Conformity Magazine

About Conformity

Published by Curtis Straus, a Bureau Veritas Electrical and Electronic Product Services company, since 1996, Conformity is a monthly news magazine, bringing you the latest news and current trends in the testing and certification of electrical products. Direct and to the point, we focus on the world-wide regulatory issues of EMC, EMI, Product Safety, Radio, Telecom and medical device approvals.

Conformity website is dedicated to bringing you the same information at the click of a button. Keep up with the current month's NewsBreaks, Feature Articles, and Editor's Note. Search or browse through past NewsBreaks and Feature Articles. Get recommendations on industry reading, including current standards lists for popular EU Directives. It's all waiting for you.

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• Archives: Digital Editions, Newsbreaks and Feature Articles

Previous Digital Magazines

• December '07
• November '07
• October '07
• September '07
• August '07
• July '07
• June '07
• May '07
• April '07
• Annual Engineers Guide '07
• March '07
• February '07
• January '07
• December '06
• November '06
• October '06
• September '06
• August '06
• July '06
• June '06
• May '06
• April '06
• Annual Engineers Guide '06
• March '06
• February '06
• January '06

Feature Articles

December 2007

• Broadband Over Powerlines: Alternative or Trouble?
• An Update on RoHS
• Narrowband and Broadband Discrimination with a Spectrum Analzer or EMI Receiver
• System Level ESD Testing: The Test Setup
• Product/Services Focus On... Antennas

November 2007

• GR-3150: Lithium Battery Certification Levels Based on Criteria For General Product, Safety, and Performance, Part 2
• Machinery Field Evaluation for the United States
• Validation, Verification, and Immunity Testing Techniques for EMC for Functional Safety
• Thermal/EMC Simulation Addresses New Mechanical Design Challenges

October 2007

• GR-3150: Lithium Battery Certification Levels Based on Criteria For General Product, Safety, and Performance, Part 1
• Update on China’s CCC Compliance Program
• System Level ESD Testing: The Waveforms
• An Alternative Approach to Surge Suppression
• Selecting the Right Spectrum Analyzer is Crucial to Successful EMI Testing

September 2007

• Free-Space Antenna Factors Through the Use of Time-Domain Signal Processing
• An Update on Revisions to IEC 61000-4-2, the Basic Standard on ESD
• Practical Advice for Meeting the DFS Testing Requirements of the FCC
• The EMC Impact of Embedded Software

August 2007

• The Development of CISPR 22 as the Basic International EMI Standard for Information Technology Equipment
• What's New in EMC Standards for Medical Devices
• New Requirements for Magnetic Field Measurements
• Evaluating ESD Protection Circuits
• Product/Services Focus : Choosing the Right Power Supply

July 2007

• A Brief History of the IEEE EMC Society
• RoHS: One Year and Counting
• Regulatory Testing Challenges for Broadband Municipal Wireless LANs
• Modern Spacecraft - Antique Specifications
• Signal Link‑Path Characterization Up to 20 GHz Based on a Stripline Structure

June 2007

• The EU’s Physical Agents Directive (Electromagnetic Fields)
• Emerging Issues in Standards: SAR Standards Expansion Continues
• Challenges in Testing: Anechoic and Reverberation Chamber Shielding Measurement at Frequencies Above 1 GHz
• Design Fundamentals: Suppression of Simultaneous Switching Noise in Power and Ground Plane Pairs
• Focus On... EMC Components- Selecting the Right Filter for your Application
• ESD Open Forum: Testing Installed ESD Protective Products/

May 2007

• ESD Standards: An Annual Progress Report
• Emerging Issues in Standards: An Overview of Automotive EMC Standards
• Challenges in Testing: Certification of Voting Equipment in the United States
• Design Fundamentals: Shielding Issues for Medical Products
• Focus On... EMI Shielding

April 2007

• The Future in Market Surveillance for Technical Products in Europe
• Aerospace Standards: Thinking Globally
• MIL-STD 202 and Electrical Component Testing
• Shielding Issues with Plastics
• Test Laboratories

March 2007

• Steady State DC Air Overhead Ionization: An Evaluation
• The EU's RoHS and WEEE Directives: Update to Frequently Asked Questions
• Approaches and Particularities for Achieving EMC with Regard to Functional Safety
• Compliance Software

February 2007

• ESD: Electrostatic Discharge Testing for Automotive Applications
• Standards and Certification: DSL Interoperability Testing
• Product/Services Focus: Testing Laboratories - EMC and Wireless Convergence for the EMC Lab
• EMC Fundamentals: Dealing with Interference in Consumer Electronics
• Product/Services Focus: Chambers - Choosing the Right Chamber Depends on the Application

January 2007

• Standards and Certification: Conformity Assessment of Policy-Based Adaptive Radio Systems
• Standards and Certification: Hearing Aid Compatibility for Wireless Devices
• ESD: Potential Conflicts When Evaluating ESD Flooring
• EMC Fundamentals: EMI Issues in the Manufacturing Environment
• Product/Services Focus: Compliance Training - A Compendium of Seminars, Books and Other Resources on Designing for EMC and Product Safety Compliance

