Northwest EMC

Korea Safety Requirement Update

January 25 2012

Telecommunication Product Safety Approval will be mandatory beginning July 1st, 2012.
IT and Wireless Product Safety Approval will be mandatory beginning January 1st, 2013.

Please feel free to contact us for more information:
Alee Langford, Customer Service Manager.
Phone Number: 503-943-3122 or email at alangford@nwemc.com.

Medical Device Testing: NW EMC Begins Preparations for Medical Design & Manufacturing West

January 9 2012

EMC testing of medical devices is a regular requested service at Northwest EMC, and staying on top of trends in the industry—from design to testing—is important to us. Which is why we are looking forward to the Medical Design & Manufacturing West conference taking place this February in Anaheim, California. The annual event (February 14-16, 2012) brings professionals from all areas of the medical device development industry together to share knowledge concerning new industry developments, and provide access to the tools necessary to bring new medical devices to market. EMC testing is a crucial step in this development process.

When it comes to medical devices, EMC testing becomes a matter not only of product reliability but also patient safety. Ensuring proper functioning of these devices can and does save lives, making testing a top priority.

Northwest EMC’s expert testing team has been providing reliable EMC testing services since 1992; our highly trained staff offers the comprehensive testing knowledge needed to ensure safe medical devices, and each of our five locations is fully equipped to provide a full suite of immunity and emissions testing.

At Northwest EMC we typically become a part of the development process once the device has been designed. Preparing for EMC testing, however, shouldn’t be an afterthought. By paying attention to compliance standards during the entire life cycle of the project, costly delays can be avoided when you’re nearing your product’s release date.

Whether you are a product designer, manufacturer or an outside consultant, Northwest EMC can help answer any questions you have about EMC testing and help you get your product on the market faster. If you have questions, contact Northwest EMC today and let our helpful test staff provide you with the information you need to complete your product development.

Australia/New Zealand Requirement Change

December 27 2011

Testing radiated emissions above 1 GHz is required for AS/NZS CISPR 22:2009 + A1:2010 from October 1, 2011 for Information Technology Equipment (ITE).

Northwest EMC can perform the testing required to ensure your products are compliant. For additional information on the change, please visit the following link.

ACMA EMC Standards List

2011 IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility Wrap-Up

October 24 2011

Northwest EMC team members had the opportunity to attend the recent 2011 IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility held August 10-14 in Long Beach, California. IEEE members from across the United States attended the week-long event, taking part in workshops, technical sessions and paper presentations from electromagnetic compatibility professionals covering a wide range of topics. Our very own Customer Service/Sales Manager Alee Langford served as Marketing Chair for the Symposium, which attracted over 120 exhibitors this year.

The event, sponsored by the IEEE Electromagnetic Compatibility Society, included social events for networking opportunities, an exhibitor’s hall, three days of peer-reviewed paper presentations, and a technical program that included meetings, workshops, demonstrations, experiments and IEEE Society awards. NW EMC staff enjoyed the opportunity to learn about emerging trends in testing, current testing requirements and new methodologies as well as a chance for networking with their industry peers during the exhibitors’ expo.

The show highlights included conference technical papers on topics covering automotive component testing and radiated emissions measurements between 3m or 5m to 10m test distances, along with the NVLAP assessor training session. Northwest EMC took great interest in the automotive component testing technical paper since our testing facility in Irvine, California is currently expanding to include the capability for automotive testing. Northwest EMC will expand this service at our other locations in the coming months.

• NVLAP Assessor Training session: This all-day workshop, attended by Northwest EMC President Dean Ghizzone and Director of Engineering Greg Kiemel, covered communication between assessors and NVLAP during third-party accreditation for testing and calibration labs.
• Automotive Component Testing technical paper from Vince Rodriguez of ETS Lindgren: This paper highlighted CISPR 25, ISO 11452-2, and equivalent standards along with the antenna and chamber requirements in order to conduct these tests.
• Radiated EMI Measurements technical paper from John Maas of IBM: This discussion was regarding inverse distance fall off theory, which is often used to project radiated emissions measurement from one distance to another. For example, 3m or 5m to 10m. This commonly used technique can result in errors of up to 14dB.

Northwest EMC President Dean Ghizzone had the opportunity to discuss our new SAR testing capabilities, Northwest EMC’s newest facility in Minnesota, and our growing list of international accreditations with Espresso Engineering. Watch the video for details.

