Standards & Regulations Applying EMC Directive harmonised standards is not enough
Keith Armstrong, global EMC expert at EMC Standards, explains why selecting harmonised test standards under the EU’s EMC Directive is no longer sufficient for legal compliance
I
f you are still choosing the most relevant test standards listed under the EMC Directive in the Official Journal of the EU (OJEU), then passing those tests and listing them on your Declarations of EMC Conformity, you are five years out of date and your products might suffer costly delays in EU and UK customs.
Instead, since the EMC Directive 2014/30/ EU — as well as the UK EMC Regulations — came into force in 2016, we have been required to perform and document an “adequate analysis and assessment of the risks” of our products complying with the Directive’s Essential Requirements. The purpose of these ‘risk assessments’ is to specify which — or which parts of — EMC standards, specifications, guidelines, etc. we should apply to our products, to help ensure their EMC compliance. There
are resources available on EMC Standards that explain what is covered in the new EMC Directive.
An important issue is that we are almost certain to find ourselves having to apply test standards that we are not familiar with, and are often not listed in the OJEU. This is especially true for frequencies below 150 kHz, which has historically been neglected by EMC test standards because it is below any European broadcasting frequencies. However, a great many activities have recently started to develop that can mean products causing or suffering electromagnetic interference (EMI) at frequencies below 150 kHz — and of course the EMC Directive covers frequencies from “DC to Daylight”, so this is a growing risk.
One of the standards that has been developed to help deal with EMI <150 kHz is IEC 61000-4-13, an immunity test standard that addresses the increasing distortion of AC mains supply waveforms. I wrote a guidebook on this standard a few years ago.
IEC 61000-4-13 has been updated since I wrote it, but I expect the basics described in my guide to still be relevant and helpful. It’s free to read and download at:
www.emcstandards.co.uk New legislation ‘The Right to Repair’ in 2022
The environmental ‘Right to Repair’ legislation has put the consumer back in charge of their electrical goods and helps to address the ‘throwaway tech culture’ head-on, explains TR Fastenings
A
fter years of campaigning this EU legislation will drive change in assembly methods with a major shift in how electronics and domestic
appliances will be manufactured and serviced. It is already playing a key role in helping to extend product life, cut carbon emissions, and reduce landfill. Where there are more mechanical assembly methods employed there could even be a boost to create more jobs within the industry sector.
Benefit to consumers
Currently if an electrical product or domestic appliance develops a fault, having the ability to source spare parts and fix it yourself, or use an independent repairs service provider, has always made perfect sense. However, this has not really been possible for a long time. Today if you attempt to repair electronic goods or appliances it negates the warranty, so manufacturers have always sought to discourage it. The expected redesign of appliances will reduce products being welded for example, which currently makes them
46 June 2022
inaccessible and therefore less likely to be repaired. As a major supplier to the Health and Home market TR is actively supporting new designs and the re-introduction of fasteners so that they can be accessible for disassembly and repair.
Benefits of repair over new Repairing a broken component part instead, particularly where the rest of the appliance works fine, saves the end user money in the first instance. Therefore, the need to replace a machine is much less likely, and it extends the life of the repaired product which in turn cuts down carbon emissions. It also helps the environment at both ends of the supply chain, even potentially creating jobs in the independent repair sector.
Loss to the economy
Things started to change in July 2021, when new laws came into force requiring manufacturers to make spare parts much more available to consumers. It was particularly important in the electronics market, where global brands had increasingly prevented user
Components in Electronics
Fastenings in a washing machine and dryer door: Before the R2R legislation, many doors were glued or welded to fix the glass between the inner and outer part of the door. As the new legislation allows disassembly, customers can now easily access the screws.
access. However, this was against a backdrop of growing concerns about electrical recycling and wastage. It is estimated that 1.5m tonnes of electrical and electronic items get thrown away each year in the UK, at a cost of £370m per year.
For domestic appliances the change in legislation was long overdue and it will almost instantly start impacting the reusability of
products and extending the lifespan of many domestic products, keeping items from landfill while reinvigorating the repairs sector. As we move further into what is widely anticipated to be an inflationary year this will help consumers extend product life and save money.
www.trfastenings.com
www.cieonline.co.uk
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