AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS
manufacturers, this directive helps streamline market access across the EU, while ensuring interoperability and reliability in environments with dense wireless device usage.
FCC CERTIFICATION FOR
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE (EMI)
of the EU’s CE marking and ensures that electronic devices meet strict standards for electromagnetic interference (EMI), helping prevent interference with other devices and communication systems. The relevant regulations fall under Part 15 of the FCC Rules, which governs devices that emit radio (like Wi-Fi transmitters) or unintentional (like limits on allowable emissions to ensure that devices can coexist without causing disruptive interference.
Part 15 further divides devices into two classes based on their environment of use:
• Class A digital devices are intended for industrial or commercial settings and can emit higher levels of RF energy, as these environments are generally more robust against interference.
• Class B digital devices, on the other hand, are for residential use and must adhere to stricter emission limits to prevent interference with sensitive consumer electronics like televisions and radios.
In automation, Class B compliance is essential for residential systems where multiple consumer devices operate in close proximity, whereas Class A is typically suitable for robust industrial environments. systems are suited to their intended deployment environment, maintaining functionality without interfering with other devices in the area.
RASPBERRY PI AND ARDUINO While Raspberry Pi and Arduino are commonly used in automation prototyping due to their present challenges when used directly in industrial or residential automation environments. Both Raspberry Pi and Arduino products are CE, EMC and FCC compliant, but operational scopes, such as their intended low-voltage, consumer-grade applications. These platforms are not inherently designed for high-voltage, high-interference industrial settings, which can introduce risks when they are used outside the bounds of their compliance.
However, their safe use within industrial environments is not precluded. Industrial- grade devices are engineered to meet a full range of regulatory standards through design elements such as protective enclosures, signal conditioning, EMI shielding and voltage isolation. These designs effectively ‘shield’ sensitive internal components,
ensuring that they operate safely and reliably. The components are therefore protected against issues such as voltage surges, electromagnetic interference and extreme temperature variations, factors that are commonly present in industrial environments but not addressed by standard consumer electronics.
Importantly, these considerations apply universally to any embedded component in an industrial device, not only to development platforms like Raspberry Pi and Arduino. For all electronics, from microcontrollers to sensors, industrial-grade environments demand that any embedded component be protected within a compliant system design to ensure overall functionality, safety and regulatory compliance. Raspberry Pi and Arduino are no exception; like any other and circuit protection to meet the rigorous demands of industrial use. This approach these platforms within robust systems that the gap between prototyping and practical deployment.
ENSURING COMPLIANCE Sfera Labs addresses the limitations of general-purpose platforms like Raspberry Pi and Arduino by manufacturing industrial- grade products that embed these platforms within robust, compliant designs. Their solutions incorporate protective enclosures with DIN-rail mounting, EMI shielding, wide-range voltage compatibility and many additional security and high-reliability features to ensure that the embedded Raspberry Pi and Arduino boards meet the residential automation environments. These products are CE, EMC and FCC compliant challenges of high-voltage, high-interference settings, ensuring reliable operation in
demanding conditions.
Labs also offers consultancy and support services to assist customers with navigating processes. This end-to-end approach ensures that automation systems not only leverage also meet all regulatory and safety standards
CONCLUSION
Open platforms like Raspberry Pi and Arduino for automation projects in both industrial and residential environments. However, these platforms, in their native form, are not integrated into systems designed to address key challenges such as electromagnetic interference (EMI), electrical safety and cybersecurity. Ensuring these systems meet the necessary compliance standards is crucial for their safe and reliable operation in real- world settings.
can be complex, with numerous national and transnational regulatory frameworks governing industrial and residential automation. While the process remains intricate, the use of compliant enclosures, thoughtful system design and adherence to streamline development. This approach not only mitigates risks, but also accelerates prototyping and deployment, enabling high-
Sfera Labs
www.sferalabs.cc FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS | FEBRUARY 2025 19
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