CE Marking

I work for an OEM in the US. We have a project where we are quoting some equipment destine for the UK.

One item in the specification says, "All electrical equipment and systems supplied shall conform to the appropriate EU Directives and shall include declarations of conformity for electrical equipment within his scope of supply as required by the Machinery Directive, LV Directive, and EMC Directive. The Supplier shall have compiled the necessary Technical Files or Technical Construction Files to demonstrate suitability for CE marking and these shall be available to the Purchase at any stage during the project or during the life of the installation."

Can anybody provide me with some direction on how to go about meeting this requirement?

Thanks!

Google CE Marking and youll get quite a lot.


Try These two to start with

http://www.dti.gov.uk/innovation/strd/cemark/page11646.html

and

http://www.ce-marking.org/

{LIGHT HUMOR ON}
remember though if you were competing with the far east you would just print the stickers out and stick them one the machinery!
{LIGHT HUMOR OFF}

Your main emphasis will be on the final product, achieving CE cerification.

A final assmembly with all CE components does not guarantee that the equipment is CE certified. Much will depend on the directives you are required to meet for your equipment.

Below is a google search for "CE certification"

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2003-34,GGLD:en&q=ce+certification

One thing that your requirement states is that it "shall conform to the appropriate EU Directives" meaning that rather than being certified, you can merely be compliant with the standards associated with the equipment.

From a cost perspective, certification will be far more expensive than compliance. I do know of companies that self certify. If you do it yourself, make certain that your documentation is thorough. The last thing you want to happen, is to be fined for not being in compliance.

If you have the time to research it, most certainly do so. However, if this is your first time, I would suggest contracting another company to do this machine, take excellent notes so you will be able to self certify on other machines.

In that the customer has stated CE as a requirement for the equipment, have you quoted accordingly, adding the costs for certification?

Some things to think about.

Hope this helps.

God Bless,

504Bloke - Thanks for the links. Lots of reading to do...

Stephen - Thanks for your thoughts on compliance vs. certification. In regards to your question, We are still in the quoting stages and trying to figure out what this will cost.

Some practical hints.

Hi agarb.

Just a few points.

You have to follow the EMC directive. Thats easy, simply avoid equipment that is intended for home or office.
Notice: Even if there is a "CE" sticker on an item does not mean that it is OK to install in an industrial environment. The EMC directive distinguishes beetween "home/office" and "industrial" environments.
Assemble all technical information about all important devices used in the technical file.

And you will have to construct the panels according to EN/IEC 60204-1. Easiest is to find a panel builder that has tried to ship overseas before.
The panel builder shall put a sign with the major electrical data on the outside of the panel AND a "CE" sticker.
Put electrical diagrams etc. in the technical file.

And you have to safeguard the machine/device/proces.
(THIS IS THE REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT PART !!!).
You must make a risk analysis. Put a copy of this in the technical file.
You must then decide a safety strategy. Put a copy of this in the technical file..
You must then make an instruction for use. Make sure you cover all safety aspects carefully. Put the manual in the technical file.

At some stage, the machine/device/proces must be taken into operation.
One of the steps that you must perform is to instruct the persons onsite in the use, including safety aspects.
The customer shall sign a take-over certificate.
This means, amongst other things, that he is now responsible for the use of the machine, including the safety of the machine.
Until he signs that document, YOU are responsible.
Until the take over certificate has been signed, you should act as you are the owner/responsible person. Be sure to document any violations of safety and instruct people to correct things if necessary. If you cannot make a machine safe, then put it in a safe state and padlock it. If something happens, you must be able to document that you did everything correctly.

Then be sure to store the technical file + takeover certificate in a safe place.
In the past we have had the need to provide both because there was an accidence at a customer.