Pre-compliance: Avoid frustration

There are so many devices hanging on the Internet that you might think it's a peace-of-cake. But yes, every IoT device has a transmitter and so it must be CE-certified by a notified body according to the - quite tough - RED (Radio Equipment Directive) harmonized standard. And this RED standard often costs more than € 10,000. Frustration if it turns out that the device does not meet the standard. And a later time-to-market in a market that is changing rapidly.

The first tip is to take the design and placement of the antenna into account as soon as the device is designed. The influence of housing, circuit board and other components can be great. We once saw a device where the antenna had hardly any room to "breathe" and therefore a poorer radiation. This has a negative influence on the range, reliability and the batteries run out faster. And probably due to poor radiation distortions so it will probably not be certified.

And before certification, have a pre-compliance test done at Leap Development. We have an anechoic chamber in house, the equipment to measure and most importantly a lot of knowledge. You get all the measurement results and know what to expect upon certification. If we see that the device will not meet the standard, we will give you extensive advice on the adjustments that need to be made.

So avoid frustration and include the antenna in the very first design. Do a pre-compliance test for a fraction of the money and avoid a 'blind' and double-expensive certification.