Update: 3/10/2022 12:16:13 PM
Why is Pre-Compliance Testing done?
Almost any electronic design slated for commercial use is
subject to EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) testing. Any
company intending to sell these products into a country must
ensure that the product is tested versus specifications set
forth by the regulatory body of that country. In the USA, the
FCC specifies rules on EMC testing. CISPR and IEC test
definitions are also commonly used throughout the world.
To be sold legally, a sample of the electronic product must
pass a series of tests. In many cases, companies can selfcertify, but they must have detailed reports of the test
conditions and data. Many companies choose to have these
tests performed by an accredited compliance company. This
full compliance testing can be expensive with many labs
charging thousands of dollars for a single day of testing.
Testing a product for full compliance can also require
specialized testing environments. Any failures in compliance
testing require that the design heads back to Engineering for
analysis and possible redesign. This can cause delays in
product release and an obvious increase in design costs.