Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most common questions regarding the EMI/EMC testing procedure and other services.
If your products need US and Canadian safety approvals, you may be faced with the concern over which mark do you use and what mark is accepted in the field. There are many myths that your choices are limited to certain marks issued by UL or CSA. To sell your product in the United States, a laboratory that is recognized by OSHA as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) can and should evaluate it. When your product bears a Mark from an NRTL, you are telling the Authorities having Jurisdiction (AHJ) and consumers that it has been evaluated by a third party and found to comply with the applicable standards. Likewise, when you sell your product in Canada, the law requires that you have it approved by a Certification Organization (CO) accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). Once your product is evaluated against the applicable Canadian requirements, it will bear a mark specifically designated for Canada.
A final product with an intrinsic function intended for the final user and intended to be placed on the European Union market as a single commercial unit. One or more devices may define the final user product.
How can I determine if my product is a component or an apparatus? For a product to be classified as an apparatus it must meet four (4) criteria:
- It must be a finished product.
- It is intended to be placed on the market as a single commercial unit.
- It presents EMC hazards against which protection is justified.
- It delivers a direct function.
Additional clarification may be found in the following document, Guideline on the application of Council Directive 89/336/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to Electromagnetic Compatibility amended by Directives 92/31/EEC and 93/68/EEC.
- Self Declaration – Subject your apparatus to the tests specified by European Normalized Standards. Compile a technical file to contain the apparatus’s technical information and test results. Issue a Declaration of Conformance (DoC), affix the mark, and hold a copy of the Declaration of Conformance.
- Technical Construction File (TCF) – for equipment not covered by standards or that is impractical to test. The manufacturer compiles a Technical Construction File containing the information required to assess the EMC characteristics of the apparatus. The completed file is submitted to a Notified Body to determine if the file demonstrates that the apparatus will comply with the intent of the requirements. The Notified Body issues a report either indicating the apparatus is in compliance or detailing deficiencies. If deficiencies are noted, corrective action is taken by the manufacturer and the apparatus resubmitted for evaluation. If the Notified Body indicates that the apparatus is in compliance, the manufacturer can issue a Declaration of Conformance, affix the mark, and hold a copy of the Declaration of Conformance.
- Notified Body – for apparatus for which Normalized Standards do not exist a Notified Body may recommend appropriate testing. This testing would be conducted by a Competent Body and reviewed by a Notified Body. When the Notified Body is satisfied that the apparatus is in compliance, the manufacturer compiles a technical file to contain the apparatus’s technical information and test results. The manufacturer issues a Declaration of Conformance, affixes the mark, and holds a copy of the Declaration of Conformance.
Typically, if products are electrical similar with only minor differences, the manufacturer can determine a worst-case model that will go through the testing. The report will then contain a statement that the other models are compliant by similarity according to the manufacturer.
Potentially, any Part 2’s may modify testing that is being performed under the main standard. These should always be addressed as part of the evaluation.
Helpful Links:
- EMC Directive
- CE Guidance Document
- Low Voltage Directive
- Machinery Directive
- Guide Application of the Machinery Directive
- Radio Equipment Directive
- Radio and telecommunications terminal equipment guidance
- Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances (RoHS) Directive
- EMC Design Guidelines
For more information, contact or call us to be put in touch with one of our experts.