Peek Inside - EMC FastPass
Contents
1. ein S OPCW ON C22 Em RE Wireless Certifications icisccsccscccissceasecsccscectescsisessedeccsanssacnesscdededesssasccsecestvassbcesuteccssduesscceseesdcbedudeseceseesscbadeiens viuda ntMr 21 Pre Certified vs Certification OVCIViCW ccssssccccccsssessssscesecsseessnseceseesseessasesesecsseeseasesssecseseseaseassecsceeseasaassesseseeuaea 21 Legalities of Testing Prototypes Before Certification ss 28 Other Certifications Military AUTOM OLIVE 2 152235 an E E de edad ae habeas ee dades oae Frida vd ee 0 ga ace do vay agree nae gas aae soi es deque aka Dra da etes RAS eP re Reda ies WOICCOMS X EMC RF Certifications The Global Landscape eese esee eene eene enne enne nnne ena sesso nass sse a rasa sse aaa sess sanas sss ra 33 eJ EAN M M 33 FRE Major MAPK ae ETETD E M 33 Unintentional Radiator Testing Process FCC eeeeeeeeeee esee eee eene nennen nennen nnne e nnn annees sena enin a senses ses r annu 40 Step DY Aic MH 40 What Hardware and Software Configuration do you Need to Provide o ccccsesssssscesecsseenssecesecssessesssaesesseesssssasees 42 Iul M Intentional Radiator Wireless Certification Process F2. undertaken and what authority the organization performing the test holds For now I m going to use the word certification to mean compliance with a test or standard but understand that it may not be exactly the correct word to use in all cases Page 8 of 75 Copyright 2014 EMC FastPass EMC FASTPASS Next I m going to break down the types of certifications you may need into some large categories The first two categories EMC and RF are by far the most common test requirements for electronic devices The subsequent test requirements SAR Safety Environmental and Proprietary are all dependent on what type of electronic device you re making which geographic regions you re selling in to and what the application of your product actually is EMC Electromagnetic Compatibility This type of certification applies to almost every electronic product regardless of product type geography or function There are a few exemptions but for most of us who design electronic products there is no escape You can blame the laws of physics for that one or the Scottish physicist James Maxwell for working them out if you re looking for a culpable character EMC testing involves measuring the electric fields that your product unintentionally generates to ensure that the strength of the fields does not break the limits set by regulatory agencies around the world This is called emissions testing If your product is powered from a public
3. AC power supply the noise that your device injects back on to the power grid may also be measured This is primarily to ensure that your product does not interfere with nearby electronic products EMC testing also includes immunity testing in some geographic regions and for some specific product types Immunity testing involves subjecting your device to several electromagnetic phenomena to ensure that it continues to perform as expected Examples of the phenomena include ESD Electrostatic Discharge zaps for example when you get out of your car and get zapped when you touch the metal as well as power supply surges Immunity testing is mandatory for most electronic products sold into Europe CE Mark Incredibly approximately 50 of electronic products fail EMC testing first time Failures usually mean product launch delays of several days to several weeks coupled with extra testing and production expenses This is the problem that my company EMC FastPass was created to address RF Wireless If your product includes a wireless transmitter that hasn t been previously certified then you re most likely going to need to have your product tested for RF compliance This type of testing certification also applies regardless of RF geographic location or product type Wireless RF testing involves measuring and characterising the RF signal that your product intentionally generates RF regulations are designed to provide order to the electro
4. CC OVENVIC Wii tiec insiste edet hone Step by Step What Hardware and Software Configuration do you Need to Provide esesisssseses esee nnne ennt 45 Min d 45 EMC RF Certification Process for Other Regions eene eee eene ne eene nn nennen nenne ena sese enn s asse asas assess assa sanas sean 47 CONGO te hia Ad 47 UU OC m P M PNE 47 e T aue E 49 Preparation Training Design Reviews amp Pre compliance Testing 50 Page 2 of 75 Copyright 2014 EMC FastPass EMC FASTPASS Design FOF Compliance EE 50 DESIGN SAMT LEPOREM ORARE 50 Pre Complianc Testing e E O 50 Why Do Pre Compli nce Testing aii eate peer than aaea aaia Ee SR ERA REM aaria aiai Ee EY aE ARRES 51 What Are The Pre Compliance Trade Offs cccscssssscccccsseesssscesecssessensesssecsceeseasesssecsesesesssassesscsssessaseseseesesesaseasees 52 Overview of Pre Compliance Options eese rna nnne nha nn nasse sensa rada assa sss a sa sa daas ss assa sa sa daas aa ss ss sa ada Top 5 Radiated Emissions Pre Compliance Options Conducted Emissions Pre Compliance What happens if you change your product after testing ses 59 Wh
