Product Compliance issues
When any new product is introduced to the market there are standards of safety and competence that must be met. Some are voluntary, some are compulsory and some require reasonable duty of care. Almost always, these standards are applied to the finished product in its entirety and not to a control system on its own. Compliance testing can be a very open-ended exercise involving high costs over long periods of time by third party organisations. Alian Electronics produces control systems to a high standard of quality and to the agreed upon specification, but it does not normally include costs involved with compliance testing within its quotations. However, there are some productive comments that may be made about the processes involved.
Electrical Compliance
Electrical safety compliance in Australia is governed by a set of Australian Standards documented for almost every possible situation. Unfortunately these standards don't exist in the public domain for free viewing. They must be purchased for viewing one at a time from Standards Australia Limited and once purchased, they are not transferable.
Most of the standards that will apply to simple control systems will relate to protection against potential shock hazards. If the circuit board has low voltage D.C. signals that are applied to switches and controls, these are not a problem in their own right, but where they are powered by 240VAC, or control relays and semiconductors that switch 240V there are strict standards of Çreepage and Clearance that must be observed. This relates to the minimum distance between dangerous voltages and low voltages and the quality of the insulating materials in between. Control modules on circuit boards manufactured by Alian Electronics will observe these requirements by providing appropriate barrier regions on circuit boards. Switching relays and optical isolation devices will also be selected to conform to these standards.
Of course, this just relates to the control modules only. Where such a module is fitted to a larger machine or system, there are mounting, earthing and insulation issues that apply to the entire finished product that may need to be compliant. This may be done implicitly by employing a qualified electrician to assemble the equipment to standards that they are familiar with, or by submission of the equipment for independent evaluation and certification. This would include fire volatility tests for all vulnerable parts and enclosures and that dangerous voltages cannot be accessed without the application of tools. This can be an exhaustive process and compliance data on individual components and construction materials may be required. Typically, there would not be much change out of $10,000 to complete this process on a single new product.
It is worthwhile noting that electrical safety compliance testing may not be required where the product is completely battery operated and portable, or where an already approved and compliant power supply (Plug Pack) delivers a low 12V or 24V to power a system. (This does not mean that the product will comply with the C-Tick standards.)
C-Tick compliance
In Australia this is a separate standard that applies to electrical and electronic products. It resembles the European CE approval system and the American FCC approval, although there are differences. All products sold in Australia for full production and distribution should be labelled with a C-Tick logo (the white tick inside a black circle). Whether the product will actually require comprehensive testing, or whether keeping appropriate details within an EMC (Electromagnetic Compliance) file will be sufficient depends largely upon the nature of the product. If formal compliance tests become necessary, they can be an expensive process. Some exemptions exist for prototype units and very small production runs.
C-Tick compliance is all about electromagnetic influences to and from the competed product (not just the control system). generally, it is divided into three areas:
Electromagnetic Radiation suppression is all about whether or not the equipment will generate radio frequency energy that will interfere with other systems. This may include an electronic switching power supply that interferes with a neighbor's TV or FM radio, or it may be a transmitter device that produces unwanted radio energy on unintended broadcast frequencies. This aspect is all about appropriate shielding, tuning and filtration devices.
Next is the capacity of equipment to generate interference down power lines where it may interfere with other systems. Interference does not need to be radiated. Testing would prove whether or not the equipment has any impact upon the 240V AC supply and other nearby systems that may be plugged into the same circuit. There have been examples of noisy thermostats in water heaters affecting nearby computer equipment and power tools interfering with entertainment centres.
The third section relates to how the finished product will behave when confronted by external interference from other sources. Conceivably there could be a situation where an electric guillotine wakes up and begins cutting by itself when somebody walks past with a mobile phone or if there is a nearby lightning strike. (to the detriment of anyone who happened to be cleaning the equipment at the time. This is not about whether or not the equipment survives this abuse, as it is ok if the lightning destroys the equipment, as long as it remains inert and safe as it is being destroyed. One of the standard tests is a high voltage spark between two electrodes directly above a controlling microprocessor. Will it just shut down and safely reset, or will it go crazy operating outputs and motors at random? These are the questions that must be satisfied here.
Some products produced by Alian Electronics may need low power wireless transmitters and receivers intended for radio control within a 100 metre range. Where this becomes necessary, the transmitter receiver stages used are generally purchased as self-contained daughter modules that already meet Australian Transmitter-receiver requirements. These are likely to be low power(around 5-10 milliwatts) on the standard LIPD (Low Interference Potential Device) frequencies where no special licenses are necessary.
