The National Measurement Institute’s (NMI) Pattern Approval laboratory is accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia (NATA) to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard for testing and calibration services services.
Organisations undertaking R&D and product development for electronic equipment can access the Pattern Approval laboratory. Our unique capability provides testing to IEC standards across a range of areas, including:
- Temperature: IEC 60068
- Humidity: IEC 60068
- Immunity to electromagnetic field interference: IEC 6100-4-3 and IEC 6100-4-6
- Line-borne interference: IEC 6100-4-11 and IEC 6100-4-2
- Electrostatic discharge: IEC 6100-4-2
- Electrical surge: IEC 6100-4-5.
Temperature
We have 3 programmable environmental test chambers used for temperature testing in accordance with the IEC 600068 standard.
One chamber is 5m long, 2m wide and 2m high. The other chambers are both 2m long, 2m wide and 2m high.
Each chamber can provide temperature testing between -25°C and +55°C. The temperature change is controlled in increments of 1°C.
Humidity
Our 5m long, 2m wide and 2m high programmable environmental test chamber can also provide damp heat humidity testing in accordance with the IEC 600068 standard.
We can control relative humidity levels up to 95% using injected water vapour (steam and cold water misting) to provide both:
-
steady-state humidity testing (no condensation of water on equipment)
-
cyclic humidity testing (water condenses on the equipment).
The rate of humidity change is controlled in increments consistent with the IEC 600068 standard.
Immunity to electromagnetic field interference
Our automated electromagnetic susceptibility facility is 9m long, 6m wide and 4.5m high. It is set up in accordance with the IEC 61000-4-3 and IEC 61000-4-6 standards.
We have the capacity to test for immunity to radiated interference:
- over the frequency range 26 MHz to 2000 MHz at electromagnetic field strengths up to 3 V/m
- over the frequency range 80 MHz to 2000 MHz at electromagnetic field strengths up to 10 V/m.
We have the capacity to test for immunity to conducted radio-frequency field strengths over the frequency range 0.15 MHz to 80 MHz at electromagnetic field strengths up to 10 V/m.
Line-borne interference
Our interference test system is set up in accordance with the IEC 61000-4-11 and IEC 61000-4-2 standards.
We can test for the effects of:
- short-time power reductions
- AC mains voltage dips and short interruptions
- electrical bursts from 500 V to 4 000 V at frequencies equal to and below 5 kHz.
Electrostatic discharge
Our electrical discharge simulator is set up in accordance with the IEC 61000-4-2 standard.
We can apply electrostatic discharges up to 15 kV for:
- air or contact direct discharges applied to the instrument
- indirect discharges applied through horizontal and vertical coupling planes.
Electrical surge
Our electrical surge generator is set up in accordance with the IEC 61000-4-5 standard.