One of the exciting moments on the show room floor was AR’s daily drawing of prizes. This drew a big crowd to the AR booth, and generated a buzz throughout the week as people anticipated the announcement of winners. After 11 years of attending the IEEE EMC Symposium and every year entering in the big AR raffle, Kim Valleen of Northwest EMC won an Apple Ipod Shuffle.

IEC 60601-1 3rd Edition Seminar Hosted by Northwest EMC Irvine

September 16 2011

This informational seminar is presented by G&M Compliance, Inc. and DeviceLab, Inc. focusing on Risk Management Hazard Based Analysis of the 3rd Edition along with EMC Troubleshooting.

Seminar Details:

Date: November 3rd, 2011

Location:
Northwest EMC, Inc.
41 Tesla Avenue
Irvine, CA 92618

Register:
Email Katy Gillis at katy@gmcompliance.com to reserve your seat. **Payment will be required to hold your reservation. An invoice will be emailed to you with payment instructions.

Download full details with prices in PDF Format:
Seminar invitation details November 3, 2011

The Latest from Our New SAR Test Lab

June 15 2011

Since its open in January 2011, our new SAR Testing lab in Hillsboro, Oregon has been bustling. Being that NW EMC provides not only testing services but also certification and global approvals our clients often ask us for consultative support. Some of the common questions we are asked specifically around SAR testing include the basics, such as “How do I know if my product requires SAR Testing?”

One reference that helps in answering this question is the FCC’s website. The FCC’s website offer information on RF Exposure and appropriate SAR Testing and Performance criteria.

In the European Union, RF exposure limits Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC. Here is a link to the full recommendation. Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC

Finally here is a complete reference article from CE-Mag.com, that discusses the specific differences between US and European guidelines for RF exposure and SAR testing. Radio-Frequency Radiation for Transmitters: A Comparison of U.S. and European Requirements

As always we encourage you to “contact us” for help in understanding testing requirements and ultimately getting your products to market.

ANSI C63 Workshop to be Hosted at Northwest EMC Irvine

May 10 2011

Please join us for this educational workshop organized by ANSI, focused around Interlab comparisons, ANSI C63.4, ANSI C63.5, and Time Domain. Northwest EMC Irvine will host the final day of the three day workshop, and our own Greg Kiemel will be one of the expert instructors.

Workshop Details:
Event Title: Interlab Comparisons and Data Reduction plus Emission Measurements (ANSI C63.4), Antenna Calibration (ANSI C63.5) and Time Domain (TD)

August 11 and 12: Host Hotel – Hilton Costa Mesa
3050 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA
August 13: Northwest EMC in Irvine
41 Tesla Ave.
Irvine, CA

Overview:
This workshop is presented now in four parts over a two and a half day period: (1) Introduction to interlab emission measurement comparisons and requisite data reduction, (2) Review of the 2009 edition of ANSI C63.4 (now accepted by the FCC for use), (3) Review of the 2006 edition of C63.5 and the changes proposed for the expected 2012 edition and (4) Application of TD for test site validation and antenna calibration. The workshops are designed to increase your understanding of these standards, the TD approach and the importance of interlab comparisons (ILC) as it applies to emission measurements and how to analyze results to improve lab test accuracy.

For the C63.4 workshop, there will be an analysis of the test site validation including using the CISPR S-VSWR method or arranging absorber material on the ground plane. The C63.5 workshop will lead the user through the document, highlighting which technique should be used based on the type of antenna being calibrated. This is essential to ensure that the right antenna factor is obtained, especially when validating semi-anechoic chambers. The proposed application of the same TD method to validating test sites and antenna calibrations will also be presented in real time using the ten meter semi-anechoic chamber at Northwest EMC. Group problem solving will be a highlight of all four workshops. Visit www.c63.org for more information.

Expert Instructors:
Workshops feature industry leaders and ANSI C63® members, including Don Heirman, Workshop Director, (Don HEIRMAN Consultants), Bob
Hofmann (Hofmann EMC), Greg Kiemel (Northwest EMC), Harry Hodes (Acme Testing Co.), Dennis Camell (NIST), Victor Kuczynski (Vican Electronics) and Zhong Chen (ETS-Lindgren)

Download full details with prices in PDF Format:
Interlab Comparisons and Data Reduction -August 11-13 Irvine California

Korea RRA Announces New EMC Regulations, Including New KC Mark

February 18 2011

Korea’s Radio Research Agency (RRA) announced new regulations that take affect immediately. Be aware that these regulations could significantly affect the approval processes for EMC product registration in Korea. We’ve listed the changes below. Feel free to contact us with any questions.

