What is RCM Certification?
At present, Australia and New Zealand are introducing the RCM mark (Regulatory Compliance Mark) to realize the unified identification of electrical products. The mark is a trademark owned by the regulatory agencies of Australia and New Zealand, indicating that the product meets both safety regulations and EMC requirements, which is not mandatory. After the product has obtained safety certification and electromagnetic compatibility registration, it can apply for the use of the RCM mark through the regulatory agency that issued the safety certification or "RCM Registrar" (Standards Australia).
RCM (Regulatory Compliance Mark) is a registered mark, indicating that the supplier declares that the product complies with the safety and other requirements stipulated by the electrical safety laws/regulations of the Australian states and New Zealand, and also complies with the Australian Radio Communication Act and the New Zealand Radio Communication Act "Electromagnetic Compatibility Requirements. The RCM mark can only be used on products that comply with both electrical safety regulations and EMC regulations.
RCM certification mark
The owner of the RCM mark is the federal government, and both the electrical safety statutory authority and the EMC statutory authority accept the RCM mark as a supplier declaration of conformity. As long as the supplier is approved to use the RCM logo in any state, the statutory management agencies of other states can accept it, thus realizing the approval of each state at one time.
RCM certification content:
RCM is considered a suitable mark, will change the past or current situation of the coexistence of the three marks C-Tick, A-Tick, and RCM, originally scheduled to start on September 1, 2013 (now postponed to March 1, 2014) Japan) RCM will be used as the only unified identification to show that the product complies with the requirements of ACMA and ERAC.
In a nutshell, RCM certification must include:
1. Safety (product safety certification), which is often referred to as SAA certification
2.EMC test (electromagnetic compatibility), namely C-tick report
From March 1, 2013, products must be registered with the Australian national database EESS and printed with the RCM logo before they can be sold in the market. SAA certification and C-Tick certification are phased out and replaced by RCM certification, which covers safety regulations and EMC (C-TIck may still be applicable to some low-power wireless products).
From January 1, 2016, the 3-year transition period will end, and the RCM mark will be fully enforced. Products that are not registered and affixed with the RCM logo will not be allowed to be sold in the market.
Australia and New Zealand divide the risk level of electrical products into three levels:
Level 1 low risk category;
Level 2 medium risk category;
Level 3 is high risk and has a list of 56 products.
Level 1 certification requirements: generally refer to DC power supply products (provide EMC reports and apply for RCM certification directly) (ie C-TICK).
Level 2 certification requirements: generally refer to AC power supply products (provide EMC report + safety report for RCM certification) (ie C-TICK).
Level 3 certification requirements: refer to the list (provide EMC report + safety report + SAA certificate) to apply for RCM certification + EESS registration.
Who should apply for RCM certification?
RCM certification can only be applied by a local company in Australia. The company must apply for an RCM number from the Australian government. Chinese manufacturers and exporters can apply for IEC or AS/NZS reports in their own names, but the report must be handed over to Australian importers. Apply for RCM.
Since the importer will bear the risk of substandard product quality (responsible party), and non-Australian companies cannot directly apply for RCM certification. It is estimated that more and more small-scale Australian companies will change the practice of making reports and applying for SAA at the expense of Chinese manufacturers in order to reduce costs. They will tend to designate a laboratory with certain capabilities and prestige, such as Water Test, to provide insurance reports and test data, and then they will apply for Australian RCM certification.
RCM certification application process:
1. The quality test (Qstlab) laboratory evaluates the product and determines the test standard for execution;
2. If there is any non-conformity in the test, the laboratory will rectify the product to meet and meet the Australian standard requirements;
3. Pass the test and issue a test report (including but not limited to: safety, electromagnetic compatibility, energy efficiency, communication, etc.);
4. Submit the test report to the Australian issuing agency for document review;
5. Australia has passed the audit and issued a safety certificate (SAA certificate);
6. After the customer obtains the SAA certificate and the C-tick certificate, the Australian or New Zealand entity holding the Australian Business Number (ABN) or New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (IRD) can go to the relevant website to apply for registration, and submit it to the company laboratory Complete the Australian website registration.
RCM certification cycle:
After obtaining the safety certification certificate (SAA certificate) and the C-Tick/EMC report, together with the local valid responsible company information, the registration will be completed in about one to two weeks, and the unique identification number starting with N will be obtained. Then upload each report again for about a week.