Learn about changes in the IEC 61010 3rd Edition to understand the impact of the updated standard on your measurement equipment.
Like 60601-1 before it, CENELEC and IEC 61010-1: 2010 – along with CSA and UL 61010-1 Third Edition, 2012 – are moving to Third Edition. 61010-1 is the internationally harmonized safety standard for laboratory, process control, and test & measurement equipment. Products sold into the EU must comply with the 3rd edition of EN 61010-1 by October 2013.
Scope Expansion
The scope of the standard is expanded to cover the following types of equipment:
- Electrical test and measurement equipment
- Electrical laboratory equipment
- Electrical industrial process-control equipment
Note: Hand-held probe assemblies are no longer covered by IEC 61010-1; a new standard IEC 61010-031 has been created.
Transition Dates
As of October 1, 2013, compliance with EN 61010 3rd Edition will be mandatory for products needing to comply with the EU low voltage directive for CE marking. The CB Scheme accepted IEC 61010-1 in August 2010. In North America, UL announced the effective date for 61010-1 third edition is January 1, 2018. CSA has not yet announced an effective date for the third edition.
Laboratory equipment requiring certification to a particular standard EN 61010-2-XXX must demonstrate conformity within three years of that particular standard’s date of ratification.
Key Changes
Following is a summary of the most significant changes in EN 61010-1, 3rd Edition.
Clause 5
- Introduces the requirement for red pushbuttons and indictors
Clause 6
- New allowance for products with permanent supply cords
- New test for transformers with a protective bonding screen
- New requirements for layered PWBs, molded and potted parts, and thin-film insulation
- With Annex K, covers the new requirements for insulation, including air clearance and creepage distances
- Test voltages are no longer based on clearance distances, thus interpolation is no longer needed
- Voltage tests on solid insulation are now 1 minute, up from 5 seconds
- New standard for impulse test is now EN 61180-1 (formerly EN 60060), and requires 5 impulses instead of 3
Clause 7
- Requirements for sharp edges were added
- Introduces the new requirements for moving parts, which include risk assessment requirements
- New requirements for gaps between moving parts, and limiting forces and pressures
- New requirement for load testing on parts supporting heavy loads
- New requirement for support feet and castors
Clause 8
- Introduces risk assessment as a means of identifying the levels of energy the equipment must resist during mechanical stress testing
- Added the IK rating as a means to identify the degree of protection required for the enclosure, referencing EN 62262
Clause 10
- Surface temperature limits were modified to align with EN 563
Clause 11
- Leakage and rupture at high pressure is checked by inspection
- Fluids now defined as including both liquids and gases
- Spillage test now includes aggressive substances (as for IVD equipment in EN 61010-2-101)
Clause 12
- Radiation requirements have been modified to include intended and unintended emission
Clause 16
- New requirements for reasonably foreseeable misuse and ergonomic aspects
Clause 17 (New)
- Added to deal with hazards and environments not covered by the standard, along with the new Annex J dealing with risk assessment
- Requires a review of the manufacturer’s risk assessment file as part of the overall evaluation of the product
Contact MET to determine how these changes affect your products.
Or attend a free 61010-1 webinar in July that will cover the standard and its changes in more detail.