I do a lot of tagging and testing at work…
Out of curiosity I started to check for certifications and such when family members of residents bring in devices - or when our staff bought something ‘on special’.
You would be surprised how many things that should be conform come without a matching certificate indicator.
Not much a problem for locally produced things but imports, especially from China and India often lack not just the certificate but also the safety.
I think it was about 15 years when in the EU things got a bit ‘relaxed’…
Shortly after many other countries followed.
A TÜV label was basically mandatory for everything, same for a matching CE certification.
Apart from faking these manufacturers can now also use ‘accepted’ certifications issued by other countries, even their own.
One problem with this is consumer confusion as people can often find more labels than information - but no explanation what these cert labels are for.
For anything electric/electronic that standard went down way to much for my liking…
It is now basically just a matter of not causing or being affected by electrical interference, not causing a fir or execution risk and not causing harm or injury from normal use.
And that for the COMPLETED device but no longer for individual components like a power brick or such that is INSIDE the machine…
Things keep changing every year, usually not for the better…
There’s out there a Chinese marking, called **China Export ** with a logo that (intentionally or not) looks identical with the EU’s CE marking. The difference between the EU’s CE (CE) and China Export (CE) markings is so subtle on paper that consumers can very often confuse them without even realising. Despite the great similarity of their appearance, it’s important to understand that they actually have nothing to do with one another. While a CE marking is a declaration by the manufacturer that a given product complies with European regulations on quality, safety, consumer protection and selling products within the European Union, the Chinese CE marking is simply a way of indicating a product was manufactured in China.
So, how can you tell the difference between a European and a Chinese CE marking? and what do CE and China Export markings actually mean?
Firstly, it’s important to understand exactly what each of these two markings mean.
(1) CE is a type of certification that confirms a given product complies with all relevant laws before it can be marketed and sold in the European Economic Area. Responsibility for complying with these stringent legal requirements falls to the importer. It’s worth noting that just because a product has a CE marking, that doesn’t necessarily mean it was manufactured in Europe, but rather that it has been evaluated and approved to enter the European market.
(2) As for China’s CE marking , this simply confirms the product in question was manufactured in China. However, the fact that a product falls under the umbrella of a Chinese CE marking doesn’t mean it complies with the applicable European legislation.
None of there product carries a NRTL mark (UL/TUV/MET and 20 others) one of the main reasons we can’t purchase Bambu products for work. OSHA mandates equipment to be NRTL, we are forced to follow.
This probably belongs in another topic. But all of this begs the question, When we as makers 3D print models, parts etc. And sell them are we getting our products tested and certified?
You are correct, that question does not relate to electronics as discussed in this topic. Safety certifications apply only to electrical items. Unless you’re putting a power supply or motor inside the printed product, the subject does not relate to plastic models. That’s not to say that it wouldn’t fall under other regulatory statutes such as food safety if you’re marketing the product for that purpose or a child’s toy where they may be choke hazards. In the latter, I am not aware of a “labeled” safety cert but maybe someone with small children here on this forum can cite something and supply a photo of such a label from one of their child’s toys.
That’s just the open line voltage. If the phone is ringing, it’s MUCH higher–70+ volts. And it hurts if you happen to be messing with the wiring when the phone rings. (Don’t ask how I know.)
Heck no! I bet no one is getting licensing to use a company name either. I was looking for a model to dispense K-Cups for my Keurig pod coffee maker. The bowl idea got old pretty fast. I was amazed to see so many “Keurig” branded items. And it’s not just that company.
I bet some hungry new lawyer would have a hay-day (southern term for rejoice) at the number of law suits just waiting to happen.
Sorry to reply to a now old discussion… but my wife and I run a small print farm and have recently purchased a p1s to test as a possible contender for a farm upgrade in near future. Upon arrival of the p1s, I immediately heard something I didn’t recognise from the many repairs I have had fun with in the past. An embarrassingly long time (few days) later I found that the noise I was trying to track down that I thought was a bearing or something loose somewhere was actually an electrical arc that was arcing (sometimes at high frequency) when the chassis was wobbled by certain axis movements.
I have worked with support (who have just told me today its impossible to be an arc) - yet I found a wire that from delivery wasn’t connected… It’s near the SD card on the inner frame and is supplying a +24v… I know it’s a thin wire so will not be delivering much current but I wonder how their control systems aren’t catching this and logging it as one of their HMS errors??
I thought the CE compliance testing would also catch this kind of thing, albeit its been a quarter of a century since I was an electronics engineer designing industrial control systems.
I’ve asked support for how this has happened (as in 24v going to chassis without being logged by some control unit) and given them a couple options for moving this forward but I don’t know how openly they will discuss this with me…
I’ve racked up quite a lot of hours of print time in the 14 days of ownership and have to say i’m dead impressed with the end product it produces, it could improve output significantly once teething issues are sorted.
