Northwest EMC

Northwest EMC Announces Expansion Of Accreditation Services To Worldwide Market

August 10 2010

Hillsboro, OR, August 9th ,2010 – Northwest EMC, Inc., a premier EMC/EMI testing, support, and certification services company, announces expanded accreditation services for worldwide certification through their testing capabilities, including all data, communication, and documentation support.

Since 1992, Northwest EMC, with their state-of-the-art testing facilities, personnel, and accreditations, has quickly become reputed as dependable, consistent, and highly accurate in the services they provide. These services go beyond your basic focus on testing by providing personal consultation, handling all technical support, and providing all necessary data throughout their clients approval process. Northwest EMC now has extended access by providing manufacturers, designers, and importers a single source to handle all the differing regulatory needs throughout the world.

In the global EMC/EMI testing arena, clients will see the biggest return on their investment when working with the newly expanded services of Northwest EMC. As a company that takes ownership of the entire process, they can now leverage all existing test data and parlay it into any country their client decides they want their product, handle all communication, technical questions, and all the paper work for their testing partners. Knowing that an experienced, globally certified company can manage the entire approvals process saves valuable time, energy, and stress. Northwest EMC can also handle multiple country approvals at once to expedite the way to the end result.

About Northwest EMC
Northwest EMC, Inc. offers customers comprehensive, state-of-the-art testing services. We serve our customers from initial contact through completion of the approval process and on to market. We stand fully behind every customer, every test, every time. A one stop shopping source for meeting all 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 education services. We can help you with Product-Specific EMC standards, military EMC, FDA Reviewers Guide, and we can conduct site surveys.

Northwest EMC, Inc. becomes a CB Testing Laboratory

May 26 2010

Northwest EMC, Inc. has been assessed and determined to fully comply with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025: 2005-05, The Basic Rules, IECEE 01: 2008-11 and Rules of Procedure IECEE 02: 2008-10, and the relevant IECEE CB-Scheme Operational Documents. Northwest EMC, Inc. is therefore entitled to operate as a CB Testing Laboratory.

Details about the scope etc. for this lab are shown at http://members.iecee.org/

Minnesota’s 1 Year Anniversary Press Release

May 13 2010

EMC And EMI Testing Company, Northwest EMC, Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary Of Minnesota Facility

Brooklyn Park, MN, May13th, 2010 – Northwest EMC’s newest facility in Minnesota, as of May, has a full year under its belt as a full-service EMC/EMI testing facility, adding Midwest accessibility to the worldwide accredited company’s now national prominence and availability.

Since incorporation in 1992, Northwest EMC has quickly grown into a dominant player in the competitive EMC/EMI testing market. In those 18 years, they have gained momentum through the success of the original Hillsboro, Oregon facility, the second location in Irvine, California, and their reputation as the most complete EMC and EMI testing facility. This reputation, in addition to their standing as a highly consistent and accurate tester, explains their rapid growth into a dependable nationwide service, completed by the opening of the Midwest location in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.

In addition to being a one-stop shop for meeting all regulatory requirements for business partners, Northwest EMC’s capabilities cover a broad spectrum of expanded services at all of their locations, including personal consultation, initial assessment, design and technical support, full documentation and educational services. All of which are characteristics that have attracted an impressive list of serviced clients and contributed to their evolution that has lead them to the Midwest.

The Minnesota facility specifically features a 10 meter chamber for zero ambient noise testing conditions and includes multiple labs accommodating immunity testing, radiated emissions, and conducted emissions testing for electromagnetic compatibility and interference.

Look for further developments from this growing company in the future.

Northwest EMC To Host Seminar

February 19 2010

Northwest EMC is hosting a complimentary seminar celebrating the 1-year anniversary of our Brooklyn Park, Minnesota facility. The seminar is scheduled for Friday, May 7th.

Please join us for a day of technical presentations featuring Bill Kimmel of Kimmel & Gerke Associates, Dan Hoolihan of Hoolihan Consulting, and Greg Kiemel of Northwest EMC. Refer to the program listed below for presentation details.

A Certificate of Training will be provided to those who attend all presentations.

Program:

Please contact Alee Langford, Customer Service/Sales Manager for more information. 503-943-3122 or email at alangford@nwemc.com.

VCCI pushes back their implementation date for Radiated Emissions above 1GHz

January 11 2010

December 14, 2009

VCCI Council will start enforcement of radiated emissions above 1GHz beginning October 1, 2010. However, for one year until September 2011 it will be optional to conform with the above 1GHz requirements. Nevertheless, the VCCI encourages members to ship products conforming to the 1GHz+ requirement beginning October 1, 2010 as if there were no 1-year grace period.

Reasons for 1-year grace period:
VCCI gave the following reasons for the 1-year grace period:

• EU Official Journal issued on August 21, 2009 says that the valid period of EN55022:1998, European equivalence of CISPR22 Edition 3, is extended to September 30, 2011. With this extension manufactures can select either CISPR22 Edition 3 or Edition 5 for product conformity until September 30, 2011.
• Similarly US FCC has announced that conformity assessment test can be based either on ANSI C63.4-2009 or ANSI C63.4-2003
• Under such circumstances it is necessary for VCCI Council to establish the 1-year grace period for avoidance of creating potential technical barrier to trade against overseas product to be distributed in Japan and, at the same time, for affording Japanese manufacturers flexibility in choice of marketable products in the grace period.

VCCI notice

September 4 2009

VCCI recently set their members the following notice:

Dear VCCI members –
This is to remind you that the following previous notice given in V-3/2009.04 Technical Requirements will actually be enforced as stated.

“Enforcement of limits of conducted disturbance at the telecommunication ports is from 1st April 2010, and enforcement of EMI measurement above 1GHz is from 1st October 2010.”

