Certifications and Regulations

Power supply units are subject to a number of regulations and bear several certifications, as the familiar Energy Star logo, pertaining to efficiency and standby power consumption, attests. In the area of safety, the PSE certification is required on AC adapters and power supplies. In terms of noise reduction, there are many cases in which EMI and EMC compliance is required. These requirements are a diverse set, some being applicable across the world and others limited to a specific country or region. Any product offered globally needs to comply with the regulations applicable in the respective countries. Furthermore, it should be borne in mind that acquiring such certifications requires tests, with attendant time, expenses, and a considerable amount of work.

Figure 39

An important component of a design process is a firm grasp, at the outset, of what certifications are required and what regulations must be complied with. If such requirements are added as an after-thought, one may end up revamping the whole design or, even if the product development has been finished, one may be stuck in a situation where the product cannot be shipped because the requisite testes have not been completed, with veritable disastrous consequences.