Imagine your innovative product is about to hit the market, only to encounter bottlenecks in Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing, leading to project delays, cost overruns, and missed market opportunities. This isn't alarmist speculation but a real challenge many companies face during product development. EMC, as a critical metric for evaluating electronic products' ability to function properly in electromagnetic environments without interfering with other devices, has become an essential requirement for product quality and market access.
This article systematically outlines EMC testing requirements and standards for 21 common product categories, helping businesses fully understand compliance requirements, mitigate risks, and accelerate time-to-market.
1. EMC Standards for Electronic and Electrical Products
As the most widely used category, electronic and electrical products' EMC performance directly impacts user safety and experience. Key EMC testing items and standards include:
Conducted Emissions
- Voltage fluctuations, flicker: IEC 61000-3-3:2017
- Harmonic currents: IEC 61000-3-2:2018
Immunity
- Electrostatic discharge immunity: GB/T 17626.2-2006; IEC 61000-4-2:2008
- Radiated RF electromagnetic field immunity: GB/T 17626.3-2016; IEC 61000-4-3:2010
- Electrical fast transient/burst immunity: GB/T 17626.4-2008; IEC 61000-4-4:2012
- Surge immunity: GB/T 17626.5-2008; IEC 61000-4-5:2014
- Immunity to conducted disturbances induced by RF fields: GB/T 17626.6-2008; IEC 61000-4-6:2013
- Voltage dips, short interruptions and voltage variations immunity: GB/T 17626.11-2008; IEC 61000-4-11:2004
- Ringing wave immunity: GB/T 17626.12-2013; IEC 61000-4-12:2017
- Damped oscillatory wave immunity: IEC 61000-4-18:2011
- Power frequency magnetic field immunity: GB/T 17626.8-2006; IEC 61000-4-8:2009
- DC power input port voltage dips, short interruptions and voltage variations immunity: GB/T 17626.29-2006; IEC 61000-4-29:2000
- AC power port harmonics, interharmonics and mains signaling low frequency immunity: GB/T 17626.13-2006; IEC 61000-4-13:2009
- Voltage fluctuation immunity: GB/T 17626.14-2005; IEC 61000-4-14:2009
- Power frequency variation immunity: GB/T 17626.28-2006; IEC 61000-4-28:2009
- DC power input port ripple immunity: GB/T 17626.17-2005; IEC 61000-4-17:2009
- Immunity to voltage dips, short interruptions and voltage variations for equipment with input current >16A per phase: GB/T 17626.34-2012; IEC 61000-4-34:2009
- Voltage fluctuations and flicker (input current >16A and ≤75A per phase): IEC 61000-3-11:2000
- Harmonic currents (input current >16A and ≤75A per phase): IEC 61000-3-12:2011
- Pulsed magnetic field immunity: GB/T 17626.9-2011; IEC 61000-4-9:2001
- Damped oscillatory magnetic field immunity: GB/T 17626.10-1998; IEC 61000-4-10:1993
2. EMC Standards for Automotive Electronics
Automotive electronics operate in complex electromagnetic environments, with EMC performance directly affecting vehicle safety and reliability. Key standards include:
Radiated Emissions
- ISO 11452-1:2015, ISO 11452-2:2004, ISO 11452-4:2011, ISO 11452-5:2002; GB/T 17619-1998
Radio Disturbance
- GB/T 18655-2010 (equivalent to CISPR 25:2016/EN 55025:2008)
Electrostatic Discharge Immunity
- GB/T 19951-2005 (equivalent to ISO 10605:2008)
Conducted Emissions
- ISO 7637-1:2015, ISO 7637-2:2011, ISO 7637-3:2016
3. EMC Standards for Radio Communication Equipment
As the foundation of modern communication, radio equipment's EMC performance affects communication quality and spectrum resource utilization. Key standards include:
Emission
- Conducted emission: GB/T 7260.2-2009 §6.4.1
- Radiated emission: GB/T 7260.2-2009 §6.5
- Low frequency emission (input current harmonics): GB/T 7260.2-2009 §6.4.5
Immunity
- Electrostatic discharge: GB/T 7260.2-2009 §7.3
- RF electromagnetic field amplitude modulation: GB/T 7260.2-2009 §7.3
- Electrical fast transient/burst: GB/T 7260.2-2009 §7.3
- Surge: GB/T 7260.2-2009 §7.3
- Conducted RF common mode: GB/T 7260.2-2009 §7.3
- Low frequency signal immunity: GB/T 7260.2-2009 §7.4
- Voltage dips, short interruptions immunity: GB/T 7260.2-2009 §7.6
- Power frequency magnetic field immunity: GB/T 7260.2-2009 §7.5
4. EMC Standards for Lighting Equipment
Ubiquitous in daily life, lighting equipment's EMC performance impacts grid stability and other electronic devices. Key standards include:
Disturbance
- Disturbance voltage: GB 17743-2007 (equivalent to CISPR 15:2013+AMD1:2015/EN 55015:2013/A1:2015); ICES-005 Issue 4:2015
- Radiated electromagnetic disturbance: GB 17743-2007; ICES-005 Issue 4:2015
Immunity
- GB/T 18595-2014 (equivalent to IEC 61547:2009/EN 61547:2009)
- Electrostatic discharge
- RF electromagnetic field
- Power frequency magnetic field
- Electrical fast transient/burst
- Injected current
- Surge
- Voltage dips and short interruptions
- Voltage fluctuations
5. EMC Standards for Information Technology Equipment
Critical for modern data processing and transmission, IT equipment's EMC performance affects data security and network stability. Key standards include:
Emission
- Conducted disturbance voltage: GB/T 9254-2008 (equivalent to CISPR 22:2008) §9
- Telecom port conducted common mode disturbance: GB/T 9254-2008 §9
- Radiated disturbance: GB/T 9254-2008 §10
Immunity
- GB/T 17618-2015 (equivalent to CISPR 24:2015/EN 55024:2010)
- Electrostatic discharge immunity §4.2.1
- Radiated RF electromagnetic field immunity §4.2.3.1
- Electrical fast transient/burst immunity §4.2.2
- Surge immunity §4.2.5
- Conducted disturbance immunity §4.2.3.3
- Voltage dips, short interruptions immunity §4.2.6
- Power frequency magnetic field immunity §4.2.4
Conclusion
EMC testing is a critical step in ensuring product quality and market access. This comprehensive guide to standards across 21 product categories helps businesses understand compliance requirements, mitigate risks, and accelerate product launches. Companies should select appropriate testing items and standards based on their product characteristics and collaborate with professional EMC testing organizations to ensure compliance and gain competitive advantages.