FEATURE TEST & CERTIFICATION


EN 55032 changes EMC emissions test standards


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N 55032 (Electromagnetic compatibility of multimedia equipment - emission


requirements) incorporates three old standards into one - EN 55022: 2010 AC: 2011 (information technology equipment), EN 55013: 2013 (sound and television broadcast receivers, and associated equipment) and EN 55103-1: 2009 A1: 2012 (a product family standard for audio, video and entertainment lighting equipment for professional use). EN 55032 was an attempt to harmonise the


testing on several different types of equipment, which in the past have differed greatly in their design, operation and internal technology, but which now all share very similar internal technology and functionality. These changes were intended to simplify things and make EMC emissions test specification selection easier. However, we are still seeing some confusion as industry has been familiar with the old standards for decades. EN 55032 is now the only route to


compliance. Not only must new products being sold in the European Union comply with EN 55032. Older product designs that were already released onto the market before March 2017, are also required to prove compliance as there is no grandfathering allowed. EMC emission tests primarily focus on the


ability of the product not to emit unintentional radio frequency energy that would interfere with radio and television broadcast reception and wireless communications, such as mobile phones, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Emission tests also include low frequency tests for mains harmonic current, to preserve mains power quality and voltage changes, fluctuations, and flicker tests to avoid lighting flicker. Emissions may radiate from the product or be conducted over power or signal leads e.g. ethernet cables. Immunity tests ensure that


38 WINTER 2020 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE


In 2017, a new EMC emissions standard replaced standards that had been used for decades. Here, Richard Poate, senior manager at TÜV SÜD, outlines the best practice approach for both equipment that was tested previously to the old EN 55022 standard, as well as other equipment, which is now newly covered by EN 55032


the product functions correctly in the presence of radiated fields from transmitters, conducted interference via cables and a range of transient interference events such as electrostatic discharges, power surges due to lightning or fast transients due to power switching.


KEY CHANGES For IT equipment, that was tested previously to the old EN 55022 standard, there is very little difference. Aside from the power disturbance measurement, which is no longer permitted, limit values and measurement procedures remain largely unchanged. For other equipment, that was not previously


covered by EN 55022, but which must now comply with EN 55032, radiated emissions are likely to be required to be measured in a much higher GHz range, rather than up to the 1 GHz requirements of some of the old standards. This will depend on the highest internally generated frequency within the product. As a lot of devices now have a PC-based architecture, their processors tend to have high frequency clock signals, which would necessitate testing radiated emissions to a higher frequency than when tested to the previous standards. The requirements of EN 55032 also demand


more focus on interface ports, port type and cable options including possible length of the cables and the type of signals on each port, with previously necessary multiple measurements for multifunctional devices no longer mandated. However, EN 55032 does require testing on at least one of each type of port per function. For example, if the equipment under test (EUT) has two BNC ports, one is an input and the other is an output, both ports are candidates for conducted emissions testing. EN 55032 has also added clarity regarding the


applicability of the I/O port conducted emissions test, which was missing in EN 55022. This limits the testing to ports that have cables that are greater than three metres long. However, audio ports (e.g. microphone inputs and speaker outputs) longer that 10 metres are also included in the scope of this standard and need to be tested for conducted emissions.


MARKET CONSIDERATIONS Currently the European Union is the only market harmonised to EN 55032. In some cases, the test methods and setup requirements between standards are not compatible and will require otherwise


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