5. EMC FASTPASS in N N Q Page 1 of 75 Copyright O 2014 EMC FastPass EMC FASTPASS Contents Essential TOOIS wiiccecsssccsscsseccssssssssdessceceseddeedssesdeedesasdeecdecdecedesesteacesesseedssesscasesessoedssesssasedasesedssasssasesesesedssesssasesedesstes 4 Getting EMC Design Right First Time Free Download 4 EMG FastPass Training Courses hein 4 EMC FastPass Design Review Software sise 5 Find out Which EMC Standards Apply to Your Product in Europe 22D Where to buy this eBook nine 5 icri 6 About the Author and EMC FastPass ii essais stes tassi siens essa as sesta ss ssa sss aaraa nns 6 HOGG BA Ta YT CREDERE m eeem 7 Electronic Product Certifications The Moon s Eye View eee e eene eene ener enne nennen 8 WhatJs Regul tory Testing suis 8 Types of Certifications 5 20 dede sn Edit se ssssssnnnnessestene ERE E X DEAN Dana Cose dd ana En va VeRO NER HE don see eR A Ea corses ein 8 EMC Cem a ii 12 What IS EMC nn 12 EXEMPTIONS CE Mark Exemptions FOC 3 d ee o 1o tL eiras ERR PP Labelling and Documentation HOPG WUE wii sacs siete
6. arter coupled with the explosive growth of easy to use hardware development platforms like Arduino a new wave of electronic products is being unleashed around the world by creative enthusiasts who may otherwise be relegated to garage tinkering For these makers and hardware startups alike the road to launching a viable product is difficult enough without introducing the extra barrier to entry of product certifications Most though require at least some form of testing to show compliance with the rules that apply to their particular product Information on the subject is often hard to find and is seldom concise When owned and managed an FCC listed test lab noticed that even well established hardware companies often struggled to work out which rules applied and how to interpret them Below dig into a top level overview of the many rules and regulations that can stand in the way of earning money from product sales Certifications for electronic products is such a huge subject because there are so many different types of electronic equipment and so many different regulations that can apply Regulations can differ per geographical region per product type and per industry This section is an attempt to give not a bird s eye view but a moon s eye view A bird s eye view would be too myopic because birds can only see as far as the horizon As a hardware company considering how to legally bring your product to market in many geographic regions arou
7. at type of equipment do you have How Much Wiggle Room Do You have nr 60 What s the Risk of Being Fined by the FCCP nn 61 Intentional Radiators FGC ve ir ater i ete e e EEEE Ele een EENET REKO Reip di Po dee e WWE RE TAE 61 Bonus How to Find Test Equipment Bargains cc eee ecce eene nt nnne nnn nennen nennen nnn 63 Appendix A FCC Certification Application Package 71 Special Thanks and Acknowledgments LLLuieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee esses ese se sanas ass sssasasssa nass assa assess ss sas ass sasasun 75 COMA m 75 Page 3 of 75 Copyright 2014 EMC FastPass EMC FASTPASS Introduction This eBook is intended to give you a top level overview of everything you need to know about approvals and certifications for taking your hardware design to market legally About the Author and EMC FastPass What would happen if the global EMC first time pass rate increased from 50 to 100 That was the question on my mind when started EMC FastPass Here s how arrived at this idea began my engineering career back in 2001 with a degree from the University of Glasgow in Scotland Although I took classes in electromagnetic engineering never suspected would work in the industry spent the next 10 years working as a hardware design engineer for small start ups as well as large corporations worked on projects in a diverse
8. e most electronic devices that are powered from gt 50V AC or 75V DC are subject to legal acts The applicability of safety testing is not only driven by geographical region but also application and end customer For example safety testing of most medical devices is mandatory regardless of geography This is the same for many other international product safety standards As an electronics manufacturer your end customer often has the final say whether you need to have your product tested for safety There may not be a legal mandate for your to do safety testing on your product but your end customer may demand it Also in the US the Department of Labour Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA mandates that many electrical products used in most public and private workplaces need to comply with safety rules and must approved certified by an NRTL National Registered Testing Lab So if your product is destined for a workplace you may well need to do safety testing NRTL is discussed later in the eBook Page 10 of 75 Copyright 2014 EMC FastPass EMC FASTPASS Environmental Environmental test requirements can be split up into two sub categories The first is environmental in the sense of environmentally friendly This type of testing relates to subjects such as energy efficiency e g Energy Star toxic substances and material composition e g Lead Free RoHs as Environ mental well as recycling Lead free c
