IEC 61000-1-2, “Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Part 1-2: General – Methodology for the achievement of functional safety of electrical and electronic systems including equipment with regard to electromagnetic phenomena,” has just been updated. The new Edition 1.0 is now available from Document Center Inc. in a variety of formats. It is the formal transformation of the document from the status of a Technical Specification (IEC/TS) to an International Standard. It cancels the previous Edition 2.0 which is now obsolete.
You may ask yourself, how can an Edition 1.0 replace an Edition 2.0? This is the first time I can remember seeing this situation occur. Usually the Technical Specifications have a different numbering schema (like 2001 Edition or 2nd Edition) to differentiate the TS series from the Standards series should the document make the upgrade in status.
Why is this a status upgrade? Technical Specifications (like the previous IEC/TS 61000-1-2) are temporary documents with a “life span” of three years. At that time they can be reviewed to see if it’s appropriate to transform them in to “real” standards or if they should be withdrawn. Of course, this time frame is not always met. In the case of the IEC 61000-1-2, the previous Edition 2.0 was released in 2006 and has been current all this time.
What’s the difference between a Technical Specification and a Standard? One difference is procedural, the other technical. IEC may choose to release a Technical Specification when the required support for the document is not attained and yet industry needs guidance on the topic. This has to do with the voting requirements for adoption as an International Standard. Or IEC may choose to release a document as a Technical Specification when the subject is “under technical development.” That is, the subject parameters necessary for meeting the requirements of a Standard are not mature enough for consensus.
What are the changes in the new IEC 61000-1-2? The most important changes are the harmonization with the latest edition of IEC 61508 series, “Functional Safety of Electrical/Electronic/Programmable Electronic Safety-Related Systems.” Also, of course, the document has been completely reviewed to make sure it meets the higher requirements of an International Standard. And Annex B on measures and techniques for the achievement of functional safety with regard to electromagnetic disturbances has been completely re-written.
Now to get your copy of this new publication. Choose an authorized distributor like Document Center Inc. for your purchase. You can search for and order all IEC standards at our webstore, www.document-center.com, with complete confidence that your purchase will be complete, correct, and covered by the laws of copyright. Here’s the direct link to the order page for IEC 61000-1-2.
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