EMC C.C.-News
FROM THE EMC COMPETENCE CENTER
EMC events on the EMC Law
International standards - the guide to sources of information
Hazardous consumer goods: EU’s rapid system informs on Fridays
EC Official Journal: current standards for conformity assessment EMC
First-hand information: new Machine Directive 2006/42/ EU
EMC C.C.
Download EMC C.C.-News
BNetzA informs about stricter market controls
In a series of events for specialists, the EMC Competence Center of Mitsubishi Electric Deutschland, Ratingen/Düsseldorf, continuously provides information about the new EMC Law and its far-reaching consequences. Usually, a speaker from the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) comments in detail on the theme of market control.
Themes, in particular, were the obligations and regulations for manufacturers, suppliers, importers and operator of equipment and stationary plants, all of whom are affected by the new regulations similarly. For them, in this connection, it is of a special importance that, with the introduction of the new conformity assessment procedures, the implementation and responsibility now lie solely with the respective companies. There it must now be precisely document how the electromagnetic compatibility has been guaranteed.
Besides the presentation of the EMVG, the following topics were dealt with in detail: market supervision in practice, CE marking in accordance with 2004/108/ EU and e-certification. Supplementary to that, the EMC Competence Center introduced its EMC solution concept to meet the challenges which the affected companies now additionally have to face up to.
Most topically on the theme of market controls, a representative the BNetzA which, as an executive authority, is furnished with extensive powers (sales restrictions/prohibitions, Returns Ordinance, imposition of fines etc.). In this field considerable further changes are to be expected, in particular in the form of a much stricter procedure currently in planning, the outlines of which were already described to the participants. For this purpose, the BNetzA wants to increase its personnel. The increased EU involvement in this area also includes the new fast warning system (RAPEX) which was also presented. On this subject, each Friday the European Commission publishes an up-to-date online overview of hazardous products which have been reported to it by the individual national authorities.
The Info Days will be conducted at quarterly intervals, the next dates will be in June, September and December. Further information and registration: +49 (0) 211 • 17 14 97 • 0
Where do you get the standards from?
Standards form the basis for marketable product developments. They create important prerequisites for innovations and safety. But even for professionals it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain an overview of the continual amendments and supplements to the increasingly dense standards jungle.
With our Guide to Standards, we want shorten the way to 'your' standards. To this end, we briefly introduce the relevant standardization organisations with their offers of online information and guide you via a link to the most interesting parts of the respective homepage – above all, with tips for downloads and reference possibilities of standards.
In this edition the main focus of attention is on the standards of international standardization organisations.
In the near future, we will introduce European and German standards on these news pages.
International
1. ISO - standard prefix: ISO
The International Organization for Standardization is the world's largest standardization organization. This international association of standardization organisations in 157 countries develops international standards with the exception of the areas of electrical engineering/electronics and telecommunications. The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) or the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) are responsible in this area. ISO, IEC and ITU together form the WSC (World Standards Cooperation) . The ISO webpages contain, among other things, under the heading ‘Products’: a database with information (bibliographical details, brief abstracts) on about 17,000 standards which already exist or are in the process of development, and an own web store for ISO publications and e-products, news, forums and background knowledge.
www.iso.org
2. IEC - standard prefix: IEC (/ISO. )
The
International Electrotechnical Commission
is an international standardization body with headquarters in Geneva. It develops - partly together with ISO - and publishes standards for the areas of electrical engineering and electronics. On the IEC homepage you will find a profile of the standardization organisation, news and case studies, certification notes, background knowledge on the development of standards, a restricted area for IEC members and an own web for all IEC publications, (as pdf, print or via online database query).
www.iec.ch
RAPEX is the name of the EU’s fast warning system for all hazardous consumer goods except for food/ pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. Each Friday, the European Commission publishes a weekly survey of hazardous products which it has been notified about by the individual national authorities (RAPEX reports). In them, all the information about the product, the danger emanating from it and the measures which have been taken in the country in question are summarized. Via a search function, checks can be made for a specific product group (data as of 2005).
ec.europa.eu
On 1st March 2008, the law governing electromagnetic compatibility (EMVG) came into force. The most important change consists of the new conformity assessment method: The conduct and responsibility now lies solely with the respective companies. They must document precisely how they have secured the electromagnetic compatibility. In this connection, it is good to know that you have a partner as reliable as the EMC Competence Center by your side.
You will find comprehensive, detailed information about the EMC Directive 2004/108/ EC on the pages of the European Commission. Products which correspond to the previous guideline 89/336/ EEC may only be offered for sale on the market up to and including 19th July 2009. The implementation of this new directive has been effected with the EMVG of 26th February 2008, which came into force on its proclamation.
ec.europa.eu/enterprise
Under the following link, among other things, you can download the 66-page ‘Guide for the EMC Directive 2004/108/ EC (21st May 2007) as a pdf file.
ec.europa.eu/enterprise/electr_equipment
As of 29th December 2009, it comes into force: the new European Machine Directive 2006/42/ EC. It covers basic safety and health protection requirements which must be fulfilled before machines which are subject to this directive are offered for sale on the market. It is high time, in other words, to inform yourself in more detail.
Comprehensive and up-to-date information about the new directive is available first hand on the internet pages of the European Commission.
ec.europa.eu/enterprise/mechan_equipment
Electrical safety is a must, but it must not be expensive
For equipment that is intended to be successfully marketed, in the area of electrical safety European standards must be satisfied.
For equipment imported from overseas, it cannot be automatically guaranteed that they really provide what is promised. In the recent past, there have been repeated cases which have been very expensive for companies because the required quality assurance measures have not been taken. In this connection, in addition to the monitoring of suppliers, the own responsibility and manufacturer’s liability of the companies plays an increasingly important role.
On tests which are conducted in the EMC Competence Center, the VDE certification guarantees international testing standards. Tests are conducted on precisely the scale that is necessary and meaningful in the individual case. Besides full audits with all the necessary tests, monitoring inspections are also part of the service portfolio – for example, if already tested components are part of a new product.
Tests of electrical safety are generally associated with a relatively high level of time expenditure. Increasingly, therefore, companies are engaging the services of the EMC Competence Center, with the simultaneous EMC test, because they can make considerable cost savings with this offered combination of tests. As a result, the commissioned company obtains a high degree of legal certainty in the marketing of its equipment. This not only means fewer complaints and good protection, but also more satisfied customers. Given the fact that a competent institution has pre-tested the equipment, confidence is created, the product image strengthened, and the sales potential can thus be considerably increased.
The development of new products is time-intensive and the way to market maturity can be long. Therefore, on request, the EMC Competence Center is already at the service of its customers with help and advice during the development phase. For example, if it must be clarified in which direction a product should be further developed, which is frequently the case with special machines or medical equipment, the development of which, on the one hand, is difficult, but on the other, is associated with high returns. It provides guidance as to whether technical requirements have already been fulfilled and answers the question of what can already be optimized today. In this connection, the latest processes and equipment is used. For example, it is possible to allow a product to age artificially in order to be able to draw important conclusions about its durability.
In this way high subsequent costs can be saved, because post-development can be more expensive up to a factor of 1000!