Chris: Thanks for your intelligent reply and a little needed humor too. In my days of paid employment CSA electrical safety was where it was at. Nowdays I think they need Compliance Engineers to be able to determine which standard applies. I guess there could be two approaches, generic immunity or the way it is now. Either way, it seems to present as many problems.
By the way, I'll endorse your cheques with CE, but only from my basement. Regards, Ralph Cameron ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Chileshe" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2001 12:37 PM Subject: RE: CE Mark > > Hi Ralph, > > The CE mark is not exclusive to EMC. Indeed, it refers to compliance with > all directives relevant to the product, so a teddy bear will be CE marked if > it meets the requirements of the toy directive and all relevant safety directives. > > Pressure vessels will have to meet the requirements of the pressure directive > and so on, and if any product crosses boundaries, it has to meet all the applicable > directives. > > However, the CE mark is a declaration of conformity and you can self certify. > This means I can disappear into my garage for a few weeks and emerge with > a CE marked product - and it would be perfectly legal - as long as the declaration > is true i.e. I have done what needs to be done to prove compliance, and one way > to do this would be to test to applicable harmonised standards. Validity of self > certification may change in due course but at the moment, that is how it is. > > I like Chris Maxwell's spin on the meaning of CE, and it would be true if > every firm made a distinction between the compliance engineer and the > designer. In all the companies I have worked for - we do it all i.e. the designer > designs to spec, takes the product through type approval tests, then through > precompliance and then through full compliance. So the electronics designers > are responsible for meeting all the applicable directives (EMC, electrical safety) > and functional type approval and they do so by product proving and EMC testing > the product themselves - to the applicable standard. They are also responsible for > the technical documentation for the electrical aspects of the product. The > mechanical engineers and hydraulics engineers do likewise and when it's all done, > the fall guy (engineering director) puts his signature on the declaration of conformity. > What this means is that if the declaration should subsequently be proven false, he > is the one who goes to the gallows. > > Wait a minute! I used to think everyone worked that way, but I get the feeling > I may be doing too much! That does it! I am off to see the payroll people soon > after sending this e-mail and hopefully will emerge with a CE marked cheque - > or CE marked letter of dismissal!! You can never be too sure with these > accounts people. > > Regards y'all > > - Chris Chileshe > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ralph Cameron [SMTP:[email protected]] > Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2001 4:57 PM > To: Chris Chileshe; [email protected] > Subject: Re: CE Mark > > I think its fair to state that CE also equates to designed in level of > immunity to electromagnetic interference, i.e. reduced sensitivity or > susceptibility. In my view , a highly desireable because it prevents a lot > of what's out there from coming in and conversely a lot of what's inside > from coming out. > > It's a compromise but better than nothing. > > Ralph cameron > EMC Consulting and Suppression of Consumer Electronics > (after sale) > > << snip >> > > _____________________________________________________________________ > This message has been checked for all known viruses by Star Internet > delivered through the MessageLabs Virus Scanning Service. 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