Certification & Testtag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2008-12-01:/blogs/test-and-measurement//2582012-02-03T12:00:38ZThe inside track, from TRaC, on testing and certification services, ranging from telecoms & radioand environmental, through to analysis, safety and EMC. Movable Type Enterprise 4.37Future Proofing in the rapidly changing world of test & certificationtag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2012:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2215192012-02-02T11:21:38Z2012-02-03T12:00:38ZThe Test and certification industry is always evolving. Changes in existing legislation, new national requirements and standards following emerging technologies ensure there is never a dull moment. Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.comThis post is by Mark Heaven, CEO, TRaC
The Test and certification industry is always evolving. Changes in existing legislation, new national requirements and standards following emerging technologies ensure there is never a dull moment.
Clients constantly expect us to meet their, often legal, market entry requirements now and in the future. Whether it is new test equipment to meet the demands of a new technology or a new standard, or simply adding the capability to accommodate large test items in more of our facilities, we're constantly investing to stay at the leading edge.
TRaC offers a huge range of test and certification services, and so the investments we make vary from internal R&D to support the latest standards to providing more vibration systems and EMC chambers to accommodate a greater variety of equipment and products.
]]>
Today I'm seeing the results of one of our biggest investments with the
opening by Peter Luff, Minister for Defence, Equipment and Technology (pictured above, left, with Mark Heaven, right),
of the new TRaC South Labs, our new EMC and environmental test facility
that offers additional capabilities to meet the needs of the aerospace
and defence market.
Opening a new test facility is one of the most rewarding aspects of my
job, and TRaC South follows on just over a year after we opened a new
facility in the North West. To see our customers, journalists and a
representative from the Government attend shows me how important the
development of new test facilities is to the technology industry in the
UK, particularly aerospace and defence.
Of course, as the cliché goes, now is the time the hard work starts. In
addition to helping customers meet legislative and performance
requirements, a test facility needs continual investment to ensure it
can support the latest standards and technologies. The significant
investment we made in the new labs, however, gives us a great platform
that will ensure we can support all the requirements of our customers
now and in the future.
]]>
RTCA Stirs Up a Debate about Testing Aircraft Equipmenttag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2012:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2208932012-01-19T09:52:46Z2012-01-19T09:55:43ZRecently, I have been working my way through RTCA/DO160G, which is the latest revision of standard procedures and environmental test criteria for testing airborne equipment. Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Alistair Bitcon, Military/Aerospace EMC, TRaC
Recently, I have been working my way through RTCA/DO160G, which is the latest revision of standard procedures and environmental test criteria for testing airborne equipment.
It's becoming apparent that the RTCA/DO160G working groups are favouring the stirred mode method for radiated susceptibility as opposed to the anechoic chamber method.
Although it's still possible to use an anechoic chamber for radiated susceptibility testing, all faces of the equipment under test (EUT) must be directly exposed to the test antenna, and if any face of the EUT is not directly exposed to the test antenna, the justification for this decision must be included in the test report. ]]>
The reverberation chamber test method, however, avoids the need to expose each face of the EUT to the antenna in turn. This method has also been modified from a "Mode-Tuned" process to a "Mode-Stirred" process which is much quicker process, and test time in a reverberation chamber would now be less than testing a EUT on all six sides in an anechoic chamber.
Standards bodies can have a huge impact on the way electronic equipment is tested, and the changes to the RTCA standard are a great example. By changing test methods, standards bodies can flip the economics of testing, encouraging a whole industry to change the preferred methodology for certifying products.
]]>
How long does it take to gain global approval for your product?tag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2012:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2203612012-01-05T14:24:42Z2012-01-05T14:27:10ZThe old maxim of "how long is a piece of string" when given as an answer to your question doesn't really help anybody. However, in the case of global approvals, we at TRaC can certainly give you a good estimate of how long that piece of string is and in most cases a good idea of the maximum length!Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Joe Lomako, Business Development Manager, TRaC
The old maxim of "how long is a piece of string" when given as an answer to your question doesn't really help anybody. However, in the case of global approvals, we at TRaC can certainly give you a good estimate of how long that piece of string is and in most cases a good idea of the maximum length!
Many countries in which manufacturers wish to market their products will often accept test reports to FCC and EU requirements as part of the approvals process. But whilst these reports may indeed be accepted there is usually still be an application process which must be traversed with the national authority, but having the reports already prepared goes a long way to speeding up the process.
]]>
So for example, a typical radio application for say, South Africa, which accepts reports of testing to the appropriate EN standard, can be completed in 4-6 weeks, yet a far Eastern country can take as long as 12 or even 16 weeks to approve the same product. It's therefore vital to check the requirements for your market on a regular basis.
