We can help you develop a reliable and safe device.
We can arrange declarations of conformity, EMC and LVD certifications, advise on electrical safety of products or optional tests to ensure maximum product quality.
We’re developers. Developing electronics is a demanding process, and everything we invent and manufacture must be thoroughly tested to ensure that the products meet legislative and practical requirements for function and safety. We are happy to help with product testing and validation even for products that we have not developed ourselves.
Certification
We provide certifications
We have provided all of these certifications for dozens of products and know how to go through the required process in the simplest, but fair way possible. We also try to offer customers optional tests to verify product properties that could have a negative effect on its function in long-term operation (typically temperature, vibration and other life tests).
Tests and certifications are normally processed for the Czech Republic and EU + UK (UKCA), where the aim is to issue a CE declaration of conformity. We also have experience in creating documents for the USA (UL, FCC) and other countries.
Testing and Certification
Electrical safety
No one wants to put an unsafe device on the market, which is why we carefully monitor the regulatory requirements and address all risks during development. Often it is a decision in the first stages of a project: how to power, how to insulate, how to limit the heat, how to ensure safety even in the event of a fault.
We prove the correctness of the design by testing according to standards describing the requirements for product safety – not only electrical safety, but also the closely related fire safety, and the limitation of other risks, such as mechanical or explosion risks.
The most commonly used standards are those according to LVD 2014/35/EU, in particular EN 60335-1, EN 61010-1, EN 60730-1 and EN 60204-1 for machinery.
Most often, problems occur with:
- insulation affecting safety: are the right materials (CTI) used? Air distances and surface paths are fine, especially on surface joints. Can the insulation withstand a high voltage test? Are the appendages correctly identified for medical devices and are the MOPP and MOOP requirements met?
- design of earthing, supply cables and connectors,
- insufficient surge resistance,,
- components in power or network circuits not approved for the application,
- fire protection solution: material of the device box (especially plastic), holes in the box, faulty protection even in low-current circuits,
- mechanical strength, especially in crash tests,
- Labelling of equipment and missing mandatory information in manuals.
We are also familiar with fields that require a special approach: for example, railway technology according to EN 50122 or equipment for work in hazardous areas (ATEX – SNV).
For medical devices (MDRs), we perform a risk analysis and prepare a safety report according to EN 60601-1 and related standards, fully in accordance with the “V” flow chart.
In our laboratory we test insulation with high voltage up to 6 kV with conditioning in heat and humidity, we measure earthing, leakage currents, warming, covering, we perform tests of fault conditions.
Testing and Certification
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) tests
Some devices can disturb their surroundings or be disturbed by their surroundings. To prevent this from happening, electromagnetic compatibility tests are mandatory for most products.
It’s being tested:
- EMI – interference, i.e. interference emitted by the device, and
- EMS – susceptibility, i.e. resistance to interference.
The measurement methods are chosen according to the type of instrument, most often we measure:
- radiated interference through the air (TEM cell helps us for development) or over cables (using LISN),
- resistance to RF interference (usually by TEM cell),
- resistance to static electricity – ESD, using ESD gun simulator.
Dealing with electromagnetic compatibility is often a challenge: many prototypes do not pass the measurements on the first try (this is especially true for EMI), even with very careful design, so it is necessary to be able to understand the measurement results, evaluate them and make changes to limit the interference. That is why we test the products we develop repeatedly from the first prototype to avoid unpleasant surprises at the end of the project.
We measure internally as pre-compliance measurements, and we handle certified measurements externally at test houses in the Czech Republic and abroad. Our staff is in one of our certified measuring chambers almost weekly, so we can provide quick design iterations.
The most commonly used standards are EN 61000-4-2, EN 61000-4-3, EN 61000-4-4
IEC EN 61000-4-5, IEC EN 61000-4-8, IEC EN 61000-4-9, IEC EN 61000-4-11 or IEC 61000-6-4.
Testing and Certification
Climate resistance
In the climate chamber, we simulate the resistance of the equipment over the entire range of operating temperatures and humidity. We check and tune the temperature dependence of the measuring devices.
Tested in the temperature range -60 .. +160 °C and humidity 5 – 99% RH, also according to the relevant methods of MIL-STD-810.
Contact
Interested in exams and certifications?
Do you need modern and reliable electronics? For integration into your facility or a complete new product or system? Let us know! We are happy to help you with small and complex applications.
Testing and Certification
Functional and stress testing
A quality product meets more than just the mandatory safety requirements: we must also check the functionality itself under all conditions. We can then be sure that we have done everything possible to ensure the smooth use of the mass-produced product by different customers.
Typically, we deal with:
- compatibility of communication protocols from both SW and HW side (e.g. by measuring the eye diagram),
- the range and compatibility of Wi-Fi and other wireless solutions,
- mechanical resistance,
- IT security – resistance to hacker attacks, data security, data encryption.
For products of a critical nature, we recommend and perform stress testing beyond the mandatory tests: to determine resistance to electrical, mechanical or software overload.
Testing and Certification
Piece tests
Last but not least, we develop test procedures and produce testers for unit tests in production. These testers verify the basic characteristics of each manufactured piece; in particular, for safety-critical components, a basic test is automatically and documented. Other testers are used to manually test instruments after repair or in batch production.
Contact
Interested in exams and certifications?
Do you need modern and reliable electronics? For integration into your facility or a complete new product or system? Let us know! We are happy to help you with small and complex applications.