MOSTI
SKIM AKREDITASI MAKMAL MALAYSIA (SAMM)
LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEME OF MALAYSIA
SPECIFIC TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT 1.3
(STR 1.3)
SPECIFIC TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT
FOR ACCREDITATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC
COMPATIBILITY (EMC) TESTING LABORATORIES
Issue 2, 23 January 2007
Supplementary to MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005
JABATAN STANDARD MALAYSIA
Department of Standards Malaysia (STANDARDS MALAYSIA)
Specific Technical Requirement for Accreditation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Laboratories
CONTENT
PAGE
INTRODUCTION
2
1.0
SCOPE
2
2.0
NORMATIVE REFERENCES
2
2.1
3.0
4.0
5.0
Related standards
2
DEFINITIONS
4
3.1
Emission
4
3.2
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
4
3.3
Electromagnetic disturbance
4
3.4
Electromagnetic interference (EMI)
4
MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS
4
4.1
Remote facilities
4
4.2
EUT modifications
4
4.3
Document control
5
4.4
Review of requests, tenders and contracts
5
4.5
Technical records
5
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
6
5.1
Personnel
6
5.2
Accommodation and environmental conditions
6
5.3
Test methods and method validation
7
5.4
Equipment
8
5.5
Traceability of measurement results
9
5.6
Sampling
9
5.7
Handling of test and calibration items
9
5.8
Quality assurance of test and calibration results
9
5.9
Reporting the results
9
STR 1.3, Issue 2, 23 January 2007
Page 1 of 10
Specific Technical Requirement for Accreditation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Laboratories
INTRODUCTION
The specific requirements herein apply to the Department of Standards Malaysia (STANDARDS
MALAYSIA) as part of its assessment criteria for the accreditation of laboratories working in the
field of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) tests. They are developed in accordance with
Clause 4.6.2 of MS ISO/IEC 17011:2004 “Conformity assessment-General requirements for
accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies”. Their main purpose is to
interpret and clarify the general requirements of MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 Document on
"General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories" for
application in the field of EMC testing. However, they do not exceed the general requirements of
MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005.
STANDARDS MALAYSIA requires that laboratories applying for accreditation in the field of
EMC testing to comply with these specific requirements.
In addition to addressing the requirements of MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005, this document is also
developed to be in harmony with the requirements of SAMM policy documents SP1 to SP9.
Note: The main clauses of this document are numbered to correspond with the clauses of MS
ISO/IEC 17025: 2005.
1. SCOPE
These specific requirements apply to electromagnetic
(electromagnetic disturbance test and immunity test).
compatibility
(EMC)
tests
2. NORMATIVE REFERENCES
In addition to the standards quoted in MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005, the following standards are
established as Related Standards. However, the applicable standards are not limited to those
listed below.
2.1 RELATED STANDARDS
MS 400: Chapter 161: 1996, Electrotechnical Vocabulary: Chapter 161: Electromagnetic
compatibility (First Revision).
MS CISPR 22: 2000, Information technology equipment - Radio disturbance characteristics Limits and methods of measurements.
MS CISPR 24: 2000, Information technology equipment. Immunity characteristics - Limits and
methods of measurements.
CISPR 16-1: 2003, Specification for radio disturbance and immunity measuring apparatus and
methods Part 1-1: Radio disturbance and immunity measuring apparatus - Measuring apparatus.
Part 1-2: Radio disturbance and immunity measuring apparatus - Ancillary equipment Conducted disturbances.
STR 1.3, Issue 2, 23 January 2007
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Specific Technical Requirement for Accreditation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Laboratories
Part 1-3: Radio disturbance and immunity measuring apparatus - Ancillary equipment Disturbance power.
Part 1-4: Radio disturbance and immunity measuring apparatus - Ancillary equipment Radiated disturbances.
Part 1-5: Radio disturbance and immunity measuring apparatus - Antenna calibration
test sites for 30 MHz to 1000 MHz.
CISPR 16-2: 2003, Specification for radio disturbance and immunity measuring apparatus and
methods Part 2-1: Methods of measurement of disturbances and immunity - Conducted
disturbance measurements.
Part 2-2: Methods of measurement of disturbances and immunity - Measurement of
disturbance power.
Part 2-3: Methods of measurement of disturbances and immunity - Radiated disturbance
measurements.
Part 2-4: Methods of measurement of disturbances and immunity - Immunity
measurements.
CISPR 16-3: 2003, Specification for radio disturbance and immunity measuring apparatus and
methods - Part 3: CISPR technical reports.
