Certification is the step where otherwise well-run projects lose weeks. Here is what the process actually involves for a camera product, and where people get stuck.
The three directives that matter
For an EU-bound camera, CE is not a single certificate — it is a declaration of conformity against several directives:
- EMC — emissions and immunity. Wi-Fi and switching regulators are the usual troublemakers.
- RED — applies if the product has radio (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G). This is the one that surprises people, because it adds radio spectrum testing.
- RoHS — restricted substances, checked at the BOM level.
In the United States, FCC Part 15 covers unintentional and intentional radiators. A camera with Wi-Fi needs the relevant equipment authorisation, not just a generic EMC report.
Batteries are a separate track
A lithium-ion cell needs UN38.3 for transport, and often IEC 62133 for the cell itself. Airlines and freight forwarders will ask for both. Start this early — it runs in parallel with EMC, not after it.
The three mistakes we see most
1. Testing a sample that is not the production build. If the PCBA changes after testing, the report is void. Freeze the design first.
2. Forgetting the manual and label artwork. CE marking placement, importer address and language requirements are checked in the technical file.
3. Leaving the radio module unqualified. A pre-certified module still needs the host integration reviewed.
We run CE, FCC, RoHS and UN38.3 with the same labs every cycle, which is why the timeline is predictable: four to six weeks for a stock platform, six to ten for a new design.