China Quality Focus work with local certified & accredited laboratories in order to help you manage your products testing needs.
Our experienced team is up to date with your products requirements in terms of:
- Mandatory lab tests and Required Certification
- Recommend lab tests
- Specific norms and standards per country
Outsource your laboratories tests to us and:
- Secure your business
- Protect your interests
- Save time & money
The most common directives in Europe
A directive is a community legal document taken by the Council of the European Union. The European members must thus transpose the directive in their national law. It results an establishment of various standards to be respected according to the products and countries concerned. Be careful, one product could be subject to different directives.
The CE marking
CE marking is an obligatory European marking for all the products subject to one or more European Directives. It indicates that the products respect the essential requirements of the directives in particular about safety, public health and consumers' protection. CE marking allows the products to freely circulate in all the European Union.
Procedure of evaluation of conformity:
CE Mark is affixed at the end of a procedure of evaluation of conformity to the essential requirements. According to the dangerosity of the products, the procedure varies:
- Simple certificate of conformity emitted by the manufacturer.
- Checking unit by unit by a recognized organization.
- Implementation of a system of quality assurance controlled by an accredited organization.
There are eight modes of evaluation of conformity:
- CE conformity declaration
- The certificate of CE examination of the type
- The declaration of conformity to the type
- The quality assurance of the production
- The quality assurance of the product
- The test on products or CE checking
- The unit verification
- The complete quality assurance
Each directive notifies, according to the products and the covered risks, the method of evaluation which must be applied.
Certificate of conformity
The manufacturer, or its agent established in one of the countries of the EU, must obtain a certificate of conformity. This certificate can be established with a CE declaration of conformity of the product to the essential requirements of health and safety, along with a technical report.
CE declaration of conformity
"Written document by which a manufacturer engages his responsibility as for conformity for a product to the essential requirements for health and safety with the relative regulation concerned".
This declaration contains:
- Name and address of the manufacturer, the agent or the importer
- Description of the product
- Reference to the harmonized standards or other specifications used
- Name and address of the signatory
Technical Report
A technical report is generally required from the manufacturer in addition of the declaration. The assessment method associated with the product determines the obligation of it. This report does not circulate with the product. Only the authorities entitled to control can obtain it, on request.
Contents of the technical report:
- Information of an administrative nature on the company
- Documents allowing checking the conformity of the product to the technical rules: official report, description of the product and the process, plans, etc.
To affix CE marking:
Surface marking - the mark is affixed preferably on the product or, in the event of technical impossibility, on packing, on the user's manual or the warranty tag.
Graphics - the mark must be visible and readable. The manufacturer has the choice of the color.
Printing - the mark must be indelible. The process of affixing, labeling or engraving is the choice of the manufacturer.
Dimension - Height equal or higher than 5 mm, exceptions may apply.
EMC: ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY
Directive 89/336/EEC or 2004/108/CE
This directive concerns the phenomenon of electromagnetic interference. The EMC directive was introduced on the 01/01/1996 by the European Union in order to limit its effects. The Electromagnetic compatibility includes electronic emissions and immunity.
Basically products have to be constructed in such manner that correctly installed and running products comply with these two principles:
- Electromagnetic interferences must be limited to such extent that the operation and use of radio and telecommunications installations and other devices is possible.
- Devices must tolerate a reasonable amount of electromagnetic interference so that the device may be used as intended.
This directive of European Union applies to all the electrical appliances and electronics (functioning on sector or battery) likely to generate or to be affected by electromagnetic disturbances such as:
- Electro-domestic apparels and tools
- Toys
- Luminaries (general public or professionals)
- Brown Products (TV, readers DVD, hi-fi...)
- Equipment for information treatment
- Laboratories equipment
- Industrial equipment
- Electro-medical equipment
Low power electrical appliances - Directive 73/23/CEE
Since August the 19th, 1974, all low power electrical appliances are concerned by the 73/23/CEE directive.
The intention is to prevent and to assure the safety and the health of people and if necessary of the domestic animals, of goods when using electrical equipments designed to be used within certain power limits.
L'objectif de cette directive est de prévenir et d'assurer la sécurité et la santé des personnes et, le cas échéant, des animaux domestiques et des biens lors de l'usage des matériels électriques destinés à être employés dans certaines limites de tension.
Guarantee of safety for the users and the consumers, all the products low tension must be provided with the attesting marking CE, claiming the conformity of these materials to the essential requirements of the directive.
RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances)
Directive 2002/95/CE - 2002/96/CE
The RoHS directive of the European Union means: Restrictions of the use of certain dangerous substances in the electric and electronic components.
This directive, applicable to July 1, 2006, prohibited the entry of the market of the European Union to the new electric and electronic components containing lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium exceeding of the agreed levels as well as fireproofing products with polybromobiphényl (PBB) and diphenylic polybromine ether (DPBE).
Manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and distributors must understand and include the requirements of the RoHS directive in order to make sure that their products are in conformity. Conformity with RoHS will be managed by each government of the European Union. No equipment not respecting this regulation is authorized with being put on sale on the market.
The products concerned with RoHS are:
- large domestic machines
- small domestic machines
- data-processing equipment and of telecommunications
- general public material
- lighting equipment
- electric and electronic tools (except for the large fixed industrial tools)
- toys, equipment of leisure and sport
- medical devices
- instruments for monitoring/of control
- vending machines
WEEE (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment): 2002/96/CE
WEEE is a directive of the European Union which governs the provision and the recycling of the electric and electronic equipments (EEE). The goal is to introduce the responsibility for the producer and the consumer into the collection, the re-use and the waste processing.
