KNX Certification Scheme for products

KNX Association



KNX Certification




Scheme for products

KNX TUTOR SEMINAR





Table of Contents

1 Essentials of the certification scheme for products ....................................................3
2 Players in the certification scheme for products .........................................................4
3 Different phases in the KNX certification process ......................................................6
3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................6
3.2 Introductory phase ..............................................................................................7
3.3 Registration phase .............................................................................................8
3.4 Testing phase .....................................................................................................9
3.5 Certification phase ............................................................................................ 10
3.6 Surveillance phase ........................................................................................... 11

4 Contents of certification ........................................................................................... 11

4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 11
4.2 Selected aspects of product hardware testing .................................................. 12

4.2.1 Electrical safety ............................................................................................ 12
4.2.2 Functional safety .......................................................................................... 12
4.2.3 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) ............................................................ 12
4.2.4 Environmental conditions .............................................................................. 12
4.2.5 Reliability and quality .................................................................................... 12
4.2.6 Physical External Interface (PEI) .................................................................. 13
4.2.7 Bus connection ............................................................................................. 13
4.2.8 Recycling ...................................................................................................... 13
4.2.9 Bus power consumption ............................................................................... 13

4.3 Selected aspects of product software testing ................................................... 14

































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1 Essentials of the certification scheme for products

In line with the KNX Association’s statutes, the purpose of the KNX Association’s
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Certification scheme for products is to:
Achieve a defined minimum degree of compatibility between products of different
vendors (i.e. member companies of KNX Association).
Increase the market success of the KNX technology in Home and Building Systems
Engineering
Establish the KNX trademark on a world-wide level as a token for quality.


Branding a product with the KNX logo signifies that the product has been tested:
as regards hardware: each certified product shall meet the requirements of the bus
family standard EN 50491 standard series as well as an appropriate product standard
as chosen by the manufacturer

as regards system and application software: each product shall be tested at a KNX
accredited test lab


The certification process is run in accordance with Volume 5 of the KNX Specifications.
Volume 8 of the KNX Specifications constitutes the basis for the certification tests. The
KNX Working Group Certification – short KonCert – is responsible for keeping both
volumes up to date.

The certification scheme is not forced upon the manufacturer by KNX Association:
Certification is not a must for members but the consequence of a non-certification is that
the product may not be labelled with the KNX logo and is not configurable by ETS.

Although the KNX certification scheme run is in line with the requirements of ISO/IEC
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17065 , KNX Association itself is not a nationally accredited certification body.
























1 KNX Association currently runs two certification schemes, i.e. KNX and EIB. In view of the fact
that EIB is backward compatible to KNX, a manufacturer has the possibility to apply for both KNX
as well as the EIB trademark on the basis of the same technical file.
2 General requirements for bodies operating product certification systems
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2 Players in the certification scheme for products

KNX Association as an umbrella organisation
establishes the rules of the certification system
offers membership to potential manufacturers
certifies products on the basis of CE declarations as provided by KNX manufacturers
and test reports emanating from KNX accredited test labs.

During an audit, using the standard ISO 17025 and the KNX (test) specifications as a
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basis, KNX Association judges whether test labs qualify as regards their knowledge and
organisational structure. KNX accredited test labs may:

test devices according to the test specifications, for which they have proven their
competence
evaluate test reports from manufacturers in the framework of certification - market
monitoring and under instruction from KNX Association,
produce test reports

11 institutions comply with the strict quality regulations and earned the right to carry out
the relevant tests in KNX Association’s name.

Test lab City Country




Lüdenscheid Germany






Gechingen Germany






Cenate Sotto BG Italy






Gauteng South Africa












3 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
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Milan Italy







Beijing China





Fontenay-aux-Roses France






Regensburg Germany






Regensburg Germany






Köln Germany






Achatz Germany





Manufacturers (KNX members):

develop, produce and distribute devices
elaborate the requirements as regards testing etc. in the appropriate working groups


















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3 Different phases in the KNX certification process


3.1 Introduction

Two categories of KNX products are distinguished:

Main certificate: KNX product developed by a KNX member company who has applied
to have his product certified by KNX Association.

Derived certificate: KNX product that is bought by a KNX member company from the
main product developer (see above) and which is then sold under its own brand
name.


The main philosophy behind the KNX certification process lies in the fact that – when a
part or an entire product has shown compliance to the specifications - it is not retested
when it is resubmitted to registration / certification by the same or another KNX member
company. The registration / certification is then reduced to a mere administrative act.

