HCL Peripherals establishes an EMI/EMC chamber

HCL Peripherals, as part of its strategy to position itself as a high
technology company, especially in the manufacturing and the design space, has
turned the first private company in India to set up an EMI/ EMC Proof Anechoic
Chamber in its Vadapalani (Chennai) facility with an investment of Rs 2 crore.
EMI/EMC is a radiation compliance certification for every electronic products
manufactured. Accord-ing to this certification every electronic product will be
tested as to whether they do not exceed the radiation limits set by various
agencies world over.

Elaborating about the EMI/EMC Chamber, R Srinivasan, GM (Marketing and
Support), HCL Peripherals remarked that in order to export their hardware
products, companies must have to go through this certification especially when
world over this radiation compliance certification is becoming mandatory.
Companies like HCL, which are into making a strong footprint in the
manufacturing space has to make sure that their products doesn’t create any
discomfort to its users with the radiation emanated from their products.

In India, SAMEER (The Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering
and Research) and ERTL (Electronic Regional Testing Laboratory) are the two
government bodies involved in giving the compliance certification. "We will
be involved in giving the pre-compliance certification for the products
manufactured. This will enable companies to launch their manufactured products
at a shorter span of time," said Srinivasan. For currently companies have
to wait for long to get certified their products certified from SAMEER or ERTL.
There are even chances that after waiting for long their products might not even
get certified. So, whoever is in the process of having this compliance done
before their product goes for the main certification, can take the service
offered from HCL on paid basis. Currently they are charging Rs 15,000 for a day,
which according to Srinivasan is much less than their ROI.

The chamber is basically constructed with imported metal sheet and with some
radiation absorber material. The items have been imported from one of the world
leaders in this technology situated in US. This chamber prevents radiation from
outside. The set up also occupies other equipment like, signal generators, EMO
analyzers, power probes, various antennas etc through which the related services
like ESD (Electro Static Discharge) and EFT - (Electric Fast Transient) test
will be provided.

This facility will be primarily be used for the products developed by HCL
Infosystems and HCL Technologies for its various customers to their
pre-compliance testing.

Nisha Kurian

Chennai