Let us elaborate on this statement as follows to avoid any misunderstanding on your part. Note that “telecommunication ports” and “above 1GHz” are referred to as “category” in the explanation.

What is meant by this statement is that you are required to measure your ITE against the given limit for conformity verification report to be filed to VCCI on and after, not before, the given date per category. Also the limit will be inapplicable to products already filed to VCCI and distributed in the market before the enforcement date per category.

European Union Official Journal – EN 55022:1998 + cessation postponed until 1 October 2011

August 24 2009

EU Official Journal 21-08-2009

Commission communication in the framework of the implementation of Directive 2004/108/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to electromagnetic compatibility and repealing Directive 89/336/EEC (Text with EEA relevance)

(Publication of titles and references of harmonised standards under this directive) (2009/C 197/03)

The date of cessation of presumption of conformity for ‘EN 55022:1998 Information technology equipment — Radio disturbance characteristics — Limits and methods of measurement (CISPR 22:1997 (Modified))’ and its amendments ‘A1:2000 to EN 55022:1998 (CISPR 22:1997/A1:2000)’ and ‘A2:2003 to EN 55022:1998 (CISPR 22:1997/A2:2002)’ which was set out in the Commission communication published in the Official Journal of the European Union C 126 of 5 June 2009, is postponed until 1 October 2011.

Commission communication in the framework of the implementation of Directive 1999/5/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity (Text with EEA relevance)

(Publication of titles and references of harmonised standards under this Directive) (2009/C 197/04)

The date of cessation of presumption of conformity for ‘EN 55022:1998 Information technology equipment — Radio disturbance characteristics — Limits and methods of measurement (CISPR 22:1997 (Modified))’ and its amendments ‘A1:2000 to EN 55022:1998 (CISPR 22:1997/A1:2000)’ and ‘A2:2003 to EN 55022:1998 (CISPR 22:1997/A2:2002)’ which was set out in the Commission communication published in the Official Journal of the European Union C 280 of 4 November 2008, is postponed until 1 October 2011.

Official Journal of the European Union

Official Journal of European Union PDF Page

Northwest EMC Minnesota Facility is Open for Business!

June 1 2009

Northwest EMC, Inc. is pleased to announce that our newest facility in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota will be open for business on Monday, June 8, 2009. This facility boasts the only 10 meter chamber in the area along with a 3 meter emissions chamber, radiated immunity chamber and supporting labs to perform all commercial immunity and emissions tests.

To schedule testing, please click on the following link http://www.nwemc.com/testing-and-quotes/ to request a quote. If you would prefer, contact Kim Valleen or Alee Langford at 888-364-2387 to discuss your testing requirements.

We look forward to providing the Twin Cities and surrounding area with accurate, complete testing, reports and certifications. We believe you will appreciate our state-of-the art facility and equipment along with unsurpassed customer service and technical expertise.

Newly Formed MedRadio Service

May 21 2009

On March 20, 2009 the FCC adopted rules for the creation of the Medical Device Radiocommunication Service (MedRadio). (ET Docket No. 06-135). MedRadio will replace the existing Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) formed in 1999. It remains under Part 95I and maintains most of the technical rules of the MICS service. MedRadio keeps the spectrum previously allocated for MICS (402-405 MHz), but adds additional adjacent spectrum (401-402 MHz and 405-406 MHz).

Advantages of MedRadio

MedRadio is based upon the existing MICS rules. It includes modified spectrum sharing requirements in the new wing bands (401-402 MHz and 405-406 MHz). Implants that are LBT-enabled can be used across the entire 401-406 MHz band. Body-worn devices that are LBT-enabled will be, with one exception, permitted to operate only in the new wing bands at 401-402 MHz and 405-406 MHz. Temporary body-worn transmitters can be used in the 402-405 MHz core band solely during a limited patient evaluation period in order to determine the suitability of a fully implanted device, provided that they fully comply with all other MedRadio rules applicable to the band.

Both implant and body-worn transmitters using non-LBT spectrum access methods (with reduced EIRP and duty cycle limits) will also be permitted in the new wing bands. In the core band, non-LBT operation will be limited to medical implant devices operating with a total channel emission bandwidth not exceeding 300 kilohertz centered at 403.65 MHz. The rules are generally harmonized with EU standards and other international requirements.

MICS vs. MedRadio

The FCC encourages the continuing use of the legacy MICS core band predominantly for life-critical applications, such as pacemakers and defibrillators. MedRadio is not a legal requirement until 90 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Links to FCC Rulemaking

Report and Order 09-23

Erratum to Report and Order 09-23

Erratum: Released May 6, 2009

All the FCC documents related to the rulemaking process

Northwest EMC Announces Open House for Minnesota Facility!

March 5 2009

Northwest EMC is pleased to announce an open house of our newest facility in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. The open house is scheduled for May 1st.

Please join us in celebrating the progress of our state-of-the-art facility, which will include the only 10 Meter radiated emissions chamber in the area along with a 3 Meter emissions chamber, radiated immunity chamber and labs to perform all commercial immunity and emissions tests.

We invite you to visit at your convenience for facility tours and a chance to meet the Northwest EMC staff. If your schedule permits, technical presentations will be given throughout the day. Please refer to the preliminary program listed below for presentation details. If you only have time for lunch, please come have lunch with us. Our facility will be opened all day and appreciate any opportunity to meet you.

A variety of door prizes will be given away, including a 22” Flat Panel LCD HDTV and Blue Ray DVD players. Plan to attend for your chance to win.

Directions::
View Larger Map

Preliminary Program:

Click here to see photos of the progress

Please contact Alee Langford, Customer Service Manager for more information.
503-943-3122 or email at alangford@nwemc.com.