Electronic Product IEC 62368-1 Safety Testing

If you have ever paid attention to the various certification marks on mobile phone chargers, computers, televisions, or data center servers, you have most likely heard of iec 62368-1. Simply put, it is currently the world's most mainstream safety standard for audio/video, information and communication technology equipment.

Where Did IEC 62368-1 Come From?

In the past, electronic products were rigidly divided into two major camps, each following different safety standards:

• iec 60950-1: For Information Technology (IT) equipment, such as computers, servers, and mobile phones.

• IEC 60065: For Audio/Video (AV) equipment, such as televisions, stereos, and radios.

However, with the development of technology, this division has become increasingly blurred. A smart TV can both broadcast programs (AV) and access the internet for information (IT); a smartphone is both a communication tool and a media player. If we continued to forcibly separate them, manufacturers would face immense repetitive work and standard conflicts when undergoing safety certifications.

Therefore, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) decided to "merge the two into one," giving birth to IEC 62368-1.

What is HBSE (Hazard-Based Safety Engineering)?

The most core change in IEC 62368-1 lies in the introduction of the Hazard-Based Safety Engineering (HBSE) concept.

The traditional old standards were very "rigid"; they acted like a rulebook, dictating inflexibly: (the insulation distance here must be X millimeters, the enclosure must be X thick). While this approach was clear, it greatly limited the innovation of new technologies.

In contrast, IEC 62368-1 no longer blindly obsesses over dimensions, but acts like an experienced safety expert, analyzing the "energy flow." Its logic is:

1. Identify energy sources: What energy exists in the product? (Electrical energy, thermal energy, mechanical energy, radiation energy, etc.)

2. Classify energy levels: How significant are these energies? What is the degree of potential harm to the human body? (Divided into 3 classes: Class 1 is safe, Class 3 is hazardous)

3. Design safeguards: If there is hazardous energy, have appropriate safeguards been installed? (Such as insulation, fire-retardant enclosures, safety interlocks, etc.)

As long as manufacturers can prove that their design can effectively block the "hazardous source" from being transmitted to the "human body," it complies with the standard. This leaves massive room for innovation in the application of new materials and new structures.

What "Energies" Does It Primarily Regulate?

IEC 62368-1 classifies the energies that could potentially cause injury to persons or property into six major categories, and formulates strict safeguard requirements for each:

• Electric Shock: Preventing electric shock from high voltage.

• Electrically-Caused Fire: Preventing fires caused by circuit short circuits or overloads (with strict requirements for the flammability rating of materials).

• Hazardous Substances: Hazards such as chemical battery leakage.

• Mechanically-Caused Injury: Preventing equipment tip-overs, sharp edge cuts, fan blade pinching, etc.

• Thermal Burn: Preventing excessively high surface temperatures of the equipment from burning users.

• Radiation: Including lasers, X-rays, and the most commonly encountered headphone hearing protection (preventing excessive sound volume from damaging the eardrums).

Why Must Global Manufacturers Take It Seriously?

Because it is a mandatory passport.

Currently, the vast majority of countries and regions globally have completed the transition from the old standards to the new one. For example, the European Union's EN 62368-1 and China's GB 4943.1-2022 (which comprehensively modified and adopted IEC 62368-1) have both become mandatory standards. The old 60950-1 and 60065 standards have completely exited the stage of history.

If a manufacturer's product is to be sold in the global market, passing the IEC 62368-1 certification is an absolutely unavoidable threshold.

Conclusion

IEC 62368-1 is not simply piecing together the IT and AV standards, but rather redefines the safety boundaries of electronic products using a more scientific, dynamic, and personal-safety-focused HBSE logic. It not only protects consumer safety but also unties the hands of technology companies for technological innovation, making it an important milestone in the developmental history of the electronic communication industry.