The underneath described certification process, applicable for ‘main certificates’, is
in principle divided into five phases:

1. Introductory Phase
2. Registration Phase
3. Testing Phase
4. Certification Phase
5. Surveillance Phase






































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3.2 Introductory phase



MAIN PRODUCT REGISTRATION












Trademark License IPR License ISO 9001: 2008
Agreement Agreement Certificate









Figure 1: Main product registration

As a first step prior to the registration of the first development, the applicant shall sign the
Trademark and IPR license agreement. These agreements define the conditions under
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which the applicant may brand its product(s) with the respective logos resp. use patent
rights of other member companies on the KNX technology, free of charge in KNX certified
products.

Last but not least, the applicant shall prove his compliance to ISO 9001:2008 by
submitting a copy of the acquired certificate from an accredited certification body.
When a manufacturer:

has finalised his first KNX compatible development;
and has decided to brand this product with the KNX and/or EIB logo
and wants to distribute this product together with the respective ETS product entries in
the case of S-mode products

the manufacturer shall apply for KNX registration of his product.

Since the beginning of 2006, KNX members are obliged to brand their products at least
with the KNX logo when submitting new products for certification. The option to
additionally apply for the EIB logo, next to the KNX logo, remains.











4 IPR = Intellectual Property Right
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3.3 Registration phase



Customer




3

Knxprod file
or vdx file


3
Registration
documents
Manufacturer 1 1 KNX Association
Product entry
Knxei file



2



Product entry
2
Knxrcd file

Figure 2: Registration phase

KNX Association registers a submitted product on the basis of registration documents and
an ETS product entry file, i.e. a knxei file. For the unique identification of this product in
the database of KNX Association, this product will then be assigned a KNX registration
number. The product is then subsequently released by KNX Association and a knxrcd file
is sent to the manufacturer. On the basis of this received knxrcd file the manufacturer will
create knxprod files or vdx files for its customers.
In order not to restrict the access to the market unnecessarily for the manufacturer, the
products can be marked with the KNX or EIB logo from the moment of their registration.




























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3.4 Testing phase

Test lab accredited
for Hardware tests or
at premises of
manufacturer







Hardware Tests
According to EN 50491
standard series
Product standard:
E.g. EN 60669,...
Software Tests
Application program:
PIXIT Header, Test
samples,...
Manufacturer 1 System software KNX accredited
(Stack): Test lab
PICS & PIXIT
BDUT (Bus Device
Under Test) Initial
Reaction Form
2




KNX Software
2 conformity
Test Report

Figure 3: Testing phase


From the moment of registration onwards, the KNX member company has 6 months’
time to complete the certification process, i.e.
To submit the necessary positive test report for the software (system software and/or
application program) emanating from a KNX accredited test lab. For this the KNX
member company shall supply the required test samples to the test lab of his choice,
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along with a description of the implemented software (PICS and PIXIT )
To carry out the necessary hardware tests in his or other test facilities, in order to be
able to establish the CE declaration of conformity for the hardware.










5 Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement: document listing which features of the protocol
one has implemented in the submitted device
6 Protocol Implementation eXtra Information for Testing: document giving more detailed information
on declarations given in the PICS document
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3.5 Certification phase



Test Report
Manufacturer 1 1 KNX Association

CE Declaration 2













KNX
2 Certificate




Figure 4: Certification phase


Once the test report has been submitted to KNX Association, together with a
CE declaration of conformity, the manufacturer will receive from KNX Association a digital
KNX certificate of the tested product / application program.
If the certified product is left unchanged as regards hard- and software, the issued
certificate never expires. In case of a modification, the registration / certification process
is repeated.








































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3.6 Surveillance phase
According to Volume 5 of the KNX Specifications, KNX Association is allowed to:

draw certified products from the market and check whether they still comply to the
requirements by having them retested at an accredited test lab of KNX Association’s
choice
request the test reports underlying the received CE declaration and have them
checked at a test lab of KNX Association’s choice.

In the case where it is found that products do not comply, KNX Association is allowed to
withdraw the right to use the logo.


4 Contents of certification



4.1 Introduction

The certification of products covers both hardware and software aspects.

Most of the aspects of hardware conformity (electrical safety, EMC …) is proven by the
manufacturer’s declaration in the framework of the CE mark. The corresponding tests are
carried out by the manufacturers themselves and documented or can be carried out by
external test labs.

By submitting a CE declaration of conformity, the manufacturer confirms that he has
tested the device for certification based on a suitable product standard and the common
European standard for bus devices (EN 50491 standard series). The manufacturer must
test the device according to the strictest requirements (the minimum requirement is EN
50491-x).

For a number of other hardware related aspects (e.g. bus power consumption), the
manufacturer simply states compliance in the data sheet for hardware to be submitted at
the time of registration.

