There are various markings you might find on products that you may not understand, this can vary from household appliances, computer technologies and yes even automotive electrical equipment. Three of the key markings you may have found on our EchoMaster products are the E, e and CE-markings. These are required to appear by law on our products depending on the testing procedures required by the governing body of the country the product is sold in.
So here is the EchoMaster breakdown of the E, e and CE markings you might find on our products.
E-Marking
The E-mark (specifically an upper-case E) is a mark required by the United Nations for automotive components sold within the European Union. This marking ensures the component has been tested to make sure its radiated emissions are not significant enough to interfere with other electrical systems within the vehicle including vehicle safety equipment.
Intended to promote free trade throughout the European Union and the wider EEA. Any original or aftermarket parts need to have E-marking approval before it can be legally sold in the EU, this not only ensures the safety of products but enables a universal safety standard for items sold within the European Union. Typically, products that do not connect to the vehicles wiring are generally excluded, along with items that connect via a standard already approved connectors. Entirely passive devices such as spark plugs, cables and passive antennas are excluded from testing along with items that only operate when the vehicle is stationary with the handbrake on.
e-Marking
The e-mark (specifically a lower-case e) is a mark given by the European Union for vehicle components sold in the EU. It is a type of approval mark given by a certifying authority, such as in the United Kingdom by the Vehicle Certification Authority (VCA) other countries have different certifying bodies. Generally agricultural and forestry vehicles such as tractors along with their electrical components are reserved for e-marking as the EU has not yet extended its requirements to UN specifications.
An inspection by the certifying body is required before approval can be given, you cannot affix an e-marking without approval. The certifying body will issue an e-marking certificate after inspection and approval of compliance.
CE-Marking
To achieve CE-marking compliance a component must meet the required thresholds when it comes to electro-magnetic compatibility and machine safety, thus ensuring the component will not interfere with other electrical components such as safety items, and ensuring the product will not malfunction causing further safety issues.
“By placing the CE-marking on a product a manufacturer is declaring, on his sole responsibility, conformity with all of the legal requirements to achieve CE-marking. The manufacturer is thus ensuring validity for that product to be sold throughout the EU. This also applies to products made in third countries which are sold in the EU and Turkey.
Not all products must bear the CE-marking. Only those product categories subject to specific directives that provide for the CE-marking are required to be CE marked. CE-marking does not mean that a product was made in the EU, but states that the product is assessed before being placed on the market. It means the product satisfies the legislative requirements to be sold there. It means that the manufacturer has checked that the product complies with all relevant essential requirements, for example health and safety requirements.
For more information on any EchoMaster products and to prepare your fleet for any future industry trends and regulations, please get in touch with our team who will be happy to help you with your unique business needs.