IEC 61326-1:2020

Overview

IEC 61326-1:2020 - Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use - EMC requirements - Part 1: General requirements - defines general electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements for measurement, control and laboratory equipment. It applies to equipment operating from supplies < 1 000 V AC or < 1 500 V DC or powered from the circuit under measurement and covers professional, industrial-process, industrial-manufacturing and educational uses. The standard addresses both immunity and emissions so equipment performs reliably in its intended electromagnetic environment and does not unduly disturb nearby systems.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and equipment types: measurement and test instruments, control devices, laboratory apparatus, accessories (e.g., sample handling), and some computing devices where applicable.
• EMC test plan: configuration of the equipment under test (EUT), composition and assembly, I/O ports, auxiliary equipment, cabling and earthing (grounding), and operational modes during testing.
• Immunity requirements: specified test levels and procedures for different electromagnetic environments. The standard defines three environment types (e.g., basic, industrial, controlled) with associated immunity test tables and includes performance criteria A, B and C for post‑test functional assessment.
• Emission requirements: measurement conditions and emission limits (references and alignment with CISPR where applicable) to limit unwanted radiated and conducted emissions.
• Portable equipment: Annex A contains specific immunity test requirements for portable test and measurement instruments powered by battery or the circuit being measured.
• Test results and documentation: guidance on test reporting, specification of functional performance and instructions for safe use.
• Risk-based guidance: informative annex and guidance for EMC analysis and risk assessment during design and installation.

Practical applications and who uses this standard

IEC 61326-1:2020 is essential for:

• Design engineers developing measurement, control and laboratory equipment to ensure EMC compliance.
• Manufacturers and product managers preparing products for industrial and non-industrial markets.
• Test laboratories and compliance officers implementing EMC test plans, performing immunity and emissions testing, and producing test reports.
• Integrators and system designers who must ensure components operate reliably in complex electromagnetic environments.
• Purchasing/specification teams selecting equipment suitable for specific electromagnetic environments.

Practical benefits include reduced field failures due to interference, clearer documentation for conformity assessment, and guidance on choosing appropriate immunity levels and mitigation measures (shielding, filtering, grounding).

Related standards

• IEC 61326 series (other parts for specific equipment)
• IEC TR 61000-2-5 (guidance on electromagnetic environments)
• CISPR standards (emission limits and measurement techniques)
• Relevant ITE/industry-specific EMC standards (when computing devices are involved)

Keywords: IEC 61326-1:2020, EMC requirements, electromagnetic compatibility, immunity testing, emissions limits, measurement control laboratory equipment, portable test equipment, EMC test plan.