CB certification of electrical products: CB Scheme

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What is CB Scheme - Electrical products ?

The CB Scheme is an international certification scheme set up by the IECEE (IEC System for Conformity Testing and Certification of Electrical and Electronic Equipment).

It is managed by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission).

Its principle is the mutual acceptance between its members of test reports and certificates related to the safety of electrical and electronic components, equipment and products.

The CB Scheme / Système OC therefore allows the conformity of a product to the requirements of international standards relating to electrical and electronic products to be validated.

A true passport to product conformity, it makes the various international markets accessible, by obtaining several international certification marks by carrying out only one and only one test campaign (reduction of costs and associated delays, mutualisation of tests): one-stop-shop.

Otherwise, without the CB Scheme, the manufacturer must generally carry out a test campaign for each target market.

This certification is therefore aimed at any manufacturer of electrical/electronic equipment wishing to export internationally.

CB Scheme Certification: how does it work?

In order to be issued with an international OC/CB Scheme certificate for its electrical or electronic products, the applicant must be certified by a certification body registered by the IECEE (IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components).

This certification body (NCB: National Certification Body) is authorised to issue test reports and CB / OC conformity certificates for electrical and electronic products, recognised by all IECEE members. (major world markets).

These CB certificates are real passports for CB Scheme certified products on international markets.

Who should attend CB Scheme - Electrical products

Manufacturer, importer, distributor of electrical and electronic products.

Apave can help you obtain national marks for markets as diverse as North America, South America, Asia (China, Japan, Korea, etc.), Russia, the Gulf States (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar), etc.

Products concerned by the CB Scheme certificate

The CB Scheme currently covers 23 categories of electrical/electronic equipment (mainly low voltage) including

Household electrical appliances: applicable standards IEC / EN 60335-1, IEC / EN 60335-2-XX
Medical and paramedical electrical equipment: applicable standards IEC / EN 60601-1, IEC / EN 60601-2-XX
Luminaires: applicable standards IEC / EN 60598-1, IEC / EN 60598-2-XX
Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment: applicable standards IEC / EN 60950-1, IEC/EN 62368-1
Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use: applicable standard IEC / EN 61010-1

Did you know?

Among the other "product" services offered by Apave Certification that might interest you:

The voluntary certification mark C by Apave certifies that Apave Certification, an independent third-party organisation, has assessed and declared your products or services to be compliant with a certification standard.

By committing to a voluntary certification process, you demonstrate your desire to go beyond regulatory requirements and offer your customers a high-quality electrical product. Obtaining C by Apave certification gives the holder the right to use an identifiable and recognised Apave brand.

Compliance testing to applicable standards
Electrical, mechanical, EMC and radio compliance testing

All these services are carried out by the Apave group laboratories.

The benefits of CB Scheme - Electrical products

Guarantee the conformity of products, by a recognised certification body (NCB)
Facilitate the access of your products to the markets of the IECEE (IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components) comprising more than 54 countries
Access to foreign certification marks: the international recognition system is based on a unique approach, thus reducing both testing costs and time-to-market

Thanks to its recognition by the IECEE, Apave Certification can issue internationally recognised CB /OC certificates.

Please contact us to find out which product standards we are recognised by the IECEE (CB reports and certificates).

Why choose Apave

Apave Certification is recognised as a National Certification Body (NCB) in the Certification Body (CB/OC) scheme and the Apave group has a recognised Certification Body Testing Laboratory (CBTL).

In addition, Apave Certification is qualified by the American partner certification body Eurofins MET Labs, registered NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory), to carry out audits and obtain the MET mark, a certification issued for the US and Canadian markets.

Apave Certification is also a partner of JQA (Japan Quality Assurance). JQA is a Japanese certification body, leader in conformity assessment and certification of electrical and electronic products for the Japanese and international markets. Apave Certification can therefore offer support in obtaining a Japanese certification mark.