]]>
The importance of preparationtag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2199902011-12-19T14:45:54Z2011-12-19T15:34:13ZThe world of approvals may seem daunting, but it needn't be, not if enough preparation and forethought is put into deciding in which markets you want to place your products. Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Joe Lomako, Business Development Manager, TRaC
The world of approvals may seem daunting, but it needn't be, not if enough preparation and forethought is put into deciding in which markets you want to place your products.
Whilst demands change, any good approvals engineer is always ready to assist a manufacturer with urgent approvals requirements, but ideally the manufacturer should speak to their approvals professional ahead of when they wish to place their products on the market. ]]>
• Some countries approvals processes can be relatively time consuming so the more notice for the application the better • Requirements change. A manufacturer may have gone through a process previously with a product only to find that the next time they go through it, the testing requirements or the approvals application process may have changed • Applicants sometimes assume that what is required for one country is the same for another
]]>
New list of ATEX standards published in the EU Official Journaltag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2189172011-11-23T10:40:18Z2011-11-23T10:46:26ZI've just been updating some records against the latest version of the list of harmonised ATEX standards in the EU Official JournalAlun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Simon Barrowcliff, Director of Safety, TRaC
I've just been updating some records against the latest version of the list of harmonised ATEX standards in the EU Official Journal.
However this version too will soon be out of date as a consequence of the July release of new versions of two key standards in the 60079 series at IEC level. The EN versions of IEC60079-0 Edition 6 and IEC60079-11 Edition 6 are already in draft and will be issued in the next month or so. There's also a version of IEC60079-1 due soon.
All these standards include substantial changes that will be of use to or impact upon designers of many types of ATEX equipment.
]]>
IECEx have issued a clarifying decision sheet (DS 2010/006A) that permits the use of concept standards referring to Edition 4 to use Edition 5 or 6. This is bound to cause confusion for some time to come.
]]>
Testing is the key to successtag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2181552011-11-09T14:15:39Z2011-11-09T14:20:21ZI was interested to see a news story online recently revealing how residents of a Southampton street have been baffled by their electronic car key fobs not working in the vicinity, whilst they appear to work perfectly well away from the area. Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by John Charters, Radio Product Manager, TRaC
I was interested to see a news story online recently revealing how residents of a Southampton street have been baffled by their electronic car key fobs not working in the vicinity, whilst they appear to work perfectly well away from the area.
It's generally recognised that the problem is being caused by interference from another RF source, jamming the receiver used by the fob. Ofcom, the government agency responsible for radio communications, has pledged to investigate the cause of the interference.
I can't help but think that if manufacturers had tested the key fob's receiver to the Class 1 requirements of EN 300220, i.e. the RX blocking tests, then this may not have happened!
]]>
Is the transitional period from old to new standards too long?tag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2173192011-10-27T11:12:46Z2011-10-27T11:24:23Z
October 2011 sees the end of the transitional period from previous versions of EN55022 to the latest version which now requires testing above 1GHz for the first time. At the same time (beginning of October 2011) the Official Journal of the EU listing the harmonised standards for the EMC Directive has also been updated. Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Steve Hayes, EMC & Safety Managing Director, TRaC
October 2011 sees the end of the transitional period from previous versions of EN55022 to the latest version which now requires testing above 1GHz for the first time. At the same time (beginning of October 2011) the Official Journal of the EU listing the harmonised standards for the EMC Directive has also been updated.
Notable (and predicted) is the inclusion of both generic standards for emissions (EN61000-6-3 and -4).
Both these standards now include emission requirements above 1GHz in the same way that EN55022 has.
]]>
The question is, is this transitional period, where a manufacturer can choose to use either standard to demonstrate compliance to the EMC Directive, too long? After all, the product churn in today's world is largely much faster than this and hence manufacturers may see at least another product launch before above 1GHz test requirements are mandatory.
Equally, the protection of the RF spectrum will be under pressure whilst millions of new products enter the market without any control of their electromagnetic emissions for another 2 years.