CISPR 16-4: 2003, Specification for radio disturbance and immunity measuring apparatus and
methods Part 4-1: Uncertainties, statistics and limit modeling - Uncertainties in standardized EMC
tests.
Part 4-2: Uncertainties, statistics and limit modeling - Uncertainty of EMC
measurements.
Part 4-3: Uncertainties, statistics and limit modeling - Statistical considerations in the
determination of EMC compliance of mass-produced products.
Part 4-4: Uncertainties, statistics and limit modeling - Statistics of complaints and a
model for the calculation of limits.
EN 61000-6-1: 2001, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 6-1: Generic standards;
Immunity for residential, commercial and light- industrial environments.
EN 61000-6-2: 2001, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 6-2: Generic standards;
immunity for industrial environments.
EN 61000-6-3: 2001, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 6-3: Generic standards;
Emission standard for residential, commercial and light-industrial environments.
EN 61000-6-4: 2001, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) - Part 6-4: Generic standards;
emission standard for industrial environments.
STR 1.3, Issue 2, 23 January 2007
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Specific Technical Requirement for Accreditation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Laboratories
ANSI C63.4:1992, Methods of Measurement of Radio-Noise Emissions from Low-Voltage
Electrical and Electronic Equipment in the Range of 9 kHz to 40 GHz.
ANSI C63.5:1998, American National Standard for Electromagnetic Compatibility-Radiated
Emission Measurements in Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Control Calibration of Antennas
(9 kHz to 40 GHz).
3. DEFINITIONS
In addition to the definitions of terms given in MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 and in the Related
Standards above, the following principal terms used in EMC testing are defined below:
3.1 Emission: The phenomenon by which electromagnetic energy emanates from a source.
3.2 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC): A characteristic of devices or systems that do not
emit intolerable electromagnetic interference to anything in the environment in which the
equipment or system operates, and to function satisfactorily in that electromagnetic
environment.
3.3 Electromagnetic disturbance: Electromagnetic interference that degrade the performance
of a device, transmission channel, or system.
3.4 Immunity: Capacity of an instrument, device or system to operate without suffering
performance degradation in an environment where electromagnetic disturbance exists.
3.5 Electromagnetic interference (EMI): Electromagnetic phenomenon that may degrade the
performance of an instrument, device, or system, or with a high probability of adversely affecting
anything, whether animate or inanimate, in its immediate surroundings.
4. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS
4.1 Remote facilities
The management system shall ensure the following matters are addressed:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Copies of standards, test procedures and calibration records are consistent with those at
the permanent laboratory.
[Clause 4.3.2.2 of MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005]
The auditing regimes include the management system and technical aspects of these
facilities. [Clause 4.14.1 of MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005]
Remote staffs are included in any internal training programs.
[Clause 5.2.2 of MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005]
Staffs remotely based are subject to adequate supervision.
[Clause 5.2.3 of MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005]
4.2 EUT modifications
The management system shall include clear policies that address the need for testing staff to
remain independent of modifications to equipment under test (EUT).
STR 1.3, Issue 2, 23 January 2007
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Specific Technical Requirement for Accreditation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Laboratories
4.3 Document control
4.3.1 Standards
The laboratory shall have a copy of each standard for which testing is performed including
national versions of international parent documents.
The system for the control of standards shall ensure that there are mechanisms to track the
status of international and foreign standards.
4.3.2 Superseded standards
The document control system shall provide control over standards in a manner that allows for
the marking of old versions as being superseded but not obsolete.
4.4 Review of requests, tenders and contracts
4.4.1 General
The review process shall address the availability of ancillary apparatus, accessories and
software needed to perform the tests and identify any which must be supplied by the customer.
4.4.2 National and international standards
The review phase of the standards shall address the following:
i.
The customer’s requirements for testing for multiple markets and regulatory frameworks
are clearly understood;
ii.
The version and amendment status of the standards to which the tests are to be
conducted is explicit.
4.4.3 Test plans
The management system shall ensure the following matters are addressed in the review phase
and that records are maintained.
i.
Test plans have been approved by the customer;
ii.
The pass/fail criteria for the equipment and the modes of operation under which the tests
are to be conducted.
4.4.4 Mutual recognition agreements
The laboratory shall have staff who are familiar with the requirements of the destination
economy including any specific deviations or interpretation of the standards.
4.5 Technical records
4.5.1 Test records
Laboratories shall retain sufficient information to allow the EUT to be uniquely identified and
show the configuration of the sample tested. In a dispute situation, this additional information is
essential to the laboratory.
