Paragon Innovations Blog
Engineering, business, and startup topics
- UL
- FCC
- CSA
- CE
- PTCRB
- TUV
Phase 8: Regulatory
Paragon Innovations’ Series:
12-Stage Product Development Process
From Start to Success
Phase 7 of Paragon Innovation’s 12-Stage Product Development Course centered on how developers should focus on the fine details of pre-production. In the next stage, Phase 8, Paragon Innovations explains what developers need to focus on during the regulatory processes of a product’s development.
The regulatory stage encompasses everything a product requires to meet specific government or industry testing standards. Testing standards are regulations and requirements put into place to ensure the safety, usage, and performance of a device. Paragon Innovations CEO and founder, Mike Wilkinson, says that the regulatory phase is important “because it’s required by most governments around the world to have your product tested so that it’s safe for people to use and operate.”
There are a variety of regulatory testing standards throughout the world. Major testing standards used in North America include, but are not limited to:
Different certifications test for different standards. For example, UL certification ensures the overall safety of electronic devices, whereas FCC certification focuses on ensuring safe radiation levels within electronic devices . “It’s important to know which regulatory agencies you need to get through for your product,” comments Mike. During a product’s development process, there are a number of simulations made to ensure that a device will pass certain testing standards. However, you can never be too certain. “Simulations never completely take away from doing real testing in a real lab,” notes Mike.
Having your device pass specific regulations testing is also an expensive and time-consuming process. If a device requires cellular PTCRB testing, developers can expect a time frame of as little as a few weeks to nine months. Luckily, rules around regulations testing are always evolving. “Paragon can add value to our customers because we can now do self-certification for LTE [and] CATM1 cellular radios right here in our facility.” Developers can save time and resources during their product development process by utilizing Paragon Innovations as their chosen engineering design services firm.
Passing regulations is a crucial step to achieving a successful product release. If you have found this phase of Paragon Innovation’s 12-Stage Product Development Course informative to your process, don’t miss Phase 9 where Donna Hegdahl, President & CEO of The TransSynergy Group, explains the importance of a product’s comprehensive sales and marketing strategy.