Lead-Free Solder within products
When circuit boards are assembled the parts are generally soldered together. Conventional solder material is made up of a copper and lead alloy. Some countries around the world and the European Union in particular have become concerned about what happens to all the lead in circuit boards when they are disposed of in land fill. As a result these places have banned the use of lead/copper alloy in most products on domestic markets. Stickers on circuit boards and semiconductors labelled PB Free are quite common. (PB being the periodic table abbreviation for Lead) In Australia this has not yet been made a requirement during manufacturing.
However, there are problems. The substitute for lead solder is a mostly silver alloy. This is about five times as expensive as conventional solder and will affect the price of the product. This also affects the price of manufactured circuit board blanks which generally have a film of solder deposited on tracks and connection points. There are other issues. Lead-free solder melts at higher temperatures than regular solder, so that soldering stations must be wound up to run hotter. Some connectors and electronic components don't like this extra heat. This solder then tends to spatter flux on assembly staff and surrounding circuit board material, which does not prevent production, but does slow it down when allowances are made for cleaning. Lastly, unlike lead solder which cools to a shiny surface, lead-free solder produces a frosty finish, which during inspection makes it more difficult to identify poor solder connections.
For these reasons Alian Electronics continue to use conventional Lead/Copper solder during circuit board assembly. Lead-free soldering is an option that may be requested for production, but it will affect pricing during manufacture.
Other testing
There are reliability and integrity tests possible for just about every conceivable bit of equipment. It is a real slippery slope limited only by requirements of the end user and the size of the cheque book of the developing company.
If a product is built into a water proof enclosure with a certified IP (Ingress Protection) rating, the rating is technically void as soon as someone places a switch or cable gland in the side of the enclosure, even if that switch or device has matching compliance certificates of its own. Theoretically, the enclosure would need re-testing with the new devices included. It is therefore a bit of a minefield to find out what testing is absolutely necessary, what is just nice to do and what is quite unnecessary. It can be hard to get unbiased advice about what is an appropriate path to follow. This article serves to give a general overview of what is involved and does not constitute specific advice. Certainly the system does not favor the small business operator who only wants to manufacture a relatively limited number of systems into a competitive market.
Click here to return to CREATING A NEW PRODUCT
When any new product is introduced to the market there are standards of safety and competence that must be met. Some are voluntary, some are compulsory and some require reasonable duty of care. Almost always, these standards are applied to the finished product in its entirety and not to a control system on its own. Compliance testing can be a very open-ended exercise involving high costs over long periods of time by third party organisations. Alian Electronics produces control systems to a high standard of quality and to the agreed upon specification, but it does not normally include costs involved with compliance testing within its quotations. However, there are some productive comments that may be made about the processes involved.
Electrical Compliance
Electrical safety compliance in Australia is governed by a set of Australian Standards documented for almost every possible situation. Unfortunately these standards don't exist in the public domain for free viewing. They must be purchased for viewing one at a time from Standards Australia Limited and once purchased, they are not transferable.
Most of the standards that will apply to simple control systems will relate to protection against potential shock hazards. If the circuit board has low voltage D.C. signals that are applied to switches and controls, these are not a problem in their own right, but where they are powered by 240VAC, or control relays and semiconductors that switch 240V there are strict standards of Çreepage and Clearance that must be observed. This relates to the minimum distance between dangerous voltages and low voltages and the quality of the insulating materials in between. Control modules on circuit boards manufactured by Alian Electronics will observe these requirements by providing appropriate barrier regions on circuit boards. Switching relays and optical isolation devices will also be selected to conform to these standards.
Of course, this just relates to the control modules only. Where such a module is fitted to a larger machine or system, there are mounting, earthing and insulation issues that apply to the entire finished product that may need to be compliant. This may be done implicitly by employing a qualified electrician to assemble the equipment to standards that they are familiar with, or by submission of the equipment for independent evaluation and certification. This would include fire volatility tests for all vulnerable parts and enclosures and that dangerous voltages cannot be accessed without the application of tools. This can be an exhaustive process and compliance data on individual components and construction materials may be required. Typically, there would not be much change out of $10,000 to complete this process on a single new product.
It is worthwhile noting that electrical safety compliance testing may not be required where the product is completely battery operated and portable, or where an already approved and compliant power supply (Plug Pack) delivers a low 12V or 24V to power a system. (This does not mean that the product will comply with the C-Tick standards.)