9. magnetic spectrum and ensure that wireless devices can live harmoniously together They also provide limits for occupational exposure to RF fields Page 9 of 75 Copyright 2014 EMC FastPass EMC FASTPASS SAR Specific Absorption Rate SAR testing is closely related to RF testing This is used to measure the amount of RF energy absorbed by the human body when using or wearing a wireless device to ensure that it s safe SAR testing is generally only necessary for wireless devices that are worn or used in close proximity to a human body laptop cell phone etc The applicability of SAR testing to your product depends on the frequency and power of the transmitter and o regulations for SAR test requirements SAR testing labs will often also be EMC RF testing labs Contact a 9 the Low Voltage Directive or GPSD General Product Safety Directive which are both safety related its proximity to a human in normal usage Most countries regions have SAR lab to verify whether SAR testing applies to your product Safety Safety testing assures consumers that a product is safe to use and complies with the relevant standards for a given geographic region and or industry Confusingly safety testing only applies to some electronic products in some geographic regions in some circumstances For instance in North America safety testing of electronic devices is usually not mandatory many caveats exist to this rule Whereas in Europ
10. nd the world you re going to need a better view than that What is Regulatory Testing Regulatory testing is mandated by various governmental and non governmental organizations around the world to help provide order to the huge number of electronic products that enter the market every year For most electronic hardware manufacturers jumping over the regulatory testing hurdle is essential for legally marketing and selling their product There are many types of regulatory testing that can apply to electronic products For creators of electronic hardware products the big 3 regulations that you usually have to concern yourself with are EMC safety and RF Radio Frequency aka Wireless Depending on the industry that you re designing your product for and which geographic regions you ll be selling into other regulations may apply these are discussed later in the eBook But since EMC safety and RF are the most widely applied regulations that s what I ll focus on for the majority of the eBook We ll dig into exactly what these regulations are in the following chapters Types of Certifications Firstly should define what mean by certification Typically a product is tested by a 3rd party lab or in house lab to make sure it complies with a specific set of tests or standards If a product passes those tests or standards it may be designated as certified approved authorized listed verified or compliant depending on which test was
11. nization to make sure that your Proprietary device software interface is compatible with their set of standards protocols or other types of rules they may have Common examples of this include Apple Android Bluetooth and Zigbee In many of these cases it s usually not mandatory to get these certifications but it does allow you to prove that your device is compatible with their technology In this case they may allow you to use their trademark on your packaging which can help with sales and get you into distribution channels that would be otherwise unavailable Page 11 of 75 Copyright 2014 EMC FastPass
12. of failure that regulatory testing poses and ultimately accelerate their time to market As for motivation get mine from helping clients to get through the red tape of regulations as quickly and efficiently as possible The irony of being a free market advocate working in the thick of global regulations is not lost on me If can offer advice that helps hardware companies navigate their way to market in a world of increasing bureaucracy then my conscience is clear Legal Notices 2014 EMC FastPass All Rights Reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or in any means by electronic mechanical photocopying recording or otherwise without prior written permission Contact ebook emcfastpass com for distribution opportunities The information contained within this eBook should be considered to be an opinion not legal advice Under no circumstances should you rely solely on the information in this eBook to determine which tests are mandatory or exempt Testing and regulations are complex and vary significantly from product to product Always contact a regulatory body or test lab authorized to give advice to get confirmation of the correct approvals route for your particular product Page 7 of 75 Copyright 2014 EMC FastPass EMC FASTPASS Electronic Product Certifications The Moon s Eye View With the emergence of crowd funding platforms like Kickst
