Introduction to IEC 62368-1 Testing

IEC 62368-1 serves as an alternative certification for many countries, replacing IEC 60950-1 (Safety Requirements for Information Technology Equipment) and IEC 60065 (Safety Requirements for Audio, Video and Similar Electronic Equipment). Starting from December 20, 2020, export products requiring the CE mark will now be mandatory to obtain the IEC 62368-1 certification.

What is IEC 62368-1?

IEC 62368-1 is a new standard that covers the safety aspects of consumer electronics, video and similar equipment, information processing, office equipment, and telecommunications equipment. It is not a simple consolidation of the previous standards, IEC 60065 and IEC 60950-1. Technically, IEC 62368-1 has specific compliance standards related to the product structure.

The standard employs a hazard-based approach to identify energy within products through the following steps:

Categorize energy

Regulations for protective measures concerning these energy resources

Provide guidance on the application and requirements of these safeguard measures.

Based on hazard classification, accessibility is divided into three levels:

Average person

Trainee

Technical personnel

IEC 62368-1 New Highlights

IEC 62368-1 is a new standard for audio/video and information and communication technology equipment. Based on the principles of " hazard-based safety engineering" (HBSE), it offers genuine advantages to modern electronic device and component manufacturers:

More performance-based regulations (vs. prescriptive regulations)

Enhance the ability to introduce innovative design, technology, and structure in products

The new standard reduces the requirements of normative provisions, keeping pace with the demands for standards by the continuous emergence of new products and technologies on the market. It enhances greater flexibility in the design of safety products. Additionally, it simplifies and streamlines the compatibility of traditional components.

IEC62368-1 Certification Testing

IEC 62368-1 Certification Covers Products

The new standard is broad in scope, covering a variety of consumer and enterprise-level products, including:

Information Technology (IT) category:

Computing products, network equipment, and peripherals: switches, servers, routers, scanners, personal computers, laptops, tablets, and terminal devices.

Telecommunications Technology

Mobile phones, smartphones, telephones, and network infrastructure equipment and IP enclosures.

Consumer Electronics

Wearable products, home cinema systems, televisions, monitors, cameras, music players, gaming consoles, musical instruments, and virtual reality (VR) products.

Professional audio category:

Active speakers, mixers, amplifiers, and signal processors.

Office Equipment:

Copiers, shredders, projectors, and printers.

Parts and Components:

Internal and external power sources, graphics cards, network cards, motherboards, lasers, batteries, and optical drives.

IEC 62368-1 Certification Test Items

1. General requirements

2. Electrical Injury

3. Electrical fire

4. Injury from hazardous materials

5. Damage caused by machinery: Mechanical injuries

6. Harm from thermal burns

7. Normal working condition test, abnormal working condition testand single fault coNormal Operating Condition Test, Abnormal Operating Condition Test, and Single Fault Condition Test

8. Test conditions for equipment coTest conditions for equipment containing audio amplifiers

9. Equipment signage, instructions, and indicative safety precautions

10. CompoComponents

11. Overvoltage Category

12. DiscoDisconnect the device

13. Equipment with battery pack and its protective circuit

14. Measurement of Creepage Distance and Electrical Clearance

15. Safety protection to prevent the entry of coSafety protection to prevent inductive objects from entering.

16. The intercoPre-wired interconnect circuit scheduled for connection to the building

17. Heat and Flame Resistance Test

18. Mechanical Strength Test

19. CoConfirmation of accessible parts