EMC List of Harmonized standards published

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An updated list of harmonized standards under 2004/108/EC, the EMC directive, has been published in the Official Journal of The European Union.

Find a copy of this list, along with updated lists for the R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC, Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC, Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC, and ERC Recommendation 70-03 relating to the use of Short Range Devices, at http://www.celectronics.com/europe.htm

Deadline for >1GHz + Telecom line emissions testing passes for Taiwan

Image via WikipediaAs of October 1st, 2010, Information Technology Equipment (ITE), multimedia equipment (which is tested as ITE) and similar products (HS: Chapter 84& 85) are subject to mandatory inspection and shall comply with the requirements for radiated disturbance above 1 GHz and conducted disturbance at telecommunication ports of CNS 13438.

Following is a re-post of the BSMI bulletin regarding these new requirements. 

Products (HS/CCCN codes) covered and their applicable inspection standards:
Information technology equipment, multimedia equipment and similar products (HS: Chapter 84& 85)
that are already announced to be subject to mandatory inspection.

Related requirements:
1. Starting from October 1, 2010, the above-mentioned regulated products that are also required to comply with the requirements concerning radiated disturbance above 1GHz and conducted disturbance at telecommunication ports of CNS 13438 (hereinafter as the legal inspection items).

2. The above-mentioned testing items are applicable to products that have internal emission sources utilizing frequencies more than and including 108MHz and / or telecommunication ports such as Information Technology Equipment (ITE), multimedia equipment and similar equipment that are tested to comply with CNS 13438.

3. Starting from the implementation date, products covered in this notice shall comply with the requirements of radiated disturbance above 1GHz, and conducted disturbance at telecommunication ports in CNS 13438 when the application for the Registration of Product Certification (RPC) or Type Approval (TA) certificate is submitted to the BSMI. The BSMI will accept such applications complying with the above-mentioned testing items starting from the date of adoption of the notice. When the BSMI completes the review procedure and approves the application, a certificate will be issued and the applicable inspection standard column will be additionally stated “complete 2006 version.”

4. For those products that have been certified before the date of implementation, the certificates that are issued without implementation of the above-mentioned testing items will remain valid until the date of expiration, provided that the products, including the main model, are not modified. For products that the additional testing above 1GHz and/or conducted disturbance at telecommunication ports are required to be performed, the certificates may be used until the expiry date and the certificate holders may not apply for extension of validity of that certificate. For products to which the additional testing above 1GHz and conducted disturbance at telecommunication ports are not applicable, the certificate holders may apply for extension of validity of the certificate.

5. For product certificates that are issued without implementation of the above-mentioned testing items, application for adding series models are acceptable before the date of implementation. Such certificates may be used until the expiry date and the certificate holders may not apply for extension of validity of that certificate. If the main model and series models of a certificate are tested and comply with the above-mentioned testing items, the certificate holder may apply for a new certificate. The term of validity of the new certificate will be 3 years and the applicable inspection standard column will be additionally stated “complete 2006 version.”

6. When applying for adding series models that intend to comply with the above-mentioned testing items, all the existing main model and series models of the certificate shall be tested and comply with the same requirements. A new certificate will be issued at the same time for such applications. 

7. Starting from the date of implementation, for products to which the above-mentioned testing items are applicable and the applicable inspection scheme is Declaration of Conformity, the obligatory inspection applicant shall have their products tested to comply with the complete test requirements, and re-declare the conformity (re-issue the declaration of conformity) according to the relevant regulations before putting the product onto the market.

If you require testing to these new requirements, please contact Compatible Electronics, Inc.

First significant release of unlicensed spectrum in 25 years!

Image via WikipediaFCC frees spectrum for "Super Wi-Fi", wireless microphones, and other innovations.
On Thursday Sept.23rd, the FCC took steps to free up the so called "white spaces", vacant spectrum between television channels.

Chairman Julius Genachowski sighted that the focus was on unlicensed spectrum, commenting on the opportunities to innovators and entrepreneurs. In a statement released by the commission, Chairman Genachowski continues by commenting on the importance of the unlicensed spectrum to the future of our National Broadband Plan.

“The new unlicensed spectrum will be a powerful platform for innovation”, said Chairman Genachowski. The Chairman gave an example of the results of the release of the so-called “Junk band” years ago, and the wave of new technology that followed, utilizing the newly released spectrum, particularly the evolution of the multi-billion (dollar) Wi-Fi industry.
 
The first major application for the newly released spectrum, says the Chairman, is "Super Wi-Fi". The new Wi-Fi boasts longer range, faster speeds, and more reliable connections.

In a related release, Commissioner Michael J. Copps commended Julie Knapp and his team at the Office of Engineering and Technology for “confronting the hard questions head on”, and bringing the commission “an item that provides a technologically-sound way forward”.