Thanks to its recognition by the IECEE, Apave Certification issues test reports and CB certificates of conformity (true passports for international markets), recognised by all other IECEE member organisations (except for more restrictive national or local legislation), for many types of electrical and electronic products.

This CB Scheme certificate is issued by a certification body (NCB or National Certification Body) such as Apave Certification, and can be accepted by other certification bodies in the 54 IECEE member countries.

This allows you to have your products tested and then submit them for certification to differentiate yourself from your competition. Apave Certification also has expertise in French and international standards (IEC, EN, UL, etc.), which enables you to address your products quickly in the target markets.

Steps and processes

Here are the details of the CB Scheme certificate application process step by step:

Constitution of an application file with Apave Certification: this generally takes the form of a technical questionnaire which will be sent to you by the Apave Certification sales department. It includes information on the applicant, the manufacturer of the electrical or electronic products, the standards applicable to the products concerned and the list of countries where you wish to market the products.
Return of the quote and planning of the tests
Testing and assessment by the Certification Body Testing Laboratory (CBTL)
Delivery of Test Report Form and CB Scheme certification decision
Issuance of the CB certificate by the NCB Apave Certification

Specific cases of evolution of an existing CB certificate

There are 3 cases in which a CB Scheme certificate can be modified:

A new edition or an amendment to the applicable standard which leads to the issue of a new CB certificate
If your administrative information has changed (address, company name, product designation, etc.), then you must apply to Apave Certification to modify your CB certificate. The modified certificate will then be issued again with the same reference number and revision index.
If the product has undergone technical modifications (maximum 3 modifications), then you will also have to request a modification of your CB Scheme certificate. If the number of technical modifications exceeds 3, a new CB certificate with a new reference number will have to be issued.

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Apave Certification's strengths

Apave Certification's services are based on 5 major areas: Management systems Skills certification (DPO...) Product certification (CB Scheme...) Services (Qualiopi) Labels / Evaluations (HS2...)

Independent third party
Apave Certification is a recognized and independent certification body specialized in certification engineering.

Reactivity
Apave Certification works quickly, throughout France and internationally, and keeps deadlines under control.

Proximity
Apave Certification relies on a large geographical network of qualified internal and external auditors, both nationally and internationally.

Flexibility
Apave Certification is a flexible structure with a customer-oriented approach, which is involved in both voluntary professional certifications and regulatory and mandatory certifications.

Notoriety
Apave Certification, a subsidiary of the Apave group, benefits from solid expertise based on extensive customer feedback over more than 150 years.

Recognitions and accreditations
Apave Certification holds numerous accreditations and recognitions, guaranteeing our quality and technical systems and proving our competence, know-how and independence.

Toolkits and useful links

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Your questions

Below you will find the most frequently asked questions. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please contact us!

CB Scheme certification should be anticipated by manufacturers. From the time the order is placed until the CB certificate is delivered, it usually takes 10-12 weeks (3 months). This includes planning the tests in the laboratory, carrying out the tests, writing the report, document review, and certification to the IECEE.

The CB Scheme requires a more thorough assessment than the CE Marking, according to the applicable IEC standards instead of EN standards, and above all takes into account national deviations required by certain countries/markets targeted by the manufacturer. Finally, a certificate is issued in addition to the CB conformity report issued by the laboratory. Depending on these parameters, the CB Scheme corresponds to a budget of between 30% and 50% higher than the CE conformity assessment, which it also takes into account. A CB Scheme certified manufacturer can therefore automatically declare the conformity of its products to the CE Mark.

The CB Scheme is a passport recognised in most countries around the world. Only a few countries that are not members of the IECEE do not recognise it. It is therefore necessary and often sufficient to sell internationally (EU and non-EU). Some markets such as the USA, China, or Japan, require a national certification mark, which is often issued taking into account the CB Scheme during the assessment.

The CE Mark is a manufacturer's declaration of conformity, i.e. a self-certification, recognised only in EU countries. The CB Scheme is a third-party certification required for international markets outside the EU, which also covers the requirements of the CE Mark for electrical safety.