C-Tick compliance
In Australia this is a separate standard that applies to electrical and electronic products. It resembles the European CE approval system and the American FCC approval, although there are differences. All products sold in Australia for full production and distribution should be labelled with a C-Tick logo (the white tick inside a black circle). Whether the product will actually require comprehensive testing, or whether keeping appropriate details within an EMC (Electromagnetic Compliance) file will be sufficient depends largely upon the nature of the product. If formal compliance tests become necessary, they can be an expensive process. Some exemptions exist for prototype units and very small production runs.
C-Tick compliance is all about electromagnetic influences to and from the competed product (not just the control system). generally, it is divided into three areas:
Electromagnetic Radiation suppression is all about whether or not the equipment will generate radio frequency energy that will interfere with other systems. This may include an electronic switching power supply that interferes with a neighbor's TV or FM radio, or it may be a transmitter device that produces unwanted radio energy on unintended broadcast frequencies. This aspect is all about appropriate shielding, tuning and filtration devices.
Next is the capacity of equipment to generate interference down power lines where it may interfere with other systems. Interference does not need to be radiated. Testing would prove whether or not the equipment has any impact upon the 240V AC supply and other nearby systems that may be plugged into the same circuit. There have been examples of noisy thermostats in water heaters affecting nearby computer equipment and power tools interfering with entertainment centres.
The third section relates to how the finished product will behave when confronted by external interference from other sources. Conceivably there could be a situation where an electric guillotine wakes up and begins cutting by itself when somebody walks past with a mobile phone or if there is a nearby lightning strike. (to the detriment of anyone who happened to be cleaning the equipment at the time. This is not about whether or not the equipment survives this abuse, as it is ok if the lightning destroys the equipment, as long as it remains inert and safe as it is being destroyed. One of the standard tests is a high voltage spark between two electrodes directly above a controlling microprocessor. Will it just shut down and safely reset, or will it go crazy operating outputs and motors at random? These are the questions that must be satisfied here.
Some products produced by Alian Electronics may need low power wireless transmitters and receivers intended for radio control within a 100 metre range. Where this becomes necessary, the transmitter receiver stages used are generally purchased as self-contained daughter modules that already meet Australian Transmitter-receiver requirements. These are likely to be low power(around 5-10 milliwatts) on the standard LIPD (Low Interference Potential Device) frequencies where no special licenses are necessary.
Lead-Free Solder within products
When circuit boards are assembled the parts are generally soldered together. Conventional solder material is made up of a copper and lead alloy. Some countries around the world and the European Union in particular have become concerned about what happens to all the lead in circuit boards when they are disposed of in land fill. As a result these places have banned the use of lead/copper alloy in most products on domestic markets. Stickers on circuit boards and semiconductors labelled PB Free are quite common. (PB being the periodic table abbreviation for Lead) In Australia this has not yet been made a requirement during manufacturing.
However, there are problems. The substitute for lead solder is a mostly silver alloy. This is about five times as expensive as conventional solder and will affect the price of the product. This also affects the price of manufactured circuit board blanks which generally have a film of solder deposited on tracks and connection points. There are other issues. Lead-free solder melts at higher temperatures than regular solder, so that soldering stations must be wound up to run hotter. Some connectors and electronic components don't like this extra heat. This solder then tends to spatter flux on assembly staff and surrounding circuit board material, which does not prevent production, but does slow it down when allowances are made for cleaning. Lastly, unlike lead solder which cools to a shiny surface, lead-free solder produces a frosty finish, which during inspection makes it more difficult to identify poor solder connections.
For these reasons Alian Electronics continue to use conventional Lead/Copper solder during circuit board assembly. Lead-free soldering is an option that may be requested for production, but it will affect pricing during manufacture.
Other testing
There are reliability and integrity tests possible for just about every conceivable bit of equipment. It is a real slippery slope limited only by requirements of the end user and the size of the cheque book of the developing company.
If a product is built into a water proof enclosure with a certified IP (Ingress Protection) rating, the rating is technically void as soon as someone places a switch or cable gland in the side of the enclosure, even if that switch or device has matching compliance certificates of its own. Theoretically, the enclosure would need re-testing with the new devices included. It is therefore a bit of a minefield to find out what testing is absolutely necessary, what is just nice to do and what is quite unnecessary. It can be hard to get unbiased advice about what is an appropriate path to follow. This article serves to give a general overview of what is involved and does not constitute specific advice. Certainly the system does not favor the small business operator who only wants to manufacture a relatively limited number of systems into a competitive market.
Click here to return to CREATING A NEW PRODUCT
