What Are Printed Circuit Board Certifications?
Printed circuit board companies are widely needed in various applications. As such, there need to be regulations and quality standards in place to ensure that companies are meeting the safety requirements and that they are delivering products that are of an acceptable quality for safe use.
There are various types printed circuit board certifications which show that a company is qualified and certified to produce high-quality PCBs, that are also in line with the regulations and legislations.
What Are RoHS & WEEE Regulations?
RoHS is an acronym for ‘Restriction of Hazardous Substances’. This certification originated in the European Union and is designed to restrict the use of certain hazardous materials that are found in electrical products.
WEEE stands for ‘Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment’. This regulation aims to reduce the amount of electrical and electronic equipment that end up in the landfill.
It’s important to be RoHS compliant as it regulates the hazardous materials used in electronic devices, whilst WEEE regulations regulate the way you dispose of electrical products. Ultimately, the goal of these regulations is to prevent the environment and landfills from being polluted.
Clarydon takes these certifications very seriously, which is why we pride ourselves on manufacturing RoHS compliant products that are high quality, whilst remaining environmentally conscious.
What is ISO 9001:2015?
ISO 9001 is a family of widely recognised quality management systems and guidelines. The aim of this standard is to encourage global companies to meet the requirements and expectations of customers by effectively and efficiently improve the quality of their products and their services. The latest version of the ISO 9001 international standard is ISO 9001:2015, which is set to replace the current ISO 9001:2008, in September 2018.
The ISO 9001:2015 standards cover the following areas:
- Performance Evaluation
Companies and organisations that are certified with ISO 9001, means that they have shown their ability to consistently provide services and products that meet the customer’s needs and the regulatory requirements. This standard can be applied to any organisations but it is especially important in the PCB manufacturing industry. The benefits of this standard include being able to enhance your customer satisfaction, develop consistent processes, improve the quality of your products and services, and enable your business to see continued improvements.
What are UL Certifications?
UL is short for the Underwriters Laboratory, which was an independent testing facility that was set up to test the safety of new products and technologies. At present, UL has a network of sites globally that focus on product safety.
The UL certifications require manufacturers to rigorously test their circuit boards to measure the reliability and fire safety of PCBs. For printed circuit boards, the main standards that apply are UL796, which is the specific standard for PCBs, and UL94, which is for testing the flammability of plastics.
Whenever the safety or flammability of a circuit board is an issue, a UL marking is required before the board goes into any equipment. This is to allow customers to be aware of the different standards of products.
Contact Clarydon for PCB Manufacturing
Clarydon Electronic Services has a wealth of expertise in PCB manufacturing. If you require PCB manufacturing or assembly, please get in touch with one of our PCB specialists and we would be happy to help.
Call us on 01902 606 000 or you can email us at [email protected].