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Specific Technical Requirement for Accreditation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Laboratories
Where relevant, such information shall include:
i.
detailed identification of the EUT including photographs, circuit diagrams (if possible)
schematics and any other information which may be useful in a dispute situation;
ii.
the test plan, any agreed deviations made in the course of the testing program and the
customer’s authorisation of any such deviations;
iii.
modifications to the EUT made by, or under supervision of, the customer in the course of
a testing program;
iv.
detailed diagrams or photographs of the set-up for each test;
v.
original test or calibration observations, charts, print-outs and calculations;
vi.
description of any non-standard measurement technique;
vii.
identification of any tests not performed and the reasons;
viii.
other contractual documents or relevant regulations;
ix.
any observations relating to unusual behaviour of the EUT.
4.5.2 Management reviews
The management reviews shall take into account of “the results of interlaboratory comparisons
or proficiency tests”. Refer also to SAMM Policy 4 (SP4) Document on "Policy on Proficiency
Testing Requirements for SAMM Laboratories".
5. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
5.1 Personnel
In addition to the general requirements set forth in MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005, the following
specific requirements shall be established:
5.1.1 The electromagnetic compatibility test shall be conducted by, or under the supervision of,
technical personnel who are recognized as possessing adequate experience and expertise in
the issues specific to the field of electromagnetic compatibility. This should be complied for onsite testing as well.
5.1.2 If required by laws and regulations relevant to the electromagnetic compatibility testing,
the personnel shall be educated and trained to conduct such tests.
5.2 Accommodation and environmental conditions
In addition to the general requirements set forth in MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005, the following
specific requirements shall be established.
5.2.1 Laboratories shall secure conformity of electromagnetic environment conditions for open
sites and/or all-weather open-air sites with the required standards of applicable scopes of
accreditation and appropriately maintain them for the purpose of obtaining accurate and
reproducible test results such as for the following:
i. Radio-wave non-reflective areas;
ii. Radio-frequency electromagnetic environment on open-air sites;
iii. Ground surface.
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Specific Technical Requirement for Accreditation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Laboratories
5.2.2 Ambient signals present at open-area test site (OATS)
Laboratories having OATS which would be classified as category b) or c) as described by
CISPR 16-1-4 clause 5 need to utilise techniques which permit the measurement of all radiated
emissions from the EUT. These may include, but not be limited to, the following:
i. For narrowband emissions adjacent to an ambient signal, narrowing of the measuring
bandwidth.
ii. Reducing the measurement distance to 3 meters.
iii. Pre-screening at a reduced measurement distance.
iv. Pre-screening in a suitable chamber.
When pre-screening identifies EUT emissions which would be masked by ambient signals on
the OATS, techniques also need to be employed to measure the magnitude of the emission.
5.3 Test methods and method validation
Laboratories shall conduct test using test methods conforming to the required standards of
applicable scopes of accreditation for the purpose of obtaining accurate and reproducible results
in the test carried out with measuring and test facilities of their own laboratories.
Refer to SAMM Policy 5 (SP5) Document on "Policy on Measurement Uncertainty
Requirements for SAMM Testing Laboratories" to assess compliance to the requirements of
Clause 5.4.6 of MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 on "Estimation of uncertainty of measurement".
5.3.1 Supplementary procedures
Supplementary procedures shall be reviewed whenever new editions or amendments to
standards are published.
Where EUT configuration is not detailed in the standard but is critical to the test, laboratories
need to develop documented guidelines to ensure that:
i.
Configurations are in strict accordance with the requirements of the applicable
standard(s).
ii.
Staff shall take a consistent approach to EUT configuration where there is limited detail
in the applicable standard.
5.3.2 Interpretations
Laboratories need to maintain records of all interpretive decisions which they may make as a
response to either ambiguities in the test and/or product standards or difficulties in testing new
and innovative technology.
Laboratories shall also make reasonable efforts to ensure that any such interpretations are
consistent with those of other laboratories, accreditation bodies and regulatory authorities. For
example, when testing for the USA, the Federal Communications Commission shall be
contacted regarding interpretive matters.
Perceived difficulties with the standards shall also be brought to the attention of the
STANDARDS MALAYSIA.
Attendance at relevant fora where such interpretations are discussed is strongly encouraged.
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Specific Technical Requirement for Accreditation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Laboratories
5.3.3 Laboratory developed methods (Deviations/alternative procedures and instruments)
It is essential that a laboratory seeking accreditation for alternative methods and/or
instrumentation be able to provide comprehensive validation data to support claims of
equivalence with the methods/equipment specified in the standard.
5.3.4 Estimation of uncertainty of measurement
5.3.4.1 Internal calibrations
Laboratories need to have uncertainty estimates for any internal calibration work performed by
laboratory staff. This includes cables loss measurements and site attenuation measurements.
