Blog
MIL-STD-810G Used to Prove Whether IT Equipment is Rugged Enough
Although it was developed by the United States military, MIL-STD-810 is a test methodology that is used by many manufacturers now, regardless of whether they plan to sell to the U.S. Department of Defense. MIL-STD-810G allows for tailoring an equipment’s environmental design and test limits to the conditions that it will experience, also known as... Read More
COFETEL Replaced by IFETEL for Mexico Telecom Approvals
As of September 2013, the Mexican telecommunications agency, the Federal Telecommunications Commission (COFETEL), has been replaced by IFETEL (Federal Institute of Telecommunications). IFETEL will be in charge of the Mexico telecom type approval processes for all equipment requiring testing for importation into Mexico. COFETEL will no longer exist. IFETEL’s responsibilities will include: Define the radiofrequency... Read More
Wireless Equipment Subject to EN 300 328 V1.7.1 Needs Retesting
Late last year, Version 1.8.1 of EN 300 328 was adopted and published in the EU’s Official Journal (OJ). This standard is the applicable standard for WiFi, Bluetooth, and other wideband transmitters operating in the 2.4GHz band. Version 1.8.1 has an effective date of December 31, 2014, so declarations of conformity with the Radio and... Read More
RF Survey Assures Wireless Connectivity
MET Labs recently completed a novel RF survey for a large federal government agency laboratory, to determine whether refrigerators and freezers on multiple floors in multiple buildings are receiving a sufficient-strength wireless signal with minimal noise. Here are some of the project details, as well as surveyed information: Operating frequencies: 2.4 GHz ISM Band; 5... Read More
EU Electronics Require Compliance with EMC Directive 2004/108/EC
To sell most types of electrical or electronic products in the European Union (EU), electromagnetic compatibility compliance with EMC Directive 2004/108/EC is required. Compliance with the EMC Directive alone is not sufficient for European Economic Area CE marking – the product must comply with all applicable directives to earn the mark. To meet the essential... Read More
FDA Issues Guidance for Integration of RF Wireless Technology in Medical Devices
Due to rapid growth in medical devices that incorporate RF wireless technology, on August 14 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released final guidance for integrating radio frequency (RF) wireless technology in medical devices. The guidance is recommended, but not mandatory. FDA said its recommendations cover devices that are implanted or worn on the body, and... Read More
CCC Certification for Product Safety & EMC Required for China Market Entry
China is fast becoming the largest consumer market in the world, and for many products, China Compulsory Certification (CCC) is necessary for manufacturers to tap this market. Certification Bodies There are three main certification bodies (CBs) for electronic equipment: China Quality Certification Center (CQC) – issues all electronic equipment CCC certificates China Information Security Certification... Read More
Amendment 2 of IEC 60950-1 Edition 2 Has a Few Notable Changes from Amendment 1
Amendment No. 2 to IEC 60950-1 Second Edition, Safety of Information Technology Equipment, was published in May 2013. The differences as compared to Amendment 1 (and UL 60950-1 2nd Edition) are mostly minor, but there are a few notable changes. Note that IEC Technical Committee (TC) 108 has made a commitment to limit revisions to... Read More
SAR Testing Exclusion a Function of Proximity to Body, Max Output Power
To determine whether your product needs Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) testing, there are a few items to consider. First, is the device operated within 20cm (7.87”) of the head or body? If no, then SAR does not apply. If yes, then SAR does apply, but testing may be excluded based on the device’s output power.... Read More
U.S. House Calls for HALT Testing of Missile Defense Systems
Last month, a U.S. House of Representatives committee asked the Missile Defense Agency to consider the use of Highly Accelerated Life Testing and Highly Accelerated Stress Screening (HALT/HASS) for identifying possible reliability issues in critical ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems and components. The committee also believes HALT testing can help ferret out unreliable counterfeit parts... Read More