1. Wireless Module Approval is now allowed.
2. There is a new KC logo or “mark” that will be effective on July 1st of 2011. The old KCC logo will be allowed until this date, however, after July 1st, only the new KC Mark will be accepted. **See additional notes below for more details.
   
3. The KC logo and approval number must be on the unit and shipment package.
4. The new format for the EMC Registrations number will be as follows: KCC-REM-AAA-XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
   • The REM stands for Registration EMC Manufacturer.
   • You will still need to have a company ID code, which is what the “AAA” represents.
   • There is no longer a class “A” or “B” marking requirement.
5. You will need to submit 3 forms upon registration:
   • An Application
   • Local Agent Agreement
   • DoC letter
6. The EMC registration Certificate will be issued on the same day of submission.

The process outside of these changes remains the same as before. You will still have to submit your test report and technical files for RRA’s review to make sure they comply with their regulations.

The RRA will also conduct serious audits. If any issues with the data and/or technical files should arise, your registration is subject to immediate cancellation.

Additional Notes

**The new KC logo is dark blue (indigo), gold, and silver or black. The certification mark size can be adjusted, but never less than 5mm in height. If the device is extremely small, you can put the certification mark on the package/box. Or you can put only the KC logo or only the certificate number on the product. These new label requirements must be adhered to starting on July 1st, 2011.

All EMC testing will be required starting in July, while safety tests are still under consideration and not fixed. If the device or system currently uses the old KCC approved RF module, it doesn’t need to repeat the RF testing and approval. Product list for 2 schemes: Conformity Certification and Conformity Registration, has been announced.

For questions and further information on what this means to our clients, do not hesitate to Contact Us!

Brand New SAR Lab Opens At Northwest EMC

January 14 2011

(Hillsboro, OR) – Northwest EMC, Inc., an industry leading EMC and EMI Test and certification service provider, is officially announcing the addition of SAR Evaluation to the extensive list of accredited services they offer.

The FCC and other spectrum authorities around the world have adopted limits for exposure to radio frequency (RF) energy. For devices, such as cell phones, used closer than 20 cm to the head or body, the limits are given in terms of the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), which is a measure of radio frequency energy absorbed by the head or body. As part of the equipment authorization process, manufacturers are required to ensure that their devices comply with these limits for exposure. The FCC and Industry Canada limit for public exposure is a SAR level of 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg). The European Union and many other countries have a SAR limit of 2.0 W/kg.

Northwest EMC now has a state-of-the-art SAR lab located inside of a semi-anechoic chamber to maintain temperature control, eliminate influences from outside sources, and achieve the most accurate readings possible.

To furnish their brand new SAR facility, NW EMC selected a government-preferred supplier of SAR evaluation systems, SPEAG out of Switzerland, and their latest, most accurate near-field EM scanner on the market, the DASY5 to perform the evaluation scans. Equipped with probes, tissue simulants, and phantoms, the DASY5 can evaluate wireless devices operating from 400 MHz – 6 GHz. In addition to the DASY5, Northwest EMC uses the latest Rohde & Schwarz and Aglient equipment to support all cellular operating modes up through EVDO, HSPA Rel. 6, and LTE.

The FCC and Industry Canada limit for public exposure is a SAR level of 1.6 watts per kilogram (1.6 W/kg). The European Union and many other countries have a SAR limit of 2.0 W/kg.

About Northwest EMC
Northwest EMC offers customers comprehensive, state-of-the-art testing services. We serve our customers from initial contact, completion of the approval process, and then on to market. A “one stop shopping” source for meeting all EMC regulatory requirements, Northwest EMC goes further and offers a broad spectrum of expanded services as well: personal consultation, initial assessment, design support, professional technical support, full documentation services, and certification services.

Northwest EMC Is Now Accredited Through the ENERGY STAR Program As An EPA-Recognized Testing Lab

December 17 2010

The ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy intended to protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. The program requires third party testing for manufacturers, as opposed to the past, where manufacturers were allowed to report the results of their own in-house testing.
Northwest EMC has recently become an accredited third party testing lab for the relatively new ENERGY STAR program, and is one of only a few labs that can provide the service.

As per their web site, the ENERGY STAR program has grown to encompass more than 60 product categories and is used by millions of Americans to identify products that reduce energy costs and protect the environment. To ensure that ENERGY STAR remains a trusted symbol for environmental protection and superior energy efficiency, all ENERGY STAR product partners will be required to follow a new set of Third-Party Certification procedures starting December 31, 2010.
Get more details on the Energy Star program here.