5.3.4.2 Method of calculation
Measurement uncertainty evaluations for EMC tests shall preferably be based on the general
principles of the ISO Guide to Uncertainty of Measurement (ISO GUM).
The sample uncertainty budgets in CISPR 16-4-2 are not entirely consistent with the ISO
document but may be adopted provided laboratories input their own values for each uncertainty
component based on sound rationale.
Two points should be noted about the CISPR approach.
i. The approach of defining “target” uncertainties does not absolve a laboratory from the
determination of uncertainty budgets.
ii. Not all measurements called up by the various emission standards have sample
uncertainty budgets or “target” values to be achieved. In these cases, the requirements
of this clause apply fully.
Uncertainty estimates shall also be determined for immunity testing systems from the
perspective of ensuring that the test stimuli meet the requirements of the standards. For
example, in performing tests for susceptibility to radiated fields (IEC 61000-4-3), the uncertainty
of the measurement of field strength shall be documented to show that the validation data for
the uniformity of the applied field is within the tolerances defined in the standard.
5.4 Equipment
In addition to the general requirements set forth in MS ISO/IEC 17025: 2005, the following
specific requirements shall be established.
5.4.1 Laboratories shall secure conformity of pertinent characteristics of their outdoor testing
fields (open-air sites) and alternate testing fields (radio-wave anechoic chambers and radiowave semi-anechoic chambers) used in electromagnetic disturbance tests and immunity tests
with the required standards of applicable scopes of accreditation.
5.4.2 Laboratories shall secure conformity of their measuring and test facilities used for
electromagnetic disturbance tests and immunity tests with the required standards of applicable
scopes of accreditation, and appropriately control and maintain them for the purpose of
obtaining accurate and reproducible test results.
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Specific Technical Requirement for Accreditation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Laboratories
5.4.3 Laboratories shall have documented procedures to ensure the orderly operation of
measuring and test facilities (covering pre-use inspections and periodical calibrations).
5.4.4 Laboratories shall have documented procedures to detail the actions that have to be taken
when the performance of measuring and test facilities is unsatisfactory. Such actions need to be
recorded.
5.4.5 The laboratory needs to ensure that any alternative instrumentation used is thoroughly
verified and “fit for purpose”. For example, spectrum analyzers provided with a quasi-peak
detector and tracking preselector are sometimes used by laboratories in place of EMI receivers.
Such a combination of instruments must still be shown by calibration and verification to meet the
CISPR specifications.
5.5 Traceability of measurement results
For specific requirements pertaining to this section, refer to SAMM Policy 2 (SP2) Document on
"Policy on Traceability of Measurement Results."
While recognizing the risks associated with equipment transport, consideration shall be given to
sourcing calibrations from foreign accredited laboratories under Mutual Recognition
Arrangements where such a calibration is not available locally.
In the absence of a source of traceable calibration for a part of a measurement parameter, that
which is available should be used and augmented by whatever means of checking and/or
intercomparisons are possible.
5.6 Sampling
This requirement is not applicable in the field of EMC testing.
5.7 Handling of test and calibration items
Laboratories shall have storage facilities and handling procedures which ensure the “visual”
security of the EUT.
5.8 Quality assurance of test and calibration results
As well as comparison testing between testing officers, laboratories having multiple sites shall
ensure that proficiency/intercomparison testing is conducted on suitable artifacts at all sites as a
means of ensuring internal consistency.
5.9 Reporting of results
5.9.1 General
The following information shall be included in reports on EMC tests:
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Specific Technical Requirement for Accreditation of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing Laboratories
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Reference to any test plans applicable to the testing;
Photographs and descriptions that will both adequately identify the EUT and any
counter-measures added in the course of testing;
Photographs or diagrams that show test configurations critical to the measurement
results (including any counter-measures);
For radiated emission tests performed at an OATS other than category a) as described
by CISPR 16-1-4 clause 5, a note that techniques have been used to identify emissions
masked by ambient signals. A description of the technique shall be documented.
5.9.2 Immunity test reports
Immunity test reports shall include details of the pass/fail criteria if:
i.
they are not contained in a product standard;
ii.
they are customer defined.
5.9.3 Statement of compliance
It is essential that the statement of compliance be made in a manner that leaves no doubt that
the result applies only to the sample tested.
Compliance statements need to be clear and concise and identify the relevant standards, or
parts thereof, to which the statement applies.
Where one or more tests have not been performed or deviations from the standard made, the
compliance statement shall be appropriately qualified.
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