For the testing of compliance of the integrated software (system software or application
software), the KNX member company always has to take recourse to a test lab accredited
by KNX Association.






















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4.2 Selected aspects of product hardware testing
The requirements given below refer to EN 50491-x (requirements Home and Building
Electronic Systems), which serves as the minimum requirement (apart from a suitable
product standard) for hardware certification.


4.2.1 Electrical safety
Requirements concern the safe separation of bus from hazardous voltages and currents
of other electrical circuits (internal and external).
“Safe separation” according to the relevant international standards means the “separation
of electrical circuits by basic and additional protection … or an equivalent protective
measure”.
The following aspects are judged in this context:
insulating capacity of creepage distances and clearances
resistance of housing and carriers to environmental conditions

The electrical safety requirements are defined in EN 50491-3


4.2.2 Functional safety
The manufacturer presently confirms that the product, properly installed and maintained,
does not create hazardous situations in the case of normal operation or in the case of
foreseeable abnormal conditions. These requirements are defined in EN 50491-4.


4.2.3 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
The term “electromagnetic compatibility” signifies “the capability of a device to operate
satisfactorily in an electromagnetic environment, without itself causing electromagnetic
interference that would be unacceptable to other devices present in this environment.
In order to ensure this, the EN 50491-5 defines a number of requirements and tests.

4.2.4 Environmental conditions

EN 50491-2 defines a number of environmental tests, during which it is verified whether
the product is e.g. able to withstand extreme heat, cold, humidity, shock and temperature
changes. The degree of protection offered by the housing to the user is also tested
(protection class).
After passing the environmental tests, the devices should be examined again on safety
aspects.


4.2.5 Reliability and quality

Unless otherwise indicated by the manufacturer, a service life of at least 10 years shall be
guaranteed for devices.
This must be declared accordingly at the registration stage. If this life time is not
predominantly determined by switching cycles, the manufacturer can substantiate the life
time of a product by calculating its “FIT” (Failure in Time) value, i.e. the sum of the
statistical values of the failures in time of the used individual electronic components.



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4.2.6 Physical External Interface (PEI)
If the device has a physical external interface (normally devices mounted on a standard
flush mounted BCU e.g. push button sensors), this interface shall correspond to the KNX
mechanical and electrical specifications. The manufacturer declares at the registration
stage that the submitted device complies with the values as defined in the KNX Standard.

4.2.7 Bus connection

When a “non-standard solution” for the bus connection has been used, the manufacturer
shall declare that this complies with the KNX minimum mechanical and electrical
requirements for bus connections.

4.2.8 Recycling

KNX Association has defined a range of recommendations for recycling material. If the
device complies with these recommendations, this shall be declared during registration.


4.2.9 Bus power consumption
If a TP device is supplied from the bus, a manufacturer shall declare the relevant bus
power consumption during registration.



















































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4.3 Selected aspects of product software testing







- PC with ETS
- Test project USB
- EITT


KNX


















BDUT
(Bus Device
Under Test)

Figure 5: Test setup


Communication testing must always be carried out by a KNX accredited test lab.
For most of the tests to be carried out, a common software test platform named EITT
(KNX Interworking Test Tool) is used. In other words, all products are not tested against
one another but against a common test reference, which simulates a sensor sending
frames (when testing an actuator functionality) and an actuator receiving frames (when
testing a sensor functionality).
The extent of the communication testing depends on whether the submitted product
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contains a certified system software (stack) or not.






















7 The system software is often referred to as a stack.
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Case A: Submitted product contains already certified system stack
In this case the following tests are carried out

Interworking and functionality tests: it is checked whether

 the product functions as declared by the manufacturer in the submitted PIXIT
forms and
 if the declared data point types comply with the KNX specifications

Checking of the product’s behaviour on initialisation, reset and power failure according
to what the manufacturer declared in the submitted PIXIT forms
Checking of the value of the routing counter as used in frames generated by the
device (shall be 6 or lower)
Checking of the product’s telegram rate limitation for cyclical functions



Case B: Submitted product contains (partly) uncertified system stack
In this case the following additional tests are carried out:

in the case of a closed device (i.e. a device not separable into a bus access unit and
an application module): Physical , Link, Network, Transport, Application (Interface)
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Layer
in the case of a product consisting of a bus coupling unit and an application module:
additionally, test of implemented external message interface (i.e. the frames
exchanged via the Physical External Interface).








































8 As physical layer implementations can also be bought separately as ASICs and integrated into
products, when using such components sometimes (part of) the physical layer tests can be
waived.
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