]]>
How Radio impacts our livestag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2160192011-10-12T07:30:52Z2011-10-10T12:34:52ZIt recently occurred to me how often we come across RF connected devices in our day to day life.Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by John Charters, Radio Product Manager, TRaC
It recently occurred to me how often we come across RF connected devices in our day to day life.Consider a typical day:
• You're woken up by the baby monitor signalling it's breakfast time! • You go downstairs to turn off the wireless burglar alarm. • You unlock the car using a wireless key fob. • You press a button to start the engine via a keyless RF system, only to be told the tyre pressure is low by the in-built monitoring system which uses RF to communicate this to the engine management system. • On the road, you come across temporary lights using dipolar radar to detect oncoming vehicles and RF control to change the lights. • You get into work with your access control fob and log onto the WiFi network. • Later, you leave the office and phone home from the car using Bluetooth handsfree. • Someone at home answers using DECT. • In the evening, you play games on your Wii using wireless remotes. • You also check your domestic energy consumption using your wireless energy monitor.
]]>
Automotive v Electrotechnical - The Standards Battle Lines are being drawn uptag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2152912011-09-28T10:48:40Z2011-09-28T10:54:25ZYou cannot have failed to notice that there is a lot of activity in the world of Electromobility. This is the term for all facets of electric vehicles and the associated chargers and infrastructure. The current work is moving forward at two levels - strategic policy and test standards.Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Steve Hayes, EMC & Safety Managing Director, TRaC
You cannot have failed to notice that there is a lot of activity in the world of Electromobility. This is the term for all facets of electric vehicles and the associated chargers and infrastructure. The current work is moving forward at two levels - strategic policy and test standards.
For the standards communities (and hence manufacturers) the challenge will be to decide if an electric vehicle is actually more electrical than automotive. This is a major issue since the test methods, limits and hence product designs will be different dependant on the standards used. ]]>
I accept that the car has a different power supply, but the majority of electrical noise will be generated by the VSD.
IEC write electrotechnical standards whilst ISO write automotive. The standards written by both of these groups are then used by other areas of industry and are used in contractual situations - supplying to any of the major car manufacturers will require testing to their own standard which is itself based on either IEC or ISO standards. Changing from one standard to another will see many objections since test chambers and equipment will need to change.
Equally having standards written around the protection of the FM receiver in a car from the spark noise is somewhat irrelevant when there are no spark plugs fitted!
]]>
No more interference!tag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2143502011-09-14T09:32:49Z2011-09-14T09:41:04ZI stumbled upon a section of the OFCOM website the other day and noticed that OFCOM no longer accept interference complaints from individuals or consumers - this has now been passed exclusively to the BBC and is essentially a web-based process that is followed to identify and resolve interference issues. Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Steve Hayes, EMC & Safety Managing Director, TRaC
I stumbled upon a section of the OFCOM website the other day and noticed that OFCOM no longer accept interference complaints from individuals or consumers - this has now been passed exclusively to the BBC and is essentially a web-based process that is followed to identify and resolve interference issues.
It appears from the OFCOM web site that the only interference issues they deal with are from pirate radio stations. Surely domestic users and pirate radio stations aren't the only sources of interference, otherwise we wouldn't need legislation like the EMC Directive? ]]>
Some
previous Certification & Test entries: * Meeting MET
]]>
Certifying the Certification Housestag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2135572011-09-02T10:07:48Z2011-09-14T09:39:42ZMany of our customers are surprised when we tell them that TRaC is affected by certifications and standards, even though we don't sell products. The EMC directive, however, addresses both apparatus and installations, and as our EMC testing chambers are installations, they need to meet EMC regulations!Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Steve Hayes, EMC & Safety Managing Director, TRaC
Many of our customers are surprised when we tell them that TRaC is affected by certifications and standards, even though we don't sell products. The EMC directive, however, addresses both apparatus and installations, and as our EMC testing chambers are installations, they need to meet EMC regulations!
We're currently building a new test facility, and some of the measures we have taken include laying out the many cables running in the building to reduce emissions and ensuring that our wired and WiFi networks will operate in the presence of interference.
]]>
Using TRaC's services as a customer gives us a different perspective on what we do, although as a test and certification organisation, we can't complain about the challenge of meeting the relevant statutory requirements!
Some
previous Certification & Test entries: * Meeting MET
]]>
How the CE mark affects product designtag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2126072011-08-17T16:18:10Z2011-08-17T16:20:05ZLooking at the sleek electronic product that you've just bought and wondering why design has improved so much? Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Steve Hayes, EMC & Safety Managing Director, TRaC
Looking at the sleek electronic product that you've just bought and wondering why design has improved so much?