What is an EEE?
EEE: electric and electronic equipments whose electricity is principal energy, functioning thanks to electrical currents or to fields electromagnetic and designed to be used under 1.000 Volts in AC current and under 1.500 Volts in D.C. current.
List of other common European directives:
| DIRECTIVES BASED ON NEW APPROACH | |
|---|---|
| Appliances burning gaseous fuels | 90/396/EEC |
| Cableway installations designed to carry persons | 2000/9/EC |
| Construction products | 89/106/EEC |
| Electromagnetic compatibility | 2004/108/EC |
| Equipment and protective systems in potentially explosive atmospheres | 94/9/EC |
| Explosives for civil uses | 93/15/EEC |
| Lifts | 95/16/EC |
| Machinery safety | 98/37/EC |
| Measuring instruments | 2004/22/EEC |
| Medical devices: Active implantable | 90/385/EEC |
| Medical devices: General | 93/42/EEC |
| Medical devices: In vitro diagnostic | 98/79/EC |
| New hot-water boilers fired with liquid or gaseous fluids (efficiency requirements) | 92/42/EEC |
| Non-automatic weighing instruments | 90/384/EEC |
| Packaging and packaging waste | 94/62/EC |
| Personal protective equipment | 89/686/EEC |
| Pressure equipment | 97/23/EC |
| Radio and telecommunications terminal equipment | 99/5/EC |
| Recreational craft | 94/25/EC |
| Simple pressure vessels | 87/404/EEC |
| Toys safety | 88/378/EEC |
MOST OTHER USED MARKINGS AND LABELS
The NF marking
NF Mark is a collective mark of certification. It brings the indisputable proof to your customers that your product meets their needs and that it is in conformity with characteristics of safety and/or quality defined in the corresponding reference frame of certification.
This frame of reference is made up with:
- French, European or international standards,
- Complementary specifications concerning the product or service and the organization quality of the company contained in certification rules, specific to each product or service.
The reference frames of certification are established in dialogue with all the actors concerned: industrialists or service providers, professional organizations, consumers, the authorities, technical organizations...
Thus NF standard can include several directives for one given product.
The German marking GS
Geprufte Sicherheit (controlled safety) is the approval mark of reference in Germany and largely widespread in the world. It indicates that an industrial plant or a consumer product is in conformity with the technical requirements defined within the framework of German law GPSG on the integrity of the technical components and consumer products.
The UL certification
The UL Mark is a registered certification mark of Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), an independent, not-for-profit, product safety testing and certification organization. UL develops standards and test procedures for products, materials, components, tools and equipment, chiefly dealing with product safety.
The UL Mark is one of the most recognized, accepted and trusted symbols in the world. Safety-conscious and concerned consumers look for this on products because it delivers the credibility of an independent, technically expert organization which has determined whether foreseeable risks associated with the product's use have been eliminated or minimized.
The FCC marking
All commercial electronic devices sold in the United States are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) if they employ clocks or oscillators, operate at a frequency of greater than 9 kHz, and use digital techniques. This includes almost every product that contains a microprocessor.
Class A Device: devices marketed for use in an industrial or business environment and not intended for use in the home or a residential area.
Class B Device: devices marketed for use in the home or a residential area. Examples of such devices include, but are not limited to, personal computers, calculators, printers, modems, many electronic games, and similar devices that are marketed to the general public.
The cUL mark
cUL Mark allows you to sell your products in Canada. Products with this type of mark have been evaluated to Canadian safety requirements, which are different from US safety requirements. This mark is prevalent on appliances and computer equipment, vending machines, household burglar alarm systems, lighting fixtures, etc.
The GOST-R mark
The GOST-R mark is a mandatory certification mark for all electrical products to be shipped into Russia. The GOST-R certificate is issued following technical evaluation of your company's products to ensure compliance to Russian safety regulations. The GOST-R Certificate is valid for three years and a license to use the GOST-R mark is valid for one year and renewed with an annual factory inspection.
The Australia - New Zeland C-Tick
The Australian Communications Authority (ACA) and the Radio Spectrum Management Group (RSM) of New Zealand have agreed upon a harmonized scheme in producing the C-Tick Mark that regulates product compliance. All electrical and electronic products to be sold in the Australian and New Zealand markets must comply with the required applicable standards.
The CCC mark for China (China Compulsory Certification)
The CCC Mark (China Compulsory Certification mark) is required for a wide range of products sold in the Peoples Republic of China. The product list includes 19 product groups and a total of 132 product categories, mostly for electronic products and machinery.
The Laboratories tests for your products
In order to export your goods, your products have to comply with certain standards or directives, thus your products have to be tested in a laboratory in order to obtain the required certifications.
CHINA QUALITY FOCUS helps you to:
- Quickly test your products at interesting rates thanks to our local accredited laboratories partners
- Keep up to date with new product standards and regulations
- Make sure which tests are mandatory and which ones are advised
The most common lab tests by range of products:
Textile & Apparel
- Colorfastness Test
- Strength Test
- Chemical Analytical Test
- Aging Test
- Flammability Test
- Fiber Analysis
- Construction Test
- Fabric Performance
Toys & Gifts
- Physical and Mechanical Test
- Flammability Test (Textile Materials)
- Flammability Test (Other Materials)
- Toxic Elements (Heavy Metal Analysis)
- Cleanliness of Stuffing Material (Chemical Analysis)
- Color Fastness
- DEHP Content
- Azo colorants
Electrical & Electronic
- Safety testing
- EMC testing (according to IEC, CE, UL etc.)
- CE certification
- FCC certification
For any question, please contact us.