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October 2010 saw the 74^th IEC General meeting in Seattle, Washington, USA. Within the IEC, its special committee CISPR (Comite International Special des Perturbations Radioelectriques –International Special Committee on Radio Interference) came together and this article reviews some of the key projects discussed at that meeting. The activities of IEC TC 77, a parallel committee to CISPR developing the IEC 61000 series and of equal importance, did not meet in Seattle and hence will not be discussed here except for the JTFs (Joint Task Forces) that exist in common with CISPR Subcommittee A, responsible for the basic standard CISPR 16, which will be the main focus of this first part of a two part article. In the second part of the article (to be published in a subsequent edition of this magazine), we will continue with the CISPR product standards and the Joint Task Forces (JTFs) existing between the different subcommittees as well as between CISPR subcommittees and IEC SC 77 B.

Rising above the tidal marshes of Southern New Jersey stands a red and white antenna tower shadowing a World War II era radio shack. The marsh was a simple mosquito nursery in the 40s when the first modest building—a cinder block foundation and stick-framed walls— was erected as part of a string of radio stations that formed a wartime network on the East Coast. German subs prowled the waters just off the shore of Cape May which hosted just a few houses and one general store with peeling gray paint and sway-back roofline.

The electronics industry is continually shifting. Device density and technology is more complex. Electronics manufacturing is more heavily reliant on out‑sourcing. The ESD industry seems to have jumped into this swirling eddy headfirst. ESD control programs have mushroomed. Black has been replaced by green, blue and gold. Shielding bags dominate the warehouse. Ionizers exist along side wrist straps and ground cords. An early history of “smoke and mirrors,” magic and lofty claims of performance is rapidly and safely being relegated to the past.

ENERGY STAR has created a completely new system of requirements and procedures for qualifying energy-efficient products. Navigating the new routes to qualification can be a challenge, given the multiplicity of newly defined requirements for testing, certification and verification. What are Recognized Laboratories, Certification Bodies and Accreditation Bodies? What roles do they play in the process? Can manufacturers still perform their own product testing for qualification? This article will chart the landscape and describe how to choose the fastest and most economical route through EPA’s Enhanced Testing and Verification Program.

The start of a new year is a time when, traditionally, we reflect on the progress we made during the year passed and set our goals for the new year. More often than not, your professional development goals include training or some form of higher education to expand or refresh your technical knowledge. We’ve queried training resources in our niche industry to provide you with an overview of affordable solutions to meet your training goals in 2011. You’ll find here sources of compliance related seminars and workshops offered online and on location, public and private.