperwork exercise. For example complinace with the measuring instrument regulations can be by marking the caliper “not for trade” and incuding information in the instructions.

Compliance is mandatory, enforcement seems minimal…

Robert.
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