Historically Prusa support has been really awesome, I am yet to see how good BL support is…
Let’s clarify one thing first: the CE marking.
When importing products from China, it’s crucial to be well-versed in the essential markings and symbols that guarantee safety and compliance. Among these, two that often cause confusion are the CE (Conformité Européenne) and CE (China Export) markings. While they share the same initials (and somehow the same graphics - sort of the Chinese way of confusing consumers abroad), these markings serve vastly different purposes and come from entirely distinct regulatory landscapes.
The CE mark, when it stands for Conformité Européenne, is a symbol of utmost importance within the European Union (EU). It represents compliance with EU regulations and standards, demonstrating that a product meets the safety and quality requirements necessary for it to be sold within the EU market. Key Characteristics of CE (Conformité Européenne):
EU Regulatory Compliance:
The CE mark affirms that a product conforms to EU directives and standards, covering a wide range of industries and products, from electronics to machinery and toys.
Verification by the Manufacturer: Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that their products meet the essential requirements and undergo appropriate conformity assessment procedures.
Third-Party Certification:
In some cases, third-party certification bodies will be involved in the assessment process to verify compliance.
Mandatory for Some Products:
For certain products, affixing the CE mark is mandatory before they can be legally sold within the EU.
Product Safety:
CE (Conformité Européenne) emphasizes product safety, consumer protection, and adherence to environmental regulations.
CE markings with “China Export” are not related to European compliance or regulatory standards. Unfortunately, these markings can be misleading and are sometimes used unscrupulously to deceive buyers into thinking a product has received the CE (Conformité Européenne) certification when it has not.
Key Characteristics of CE (China Export):
Not a Certification:
CE (China Export) does not represent any form of official certification or compliance with EU standards.
Unregulated Use:
Unlike CE (Conformité Européenne), CE (China Export) markings are not subject to any specific regulations or standards.
Deceptive Practices:
Some manufacturers or exporters (read plenty) may use the CE (China Export) mark to falsely imply European compliance, potentially putting consumers at risk.
Not Recognized in the EU:
CE (China Export) markings have no legal standing within the European Union and are not recognized as proof of compliance.
In conclusion, while CE markings may share initials, they represent fundamentally different concepts.
CE (Conformité Européenne) signifies compliance with rigorous EU regulations, while CE (China Export) should be regarded with caution, as it lacks any official regulatory significance within the EU, or elsewhere in the regulated world.
As for quality control, although Bambu has made significant progress in improving the overall quality of its printers, let’s do remember that it’s China we’re talking about, and that not all manufacturing lines are always subject to regular quality testing…
I agree, however I find it hard to imagine a world where we can have electronic devices that arc to ground without having some closed/open loop system of detecting and reporting… Surely that’s how we get back to things being a fire hazard, China or not.
What I know is I’ll never leave mine running while I’m asleep or not home. If I did run much unattended I’d have a smoke detector above it to alert to a fire.
Even if there was a big wad of plastic around the extruder that caught fire, unless there was an AMS or something else on top, the housing enclosure (on those with metal enclosures) should contain a lot. No idea if people could count on it though.
Time will tell. Without true safety certifications they could be any of a range of dangers.
There’s always one constant factor in such situations: the human error/human nature + work ethics/ work mentality … or if you like, the problem is usually resting with ‘Dave’ (in the EU), ‘Joe’ (in the US), ‘John’ (in the UK), …or with ‘Wáng Wei’ (in China). …there’s also the lack of worker pride in what is produced … as the intended purpose is just to make money not necessarily to build a long lasting business and reputation.
The only other component operating on mains voltage is the heat bed, which has no labels.
24 VDC is not usually considered a dangerous voltage. Current levels, and power, are usually pretty low. Landline telephones typically operate at 25-50 VDC, you can hold the bare wires in your hand. (You will let go when the line rings with 90VAC!) Downed phone lines, wet or broken phone jacks, shorts, and grounds are (were) common and are not an electrical hazard.
It would be interesting to know more about this wire. I’ve not heard of any spare wires just sitting loose, and users are always looking for ways to power extra lights.
I have a single amendment to make to your post, @Ikarus, and that’s related to the difference between EU’ CE Declaration and EU’s CE Certification.
A CE Declaration is made by the manufacturer, on its own responsibility (and liability) for a product being conform (or compliant) to the specific requirements of one or more EU regulations/directives and/or standards, while the CE Certification is issued by an EU authorized third-party certification body (see point 3 in my post above), following a series of rigorous audits of the product (or of the product components) to be sold on the EU internal market.
A CE Declaration (of conformity) does not necessarily and implicitly result into securing a CE Certification.
I was amazed to see so many “Keurig” branded items. And it’s not just that company.