Shenzhen ZhongNuo Testing Technology Co., Ltd. is based in South China and specializes in explosion-proof certification and coal safety certification application consulting services, offering one-stop explosion-proof technology consulting.
intrinsic safety certification, also known as intrinsic safety explosion-proof certification. Below is a detailed introduction to intrinsic safety certification:
The basic definition of intrinsic safety:
intrinsic safety refers to a type of explosion-proof design that limits the circuit energy of electrical equipment, ensuring that under normal operation or specified fault conditions, the electrical sparks or heat effects produced cannot ignite the surrounding flammable and explosive environment. This type of explosion-proofing primarily focuses on limiting the energy within the circuit, reducing the potential spark energy to below the level that can ignite the specified gas mixture, and keeping the surface temperature of wires and components below the ignition temperature of the gas mixture, thereby achieving intrinsic safety.
Application Scope of Intrinsically Safe:
The intrinsic safety certification is widely used for instruments and handheld terminal products with low power consumption and energy levels. Due to the relatively low energy generated by these devices, it is easy to control them within a manageable range through technical means, thus meeting intrinsic safety requirements. Products such as temperature vibration sensors, remote transmitters, monitoring devices, Bluetooth beacons, and walkie-talkies can all undergo intrinsic safety certification.
Certification Standard for Intrinsically Safe
Domestic intrinsically safe certifications are mainly based on standards such as GB/T3836.1 and GB/T3836.4. The international IECEx certification standards are IEC60079-0 and IEC60079-11. These standards provide detailed regulations on technical requirements, testing methods, and inspection rules for intrinsically safe electrical equipment, ensuring the equipment's intrinsic safety performance.
Required documents for obtaining the ATEX certification:
Including product manuals, corporate standards, electrical schematics, block diagrams, PCB layouts, assembly drawings, battery specifications, potting process documents, wireless transmission power reports, and shell material reports.
The significance of intrinsic safety certification:
Devices with the intrinsically safe certification significantly reduce the risk of accidents in flammable and explosive hazardous environments, ensuring personnel and property safety. Additionally, obtaining the intrinsically safe certification is a crucial entry requirement for a company's products to enter relevant markets, which aids in enhancing the product's market competitiveness.

ATEX explosion-proof certification primarily applies to equipment and protective systems that may generate flammable or explosive environments. The product range is extensive and includes, but is not limited to, the following categories:
Electrical equipment: such as motors, switches, lighting equipment, etc., these devices must meet specific explosion-proof requirements when used in flammable and explosive environments.
(2) Machinery and Equipment: Machinery and equipment operating in flammable and explosive environments, such as mixers, pumps, etc., also require ATEX certification.
(3) Explosion Protection Systems: Protective systems designed to prevent the occurrence of explosions or limit the effects of explosions, such as explosion-proof walls and suppression devices.
(4) Ex component:防爆Ex component intended for use in flammable and explosive environments.
However, the 2014/34/EU directive also explicitly states that the following equipment is not within the scope of the ATEX directive:
Medical equipment for environmental use
(2) Equipment and protective systems where the explosion hazard is solely caused by the presence of flammable and explosive materials or unstable chemicals.
(3) Equipment used in residential and non-commercial settings, where potential flammable and explosive substances may occasionally be present due to gas leaks
(4) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
(5) Marine Equipment
(6) Transportation Vehicles
(7) Other equipment not applicable as specified
For inquiries regarding the scope of the ATEX explosive-proof certification directive, please feel free to contact Shenzhen Zhongnuo Inspection Technology Co., Ltd. at any time.

The cost of obtaining explosion-proof certification through Shenzhen Zhongnuo Testing Technology Co., Ltd. is related to the following aspects:
1. Should we obtain the explosion-proof certificate or the explosion-proof 3C certification? If the 3C certification is required, a factory audit is needed, which involves additional costs for the audit fee, travel expenses for the auditor, and the application and Certificate fees for the 3C certificate.
2. Related to explosion-proof markings. Different explosion-proof markings indicate different explosion-proof items, and naturally, the costs vary accordingly.
3. Domestic explosion-proof certification or international explosion-proof certification? The same explosion-proof mark, ATEX/IECEx certification is much more expensive than the domestic explosion-proof certificate, and it also requires factory audits. North American explosion-proof certification is even more costly, over $100,000+
4. Do you need to retest? Some customers' products have never been designed for explosion-proof, and they need to go through modifications, which adds to the cost. If the product includes batteries, battery testing is also an expense, especially for those batteries that keep failing the tests.
5. Needed? Labs are often booked up, and there are often waiting lists. If needed, a fee will apply.

Limitation requirements for surface resistance of non-metallic casings of explosion-proof equipment
In hazardous areas with explosive dust or gases/vapors, such as coal powder, flour, etc., static electricity can cause fires or explosions, posing a significant risk. Therefore, it is advisable to minimize the use of insulating materials in explosive hazard areas. When selecting electrical insulating materials, consider maintaining a low insulation resistance to prevent discharge when non-metallic components come into contact with charged parts. For non-metallic insulating materials, the antistatic ability of the equipment can be assessed by measuring the surface resistance of the equipment's housing.
Surface resistance, measured in ohms (Ω), refers to the resistance between two electrical contacts on the measuring surface.
In accordance with the requirements of the IEC 60079 series standards:
1. In Class II explosive gas environments, when the surface area of the non-metallic housing of electrical equipment exceeds a certain limit value (as shown in Table 1), a surface resistance test must be conducted on the non-metallic material to ensure: by selecting the material, the surface resistance meets at least one of the following requirements when measured according to IEC 60079-0 26.13:
At ≤1 GΩ, (505)% relative humidity;
At ≤100 GΩ, (305)% relative humidity.
2. In environments with Class III explosive dust, if the surface area of the non-metallic housing of electrical equipment does not exceed 500 mm², the risk of static electricity can be disregarded. If it exceeds this limit, a surface resistance test must be conducted for verification. The assessment requirements are the same as those for the surface resistance test limit in Class II gas environments. For fixed installations that cannot meet the surface resistance limit, an "X" can be added after the "Explosion-proof" symbol, a corresponding warning sign should be placed on the equipment, and users should be informed in the user manual.
Explosion-proof Certification Application Consultation Service - Shenzhen Zhongnuo Testing Technology Co., Ltd.