13. ompliance and recycling symbols are required for most electronic equipment in Europe Energy efficiency testing tends to not be mandatory but be driven by customer demand instead Sometimes subsidies are given by governments to consumers for purchasing energy efficient products so it makes sense to cater to this market The second type of environmental testing deals with how a product performs in different ambient environments Depending on the specific requirements for the product this may include subjecting the device to extremes of temperature moisture vibration and even explosives Wireless testing for Europe and the US often require temperature testing to ensure that the transmission signal doesn t drift outside the allowable frequency band Demand for these tests tends to be driven by the end customer requirements and specific product standards If the environment that your product is designed to be used in could perceivably have a negative effect on your product s performance and your end customer cares about that then the chances are that some type of environmental testing applies Additionally if you make claims about the environmental operating conditions in your user manual then you ll need to back those up with data obtained through testing Proprietary License What do I mean by proprietary certifications licenses Here I m talking about instances where you need to work with a 3rd party who are usually a private body or orga
14. range of industries including consumer military medical and industrial In 2010 saw the opportunity to branch out and start an EMC test lab where live on Vancouver Island West Coast Canada built the lab from the ground up and grew the business over 3 years to a point where was getting clients from not just Vancouver and Vancouver Island but from all across Canada and North America think the lab succeeded due to the proactive EMC design support was able to offer my clients They enjoyed talking with a skilled design engineer if they failed for any reason for no extra cost At many other labs manufacturers are left to fend for themselves or pay over 150 h for a skilled EMC consultant In 2013 chose to close down the test lab for a number of reasons EMC labs are very capital intensive and also have several other downsides from a business perspective was geographically limited in the customer base so the growth potential was very limited Also my goal was to get hardware companies through EMC testing as efficiently as possible and realized that could only help a very small number of companies with a bricks and mortar business Hence in 2014 decided to close the lab and focus on helping hardware companies across the world using the power of the internet In my time running the EMC lab got a good feel for the hurdles hardware companies consistently ran into and over time put together a robust design review process tha
15. t clients could use before they even came for testing The design review was hugely successful at increasing the odds of a client passing first time I ve since moved this design review online so that hardware companies around the world could take advantage of it Additionally put together several training courses that companies can access online via EMC FastPass membership As of time of writing Oct 2014 the official launch of EMC FastPass is getting very close There is also a unique perspective that only an independent 3rd party advisor can provide Test labs sometimes have an inherent financial interest to guide you one way or the other They may gently guide you towards test requirements that aren t mandatory In some cases a particular lab may not Page 6 of 75 Copyright 2014 EMC FastPass EMC FASTPASS even be the best option for your needs but they re probably not going to tell you that Only an independent 3rd party such as EMC FastPass can offer advice on which lab would be the best selection and which certification route would be most efficient and cost effective With the rise of crowd funding platforms like Kickstarter where people from many regions across the world can now purchase hardware products from engineers and makers who are fresh to the certification process the prospect of identifying and obtaining all of the correct certifications can be daunting EMC FastPass can help companies like these lower the risk
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