Different authorization is needed for different types of equipment. Technical expertise is needed to evaluate the design to ensure correct authorization.
EMI Testing and EMC Testing
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
FCC stands for Federal Communications Commission. It is an agency of the U.S. Federal Government responsible for the management of the radio spectrum in the US. The FCC protects against “radio and broadcast pollution”, both by enforcing standards of broadcast decency, and by regulating Electromagnetic noise sources.
Electrical and electronic products may interfere by producing radio spectrum noise. As electric current moves around inside an electrical product, the current will produce electromagnetic field waves that will travel through space. Those waves may affect other electrical currents in other products, and cause unwanted interference.
The FCC has four main categories of equipment authorization:
- Verification (unintentional radiators)
- Declaration of Conformity (unintentional radiators that connect with PC’s or television systems)
- Certification (intentional radiators, radar detectors)
- Registration (telephones & telecommunication devices)
Whether your product is intended for military, industrial, commercial or residential use, it must perform its intended function in the electromagnetic environment, through use of EMI/EMC testing. Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing requires appropriate electrical and structural design, equipment installation, wiring installation, and equipment qualification. Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) testing is performed to ensure that your product will perform properly when subjected to the electromagnetic environment in which it is expected to operate.