EMC testing, C Tick, CISPR22 radiated emissions

Paperwork obviously.

Graham

The first 'official' EMC tests I had to conduct were on a marine radar at the Admiralty Research Establishment Portsmouth.

Having learnt from my tame consultant previously, the first thing I had to do was to explain to the tech HOW THE F*CK to use his measuring kit PROPERLY. He hadn't a CLUE. In particular he was interested only in wideband measurements, whereas for diagnosis you need NARROW BAND analysis.

Says it all really. Jobs for the boys. And take no s*it from them. If they can't provide a useful report, don't pay them and sue them for incompetence in the courts.

Graham

It's as tight as a fish's bum now. In my limited experience (testing once every couple of years for the last decade or so) most of our problems have been with "C-tick compliant" parts (LCD monitors & boxed SMPSs in particular) making noise. Once these were fixed all was good. In the main EMC compliance seems to be a farcical rort.

1. The product name is the same in the test report, documentation and DOC.
2. The Australian standard referenced on the DOC.
3. There is a clear statement of the conclusion of a pass in the report.
4. Graphs of spectrum plots.
5. A photo of the product with its covers off.

Of course you should also check the completeness of the technical info and other details but the above list is what they like to see. You'll notice that photos are not required by law, but if they ask for them, I say thats a good enough reason to supply.

Cheers. The inspectors here on the west coast seem pretty reasonable (with one exception!) The main test house

Any anecdotes you'd like to share? No names needed.:-)

ng

ew

Thanks for your comments and advice Geoff and Graham.

I've decided that in the short term we'll sell this product overseas only so as to avoid our draconian regs and penalties.

Moonshadow

I seem to recall that NZ had such provision, but not AU.

Any anecdotes you'd like to share? No names needed.:-)

Let's just say that it doesn't help having your know-all boss tell the guy how to do his job and how well we'd done ours when it was patently obvious we hadn't and that was the reason he was there. Subsequent follow up audits were ok. The guys while not letting anything nasty get through were happy that we had made reasonable efforts to get gear tested & documented - there were quite a few products, all of them low risk.

%< %<

Yes.... The Aust puts a rapper on the IEC or EN55022 etc... but... in some cases there are variations not tested in the international standards.

Joe