Safety standards can impact many aspects of product design, and can even lead to improved aesthetics! Here are my top 5 examples of how the CE mark has affected product design:
• Restrictions on touch temperature have driven toaster manufacturers to put attractive plastic cladding around the product • The requirement to stop fingers getting into electronic products drove the design of the ventilation grill on your Playstation3 • Safety standards that prohibit sharp edges and corners mean that TV manufacturers need to adopt modern stylish case designs with rounded corners and edges. • Lawn mowers have been restricted to a minimum weight to stop consumers using them as hedge trimmers • The sound of mobile phones now gradually increases to avoid 'acoustic shock' ]]>
Some
previous Certification & Test entries: * Meeting MET
]]>
Meeting METtag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2116612011-08-03T09:32:20Z2011-08-03T09:45:44Z
The presentations, 'Global Wireless Approval Regimes' and 'ATEX - v - Hazloc - v - IECEX for the potentially explosive atmosphere markets', illustrated how to best address compliance for complex products in global markets.Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Mark Heaven, CEO, TRaC
Recently I gave two presentations at our North American Partner, MET Laboratories, annual customer appreciation seminar in Baltimore.
The presentations, 'Global Wireless Approval Regimes' and 'ATEX - v - Hazloc - v - IECEX for the potentially explosive atmosphere markets', illustrated how to best address compliance for complex products in global markets.
Attendees at the seminar had access to speakers in the fields of EMC, Safety, Reliability and Energy Efficiency, reinforcing to me how much can be gained from attending a compliance seminar. They are one of the best ways of connecting with experts who are up-to-date in the diverse fields associated with compliance.
]]>
status as a Nationally Recognised Testing Laboratory (NRTL) means the MET Mark is acceptable under Federal law for products used in workplaces throughout the United States.
Talking to a wide range of US manufacturers, many have been using the MET safety mark to access their internal market for years, and were quick to praise the expertise, responsiveness and cost benefits that MET brings to their business. A big advantage is that MET has adopted the latest OSHA policy change, which allows for some companies to qualify for two factory audits per year, instead of four.
The US imported over $900 billion worth of electrical and capital goods in 2010 and if you are an EU company targeting the North American market, it's good to know that, if you choose the MET mark to comply with this mandatory safety requirement, you are in good company - US manufacturers use it too. There are now a very large range of products in the U.S. and Canada labelled with the MET mark.
]]>
The impact of the new legislative framework on CE markingtag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2111522011-07-27T09:31:18Z2011-07-27T09:41:40ZThe New Legislative Framework (NLF) became effective on 1st January 2010 and has received a lot of publicity about its requirement for Member States to increase compliance with legislation by implementing stronger accreditation and market surveillance systems. Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by Steve Hayes, EMC & Safety Managing Director, TRaC
The New Legislative Framework (NLF) became effective on 1st January 2010 and has received a lot of publicity about its requirement for Member States to increase compliance with legislation by implementing stronger accreditation and market surveillance systems.
Although it's good that a more level playing field is being applied across the EU, perhaps it's the framework's New Approach to technical harmonisation that is going to have the greatest impact. ]]>
The New Approach is already starting to have an impact, with New Approach wording already appearing in many directives.
By simplifying the approach to writing directives and improving enforcement the EU is offering a carrot and stick approach to increase compliance. If the NLF achieves its objectives there should be fewer companies able to get away with ignoring the directives; companies that are prepared to play by the rules should find it less complex to navigate the various regulations; and consumers will be less likely to find potentially dangerous products on sale.
]]>
FCC Certification: The cost of making assumptionstag:www.electronicsweekly.com,2011:/blogs/test-and-measurement//258.2106852011-07-20T14:23:29Z2011-07-20T14:45:47ZThe FCC recently imposed a $10,000.00 fine on a company that was selling a wireless remote control in the USA that didn't have FCC approval. In this case the company wasn't one that was wilfully ignoring the law, but rather they appear to have misunderstood the certification process and had wrongly thought that the product had been certified.Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.comhttp://www.electronicsweekly.com
This post is by John Charters, Radio Product Manager, TRaC
The FCC recently imposed a $10,000.00 fine on a company that was selling a wireless remote control in the USA that didn't have FCC approval. In this case the company wasn't one that was wilfully ignoring the law, but rather they appear to have misunderstood the certification process and had wrongly thought that the product had been certified.
The company had started testing before the product was launched, and the failure to achieve certification was due to a lack of understanding and several staff leaving, but the FCC showed no sympathy. In fact they stated that:
]]>
Obtaining certification can be confusing, and most companies need advice and support to navigate the maze of different international regulations. When it comes to product certification, however, making mistakes isn't acceptable. In fact the company in this could have been fined even more: up to $16,000 for each violation, or each day of a continuing violation. These fines can amount to a maximum of $112,500 - a huge amount for making a simple mistake.
There are many different online resources about FCC certification, but the safest approach is always to work with a trusted test partner who will guide you through the process and take responsibility for ensuring that every last detail is addressed.