Commissioner Copps continues, in the statement, by recognizing the importance of licensed wireless microphones, particularly to news gathering, as well as the recognition of the dependencies upon wireless microphones of other venues such as Broadway Theaters, sports arena, and churches. Commisioner Copps indicated that two reserved channels will be set aside nationwide, for the use of wireless microphones.

The adopted order eliminates the requirement that TV band devices that incorporate geo-location and database access must also include sensing technology to detect the signals of TV stations and low-power auxiliary service stations (wireless microphones). Furthermore, it requires wireless microphone users who seek to register in the TV bands databases to certify that they will use all available channels from 7 through 51 prior to requesting registration. Requests to register in the database will be public, thus allowing interested parties to weigh in on any given request.

Read the FCC Press Release.

Apple's secret test labs

Apple's secret testing facilities revealed, view the article by Macworld posted today.

http://www.macworld.com/article/152771/2010/07/wireless_lab.htmlq

EN 55013, QP vs RMS

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The EU Commission is holding off publication of the CENELEC standard, EN 55013: 2009, in the official journal, as a result of a negative opinion of the EMC CENELEC consultant.

Publication in the official journal is a required step for any standard to be considered a harmonized standard, for the purpose of conformity assessment, under new approach directives, in this case, the European EMC directive.

The published harmonized version, as of March 1, 2009, is EN 55013: 2001 +A2 2006.

The point of contention with EN 55013: 2009, is the introduction of an RMS average limit.

Traditionally, measurements are based on a Quasi Peak limit, and made using a “Quasi Peak” detector. Legitimate debates continue regarding the suitability of the specified Quasi Peak detector based system for high frequency measurements, or for gauging interference caused to modern digital systems. See Practical Paper “The Quasi-Peak Detector” By Edwin L. Bronaugh for more about the QP detector.

The consultant points out that the proposed RMS average limit offers a “major relaxation of the limits, up to 20dB”, and contends that protection of analog services will be significantly reduced.

The question that the commission is looking to answer now is what effect this limit change will have on equipment using analog technology, as it is assumed that newer digital equipment has a higher tolerance for increased interference levels.

The commission is seeking the EMC working group delegate’s input by August 23, 2010 on whether or not the new standard adequately protects the essential requirements of the EMC directive.

Radio module integration and R&TTE compliance

Image by jepoirrier via Flickr

Compliance with the EU Radio and Telephone Terminal Equipment directive (R&TTE) is compulsory for radio devices. The responsibility for compliance is placed clearly on the manufacturer of the device. When integrating a radio module into a completed product, the integrator then becomes the “manufacturer” of the radio device. The underlying basis for this is that the integration of the two products can affect final compliance with the directive.

Technical reports from ETSI, ETSI TR102 070 parts 1 and part 2, give guidance related to the integration of radio modules into final product, already assessed for EMC, and the application of harmonized standards. These documents, together with the directive, form the basis of guidance notes developed by R&TTE notified bodies for the assessment of product to the directive.

In all cases, assessments must be made for compliance with R&TTE directive article 3.1(a), and 3.1(b). These articles cover Safety and EMC, respectively.

According to a quote in the guidance document;

“Assessed radio modules installed in equipment in conformance with the manufacturer's installation instructions require no further evaluation under Article 3.2 of the R&TTE Directive and do not require further involvement of an R&TTE Directive Notified Body for the final product. In all other cases, or if the manufacturer of the final product is in doubt then the equipment integrating the radio module must be assessed against Article 3.2 of the R&TTE Directive.”

ETSI Technical Report ETSI TR102 070-2, describes several applications of the above with different product configurations.

When the integration of a particular module does require assessment by a notified body, the technical documentation for the radio module will need to be reviewed by the NB, if not available, the NB may request this information from the radio module manufacturer. The NB may be unable to issue an opinion without this information. The integrator should ensure that the module manufacturer is willing to provide this information to the NB; however, the final Technical Construction File is not required to include the radio module manufacturer’s proprietary information. Furthermore, the final product integrator is cautioned to ensure that they know the build status of the integrated module.

The R&TTE guidance document also covers technical documentation, notification to national authorities, and marking requirements.

The full guidance document can be downloaded here http://www.rtteca.com/TGN01Rev4.pdf

Be sure to visit http://www.celectronics.com/europe.htm for more information related to EU regulatory compliance.


UPDATE: part II available covering EMC considerations - 

Radio module integration and R&TTE compliance, EMC evaluation

Corrigendum issued to the March list of EMC Harmonised Standards

Image by Horia Varlan via Flickr

A Corrigenda was recently published to the March 19, 2010 list of harmonized standards under the EMC directive 2004/108/EC.


Please visit the Compatible Electronics European Conformity Assessment page to get a copy; http://www.celectronics.com/europe.htm