LED display manufacturer Chipshow has extended its EN 12966 certification coverage for its variable message sign (VMS) series to 20mm pixel pitch. The latest addition was certified in July 2026 by DBI Certification A/S (Notified Body No. 2531, Denmark), with product type testing performed by SGS-CSTC Guangzhou. Chipshow's EN 12966-certified VMS range now covers 6.67mm, 10mm, 16mm and 20mm pixel pitches.
The standard behind the certification
EN 12966-1:2005+A1:2009 is the harmonised European standard for variable message traffic signs under the EU Construction Products Regulation. It defines graded requirements for optical performance, environmental endurance and structural integrity, together with factory production control and ongoing assessment of constancy of performance. Certification confirms that a product has passed type testing, factory audit and notified body surveillance, and can be specified as a compliant product for European road projects.
What the 20mm certification covers
Chipshow's EN 12966 assessment of the VMS series at 20mm pixel pitch covered the full performance profile. On the optical side, the sign achieved colour class C2, luminance class L3, luminance ratio class R3 and beam width class B6, together with uniformity and visible-flicker requirements — ratings that indicate legibility in direct sunlight and low-angle light.
For environmental endurance, the 20mm models were certified to temperature classes T1, T2 and T3, a wider range than the T1 and T3 classes of the previously certified models. Further ratings include resistance to pollution class D3 and enclosure protection rated IP56. Impact resistance and vibration resistance tests were also passed, covering structural requirements for long-term roadside operation.
All classes are as declared in Annex 1 of the certificate.
How the certification was carried out
The certification followed the AVCP System 1 (Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance) regime of the EU Construction Products Regulation. Type testing was performed by SGS-CSTC Guangzhou against EN 12966-1:2005+A1:2009, and the certificate was issued by DBI Certification A/S (Notified Body No. 2531). Related products also passed the EN 50293:2012 electromagnetic compatibility test, covering conducted and radiated emissions and immunity, with harmonic current meeting EN IEC 61000-3-2 Class A.
Certified coverage from 6.67mm to 20mm
With the addition, the certified VMS range spans four pixel pitches from 6.67mm to 20mm, covering use cases from closer-range signs in tunnels to large-format gantry displays on motorways. Chipshow's C-Slim Vent P16 Traffic (VMS) is among the certified products, an EN 12966-certified P16 platform for motorway VMS and gantry installations.
A wider certified range allows projects that call for multiple VMS types to source compliant options across pitches from a single manufacturer, reducing compliance verification effort during tender evaluation.
For Chipshow, the 20mm VMS certification reflects continued engineering investment in traffic display products and extends the company's certified offering for European and global traffic infrastructure projects.
