Navigating the various requirements for qualifying and certifying your Bluetooth, Zigbee and Z-Wave-based IoT products can be challenging. In this Tech Talks session, Silicon Labs field applications engineer, Marius Turculet, walks you through each stage of the RF regulatory qualification and standards certification process for these wireless protocols and explains how Silicon Labs can support these procedures. Click here to watch the entire Qualifications session and register now for future Tech Talks. Here’s a summary of Marius's key points.

Wireless certification requirements fall into two categories: 

• RF regulatory certification requirements – driven by the market where the product is sold
• Wireless standards certification – driven by the specific alliance or special interest group (SIG)

RF Regulatory Certification

Regional RF regulatory bodies set the standards for testing requirements. Certification requirements vary slightly by country or region and involve one of the following approaches:

• Classic – applies to the U.S., Canada, Japan and Korea, and involves testing at an accredited lab, then applying for certification from an official certification body.
• Declaration of Conformity (DoC) – applies to the EU. This approach does not require approval from a regulatory body if the product meets defined standards.

Silicon Labs provides numerous solutions to ease the RF certification process. We maintain our own documentation and offer pre-certified modules for the U.S., Canada, Japan and Korea. Our supporting collateral includes module data sheets, application notes, test reports, layout guidelines and installation instructions with tips pertaining to regulatory certification. These materials, as well as RF certification instructional videos, are available on our website.

Wireless Standards Certification – Bluetooth, Zigbee and Z-Wave

Wireless certifications are defined by the respective wireless alliance groups for Bluetooth, Zigbee and Z-Wave. These requirements ensure conformance to the alliance standard and promote interoperability of devices. Certification from an alliance comes with several benefits, including guarantees of interoperability with alliance devices; licensed IP; access to logos and trademarks that you can use on your products, marketing materials and website and the ability to market your product through the alliance group's website.

While each alliance has its own unique certification requirements, they all involve the following procedures:

1. Membership in the alliance, which is required for certification.
2. Testing at an accredited testing house to demonstrate compliance with the latest standard.
3. Application for certification through an alliance web portal.

Once the application for certification is approved, the product is listed on the alliance website, and all benefits associated with the alliance become available.

As a member of the Bluetooth SIG, Zigbee Alliance and Z-Wave Alliance, Silicon Labs offers a complete solution for your wireless development needs, including qualification and certification expertise. We provide the following components to streamline the certification process:

• Certified stacks and modules already listed on alliance websites
• Supporting collateral such as test reports, layout files and technical documentation
• Detailed tutorial videos for Bluetooth, Zigbee and Z-Wave qualification procedures

Certification and testing processes can be time consuming and costly and can delay development. Support from your silicon provider is crucial because it provides peace of mind, knowing that your final product will pass certification tests without delaying time to market or adding costs.

To learn more about our wireless solutions, including certification and qualification support, contact your Silicon Labs sales representative.