Product Certification - Case Asqella

European countries have gradually adopted EU-wide regulations and norms.

Instead of a type approval of products, the EU makes use of declarations of conformity by manufacturers, who thereby declare that their product complies with EU regulations. The declaration is based on a technical file and test results, and it allows the manufacturer to attach the CE logo to the product.

So the system is based on the manufacturer’s product liability.

The manufacturer has to determine which certifications and technical requirements the product has to comply with. There are many norms, and the device’s classification is not necessarily obvious right away. In fact, this may sometimes be very difficult to determine.

In designing and manufacturing a product, it is necessary to know exactly in which markets it is going to be sold. The EU and North American certifications and testing are accepted in many countries, but many countries also demand additional tests.

Certification service

Certification is no walkover. For example, in the case of a product for the EU, one has to first determine which directive is applicable. And there are many directives. Next, one has to find out which standards apply to the product and whether they are harmonized standards. 

When the correct standards have been identified, these have to be studied to see which measurements and tests have to be done, for only these can give the manufacturer certainty that the product fulfills all requirements.

Even if a product uses already certified modules or parts, this does not necessarily eliminate the need for testing. For example, if a transmitter module has been tested with a certain antenna, it has to be retested if a new antenna is used.

Already the task of identifying the applicable directives and standards can take a lot of time for a person not familiar with them. Therefore it makes sense to get help from a certification expert.

Etteplan’s certification experts can assist in this process efficiently and comprehensively. Depending on the difficulty of the task, this can take from a few hours to several months. This lets the manufacturer focus on their core business and provide an overall cost-effective solution.

From design to certification

It’s good to have the certification experts included already in the design stage so that the standards and requirements of different countries can be taken into consideration right from the beginning. This ensures that the product is quickly and cost-effectively certified for exactly the markets that are needed.

The experts can determine the technical and legal requirements for the certification, test the product, and procure the official documents from the EU and other countries necessary for the declaration of conformity. They can also send the required test reports to the authorities when needed. In the best case the product owner only needs to provide information about the product and a list of the market areas where it is to be sold.

Etteplan’s test lab often plays a major role in the certification measurements. Etteplan also offers a comprehensive service that provides assistance in all stages from product design to development to production.

The biggest problems in the certification process are usually RF and EMC issues. Etteplan’s RF Center of Excellence in Jyväskylä has solid expertise in this field and can deal with problems that may appear during the certification process and can design necessary changes. 

Product design should pay attention to certification requirements

Finally, Mikko Leivo wants to stress that it doesn’t usually make sense to finish designing a product before knowing what certifications are required.

“It’s not a good idea to freeze a product’s design before starting discussions about certification. The certification process can change things fundamentally unless one is already well informed about what it requires. Traditionally, certification is indeed the last stage of product development, after which production can start.

“Since we knew about the standards and norms through Etteplan, the last stage of product development was easier.”