What are they trying to regulate?
- Safety
- Electromagnetic emissions
- Electromagnetic immunity
- Hazardous materials
- Recycling packaging
Why regulate?
- protect users
- protect infrastructure
- support policy directions
Who is involved?
- manufactures
- importers/distributors
- employers
- consumers/workers
- government
- standards writing organizations
- testing labs
What is a 3rd party certification mark?
marks associated with testing houses
What is a certification mark?
NOT “approval”
It means:
- successfully tested to appropriate standards
- product being sold is same as tested
- product has a public safety guideline
- manufacturer is regularly audited by the certification body
Manufacturer can only use the mark because…
- they have a contract with certification body
- cert. body licenses the manufacturer to use the mark SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS
CSA mark (with c and us)
Indicates that the product is certified for Canada and US markets.
Where do the standards come from and who are the major players?
Canada’s National Standards System
Standards Council of Canada (SCC)
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL)
What is the IEC 60950
International Reference document
What is CAN/CSA 60950
Canadian national standard (including national deviations)
What is UL 60950
US national standard (including national deviations)
What is EN 60950
European standard
What is 60950 stand for?
Safety of Information Technology Equipment
Safety from what?
electric shock energy related hazards heat related hazards fire chemical hazards radiation mechanical hazards
Safety for who?
Users and service personnel
What are the 3 major ways of ensuring safety?
1) specify design criteria for reducing, eliminating, or guarding against hazards
2) specify other protective means separate from equipment
3) provide markings and instructions
How do you get a marks license?
1) request from appropriate test house
2) provide purchase order, appropriate documents, and test samples
3) wait
What documentation is required for getting a mark?
- What is it / what does it do?
> product brochures, functional specifications - How is it put together?
> schematics, block diagrams, mechanical designs, PCB, etc - What is it made of?
> UL yellow card, certified component data, cable data - How do I make it do…?
> test software, instructions to make certain functions operate
What is the HIPOT test and why do you need it?
- A hipot test (dialectic strength) test is testing for the integrity of the isolation/insulation of the device.
- Essentially, it is the opposite of a continuity test, here, you expose the equipment to high potential voltage and see if there is any current that travels where it’s not supposed to.
You need to test for this to ensure that your equipment will still operate properly in case it is exposed to high voltage potential.
What is the ETL mark?
Specializing in electrical product safety testing, EMC testing, and benchmark performance testing.
What is the TUV mark?
They provide services to companies trying to get their product marked for specific countries/regions.
What is the NOM mark?
Proves that the product has been tested by the mexican official certification party before entering mexico.
What is the GS mark?
Highly prestigious mark signifying that it has been tested by the German Equipment and Product Safety Act.
What is the CCC mark?
China Compulsory Certification. You need this certification to import or export certain products in China.
