Japan VCCI Certification

VCCI certification is a voluntary EMC certification system implemented by the Voluntary Control Council for Interference by Information Technology Equipment (VCCI) in Japan. The VCCI Association was founded in 1985 by major Japanese manufacturers of Electronic and Electrical Products to control electromagnetic interference from information technology equipment (ITE) and reduce electromagnetic compatibility issues between devices.

Although VCCI certification is voluntary, it has very high industry recognition in the Japanese market. Almost all information technology equipment (computers, monitors, printers, routers, etc.) sold in the Japanese market will apply for VCCI certification. When procuring IT equipment, large Japanese enterprises and government agencies usually make VCCI certification a basic requirement. Because of this, VCCI certification is actually a "quasi-mandatory" certification for entering the Japanese IT equipment market.

VCCI certification only involves Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) tests, not including Safety Test. Safety Test is covered by PSE Certification. VCCI certification is divided into two categories: Class A (Class 1) equipment - ITE used in industrial and commercial environments, with relatively relaxed EMC limits; Class B (Class 2) equipment - ITE used in residential environments (such as home computers, printers, etc.), with stricter EMC limits.

The tests for VCCI certification are conducted according to VCCI standards. VCCI standards reference CISPR (International Special Committee on Radio Interference) standards in technical content, including CISPR 22/CISPR 32 (electromagnetic disturbance of multimedia equipment) and CISPR 24/CISPR 35 (electromagnetic immunity). VCCI certification only requires electromagnetic interference (EMI) testing and does not mandate immunity (EMS) testing.

The core of VCCI certification is the electromagnetic interference (EMI) test.

Test items including Conducted Emission (Conducted Emission) and Radiated Emissions (Radiated Emission), two items.

Conducted emission test frequency range is 150k Hz-30 MHz, measure the conducted electromagnetic disturbance signals through the power lines.

Radiated emission test frequency range is30 MHz-1 GHz(Part of productneedtest to6 GHz), measure the electromagnetic disturbance signals radiated by the equipment into space.

The conducted emission test is conducted in accordance with VCCI-CISPR 32 standards (or the older CISPR 22 standards). The test is conducted in a shielded room, using an Artificial Mains Network (LISN) and an EMI receiver. The conducted emission limits for Class A equipment are more relaxed than those for Class B equipment (approximately 10 d B higher).

The radiated emission test is conducted in accordance with VCCI-CISPR 32 standards. The test is performed in a Semi-Anechoic Chamber (SAC) or Fully Anechoic Chamber (FAC), and the test distance is typically 3m or 10m. The equipment under test is placed on a turntable, the antenna scans within a height range of 1-4m, and the turntable rotates 360° to find the maximum radiated value. The radiated emission limits for Class A equipment are more lenient than those for Class B equipment.

VCCI certification does not require immunity tests. However, if the product also needs to meet the EMC requirements of PSE Certification or other certifications, immunity tests may be required. The validity period of a VCCI Test Report is 3 years, and it needs to be retested after expiration.

VCCI certification is voluntary, but in actual practice, it is virtually an essential certification for the Japanese IT equipment market. Products without the VCCI mark may be excluded when participating in procurement bidding by Japanese enterprises and government agencies. It is recommended that manufacturers exporting IT equipment to Japan proactively apply for VCCI certification.

VCCI certification only covers EMC emission tests, not including Safety Test. The product also needs to meet PSE Certification's Safety Requirements. VCCI certification and PSE Certification can be conducted simultaneously, but their Test Items and standards are different and need to be handled separately. It is recommended to comprehensively arrange both certification items during certification planning.

The VCCI Test Report needs to be submitted to the VCCI Association for review. The VCCI Association will check the report's format, data integrity, and the correctness of standards citation. Upon passing the review, the manufacturer obtains permission to use the VCCI logo. Using the VCCI logo does not require additional fees (already included in the membership fee), but compliance with the logo usage specifications is required.