The End of IEC 62368-1 Clause 4.1.1 and the Beginning of the 4th Edition
July 16, 2024 by Andrew Johnson - 5 Minute Read
In 2021, we visited the IEC 62368-1 standard covering AV and information and communication technology (ICT) equipment in this blog to examine a specific provision in the standard – Clause 4.1.1 – which gives companies some useful wiggle room when transitioning from one of the older standards that IEC 62368-1 replaces. At the time it was clear that the clause was going to be eliminated. The question back in 2021 was when? Would it be sooner, in the 3rd edition of the standard, or later, in the 4th, which was then still only in the planning stages?
It was later. Clause 4.1.1 remained in the 3rd edition, but was removed from the 4th edition, which was published in 2023.
What's the 4.1.1?
IEC 62368-1 replaces two other standards – IEC 60950-1 and IEC 60065. There is a potential problem for companies making the transition from one of the old standards to the new one, however. Many companies do not want to be compelled to retest and recertify (or possibly even scrap) inventory certified under one of the older standards after adopting the new one.
So, the first three editions of IEC 62368-1 included a clause – 4.1.1 – that allows companies to continue to use components and sub-assemblies (including external power supplies) that are certified under the two older standards, IEC 60950-1 and IEC 60065.
Once a market adopts the 4th edition, however, manufacturers that participate in those markets with products or components certified under the legacy standards will need to have them re-tested and recertified to be compliant with IEC 62368-1.
Version Control
Different geographical markets are currently using different editions of the standard.
South Korea and Taiwan, for example, are both now using the 3rd edition. As of early 2023, China was on the 1st edition, but began transitioning to the 3rd (skipping over the 2nd). Japan has formally adopted the 3rd edition, but the starting date won’t be until 2026. Different companies in the United States and Canada are using either the 2nd or the 3rd. The European Union is still using the 2nd edition of the standard, as it has declined to harmonize with the 3rd edition, at least in part over the ongoing inclusion of Clause 4.1.1.
There is always a lag of at least several months, and sometimes many years, between the publication of a new edition of IEC 62368-1 and its adoption, and so it is with the 4th edition.
Today, most of the different markets are at various stages of approving the 4th edition, but given the obligatory lag, it will be some time before the compliance with the 4th edition begins to kick in on a market-by-market basis, let alone become universally adopted.
Given that, it is up to each company to familiarize itself with which version of the standard applies in each of the markets where it competes, monitoring if and when the 4th edition gets adopted.
More on the 4th
Other substantial updates in the 4th edition concern electrically caused injury, electrically caused fire, and thermal burn injury.
IEC 62368-1 pertains to audio-visual (AV) systems (including consumer electronics) and ICT equipment, as well as some components used to build such systems. The 4th edition extends its coverage to a greater number of products.
Those contributing to the standard have always tried to maintain a technology-neutral approach, in part to remain flexible enough to cover innovations not explicitly enumerated. That said, the 4th edition has been expanded to cover the use of some specific technologies. One example is the use of liquid cooling in data centers.
There are a couple of reasons IEC 62368-1 was proposed as a unified replacement for 60950-1 (for ICT equipment) and 60065 (for AV equipment). A growing number of products were blurring the distinctions between the categories of ICT and AV, including some small-office equipment and some home entertainment systems, like smart TVs, for example. Formulating a new standard was also an opportunity to adopt a different approach to creating standards, hazard-based safety engineering (HBSE). A detailed article on the origins and scope of IEC 62368-1 can be found here.
The 4th edition of IEC 62368-1 continues using a risk-based approach, which stresses safety measures and encourages manufacturers to identify and address risks proactively.
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Andrew Johnson
During his 17 years with CUI, Andrew has played key roles in product management, sales, and operations. His industry experience in power electronics, and focus on the overall customer experience, has given him a thorough understanding on how to navigate the ever changing environment when it comes to design and global regulations. In his free time, Andrew enjoys spending time with his family, especially when it comes to camping, hiking, and fishing.