December 2006

• Environmental: The EU’s Energy Using Products Directive
• ESD: Transfer Through Ethernet Magnetics
• Telecom: NEBS Makes the All-Star Team!
• EMC Fundamentals: Using a Charged Plate Monitor to Test Static-Dissipative Materials and Hand Tools

November 2006

• EMC Design Issues in Appliances - Today’s Consumer Appliances Require Attention to EMC Design Challenges Up Front
• Determining Hazard Levels from Multiple Laser Wavelengths over a Common Optical Fiber - Increasing OFCS Throughput Demands Creates Added Safety Considerations
• Hello! Hello! Can Anyone Hear Me? - December Represents the 100th Anniversary of Voice Over Radio. Here’s How It All Started
• Conformity Fundamentals - Accreditation of EMC Laboratories in the United States
• Focus on... Components - Selecting RoHS-Compliant Components

October 2006

• RoHS in China: An Introduction - Compliance with China’s RoHS Implementation Will Require Patience and Persistence from Manufacturers
• New Taiwan Safety Requirements for ITE - Insights and Details on the BSMI Approval Process
• Telecom and Radio Approvals in China - An Overview of the Approval Process for Wireline and Wireless Devices
• Conformity Fundamentals - Electronic Requirements for New Shielding Materials
• Focus on... Test Equipment - When Renting Test Equipment Makes Sense

September 2006

• Measurements and Calculations of BPL Emissions - ARRL Testing of BPL Systems Shows Emissions Can Exceed FCC Limits
• Using An ESD Packaging Materials Qualification Matrix for Contract Manufacturing and Supplier Conformance
• An Electrostatic Discharge Packaging Compendium - ESD Packaging Decisions Involve Multiple Trade-Offs and Require Careful Thought
• Conformity Fundamentals - Field Probes as EMI Diagnostic Tools
• Focus on... Testing Labs: Selecting a Quality EMC Lab

August 2006

• EMC Testing of Large Industrial Systems - An Updated Review of the EU Requirements and Methods for In-Situ Testing
• A First Look at IEC 60601-1 3rd Edition - The Just-Released Version of This Medical Equipment Standard Contains Significant Changes for Manufacturers
• Integrating Frequency and Time-Domain Test Capability for CISPR 16-1-1 EMI Tests - Integrated Test Instrumentation Can Speed EMI Testing
• Conformity Fundamentals - Choosing the Right Conductive Coating
• A Brief History of the IEEE EMC Society

July 2006

• Standards Update on Lightning Effects - A review of recent changes in commercial and military aerospace standards
• Electrical Product Safety for Retailers - Avoiding the third rail of retail: The Product Safety Recall
• Conformity Fundamentals: Immunity Testing for the CE Mark
• Focus on..... Gaskets: More Choices to Meet a Steady Need

June 2006

• The Draft Guidance Document for the New EMC Directive
• Choosing the Right Current for Ground Bond Testing
• NEBS Hits One Out of the Park!
• Conformity Fundamentals: Selecting the Right Filter for your Application

May 2006

• The European Unions New Automotive EMC Directive 2004/104/EC
• ESD Standards: An Annual Progress Report - Recent Developments Reflect New Concerns About Susceptibility
• The Use of Spectrum Analyzers in Commercial EMI Compliance Testing - Spectrum Analyzers and EMI Receivers Can Yield Comparable Results, But Some Exceptions Apply
• Part 68 Design Issues for Telecommunications Equipment
• Focus on..... Chambers: Remodeling a 10-Meter Semi-Anechoic Chamber: A Case History

April 2006

• Voltage Sag Testing for Commercial and Industrial Equipment
• Information Technology Equipment Update
• Using Ferrites for Interference Suppression
• Focus on..... Test Labs: Ensuring a Successful Test Lab Experience

March 2006

• Interference and Immunity in Consumer Products
• Common Mistakes When Selecting a Static Control Floor
• The Rigors of Fiber Testing
• Antenna Factors and Antenna Calibration
• Focus on..... Test Equipment

February 2006

• Military EMC and EMC Systems Engineering
• Preparing for your Product Safety Investigation
• Regulatory Trends in Wireless U.S. and EU Approvals
• Achieving EMC Directive Compliance with a Spreadsheet

January 2006

• The EUs RoHS and WEEE Directives: Frequently Asked Questions
• Verification of Electrical Safety Testers - Issues and Techniques for Performing Accurate Equipment Verifications
• HAMS to the Rescue! - Emergency communications in the wake of Hurricane Katrina came not from the government, but from a private army of amateur radio operators. Heres how it worked.
• Conformity Fundamentals: EMC Design: Circuits
• Focus on..... Designing for Compliance: A compendium of seminars, books and other resources on designing for EMC and Product Safety compliance