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Standards Comparison Tool
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
IEC 61326-1 is a horizontal EMC (电磁兼容) standard for electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use — not a product standard. Its Chinese adoption is GB/T 18268.1-2025 (CURRENT, 现行), technically aligned with IEC 61326-1:2020 (Edition 3.0). The single most important procurement implication: EMC compliance is a test-report deliverable, not a dimensional/material inspection — buyers must obtain a CNAS-accredited test report citing GB/T 18268.1-2025, and note that the Part 2-x family annexes carry separate effective dates.
APPLICABLE CHINESE STANDARDS
| Standard No. | Title (Chinese) | Scope | Mandatory/Recommended | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB/T 18268.1-2025 | 测量、控制和实验室用的电设备 电磁兼容性要求 第1部分：通用要求 (Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use — EMC requirements — Part 1: General requirements) | General EMC emission + immunity | Recommended (GB/T) | Current (现行) |
| GB/T 18268.21-2025 | 测量、控制和实验室用的电设备 电磁兼容性要求 第2-1部分 (Part 2-1: Particular requirements) | Sensitive test & measurement equipment | Recommended (GB/T) | ⚠️ Not yet in force (即将实施, effective 2027-09-01) |
| GB/T 18268.1-2010 | Same title, prior edition | Superseded technical content (aligned to IEC 61326-1:2005) | Recommended | Superseded — legacy reports may still cite |
STANDARD TIER CLASSIFICATION
| Standard | Tier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| IEC 61326-1:2020 | TIER 2 — Test method / EMC limits | Emission limits + immunity levels + performance criteria |
| GB/T 18268.1-2025 | TIER 2 — Test method / EMC limits | Chinese adoption, same technical content |
| IEC 61326-2-x / GB/T 18268.2x | TIER 2 — Product-family annexes | Particular requirements per equipment type |
FLAG: No TIER 1 product standard exists for this category — EMC is a horizontal overlay. Any buyer expecting dimensional/material clauses is misapplying this standard.
SCOPE BREAKDOWN
General EMC requirements (Part 1)
Chinese standard: GB/T 18268.1-2025: 测量、控制和实验室用的电设备 电磁兼容性要求 第1部分：通用要求
International equivalent: IEC 61326-1:2020 (Edition 3.0) — ⚠️ Edition 3.0 published 2020; verify amendments
Equivalence: IDT (adoption basis)
Standard tier match: Both TIER 2 — valid comparison
| Parameter | Chinese Standard Value (Clause) | International Value (Clause) | Deviation | Mutual Recognition | Procurement Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emission — conducted (Class A/B) | Limits per CISPR 11 [Verify: GB/T 18268.1-2025 §6] | Limits per CISPR 11 (IEC 61326-1:2020 §6) | Identical (same source) | 直接互认 (Direct mutual recognition) | MEDIUM |
| Immunity — ESD | ±4 kV contact / ±8 kV air [Verify: GB/T 18268.1-2025 §7] | ±4 kV contact / ±8 kV air (IEC 61326-1:2020 §7) | Identical | 直接互认 (Direct mutual recognition) | MEDIUM |
| Performance criteria A/B/C | Defined per port [Verify: GB/T 18268.1-2025 §7] | Defined per port (IEC 61326-1:2020 §7) | Identical | 直接互认 (Direct mutual recognition) | HIGH |
Part 2-x family annexes
Chinese standard: GB/T 18268.21-2025 (and 2-2 … 2-6 series)
International equivalent: IEC 61326-2-1 … 2-6
Equivalence: IDT
Standard tier match: Both TIER 2 — valid
⚠️ GB/T 18268.21-2025 effective 2027-09-01 — not yet in force. Reports citing it before that date are premature.
KEY DIFFERENCES SUMMARY
- Edition lag — GB/T 18268.1-2025 now aligns to IEC 61326-1:2020; older GB/T 18268.1-2010 aligned to IEC 61326-1:2005. Deviation: one edition. 直接互认 (Direct mutual recognition) for the 2025 edition. Impact: HIGH.
- Part 2-1 effective date — GB/T 18268.21-2025 not in force until 2027-09-01. 不可互认 (Not mutually recognised) until effective. Impact: HIGH.
- No product-standard clauses — neither side defines materials/dimensions. 直接互认 (Direct mutual recognition) but scope-limited. Impact: LOW.
REGULATORY LINKAGE TABLE (法规联动)
| Compliance Scenario | Chinese Regulatory Basis | International Regulatory Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory product certification | CCC (only if equipment falls in CCC catalogue); otherwise voluntary CNAS test | EU EMC Directive 2014/30/EU; UK EMC Regulations 2016; US FCC Part 15/18 |
| Engineering acceptance inspection | N/A for product standard comparison | N/A |
| Import/export compliance | CCIB commodity inspection (if applicable) | Destination-country customs EMC declaration |
| Designer/engineer obligation | N/A for product standard comparison | Local EMC compliance regime |
AUDIT FLAG RESOLUTION
- 🔴 CRITICAL CORRECTION: Draft A cited GB/T 18268.1-2010 as current — WRONG. Official status: GB/T 18268.1-2025 is CURRENT (现行). No supersession note permitted.
- ✅ RESOLVED: GB/T 18268.21-2025 — flagged as not yet in force (即将实施, effective 2027-09-01).
- ✅ FALSE POSITIVE (domain flag): IEC 61326-1 used as a "product standard" — usage is valid as a TIER 2 horizontal EMC standard; it legitimately overlays product standards.
- ⚠️ UNRESOLVED: Exact clause numbers for emission/immunity limits — verify against GB/T 18268.1-2025 §6 and §7.
PROCUREMENT VERDICT
- Require a CNAS-accredited EMC test report citing GB/T 18268.1-2025 (not the 2010 edition).
- Confirm the report edition matches IEC 61326-1:2020 for export equivalence.
- For Part 2-x equipment, do NOT accept GB/T 18268.21-2025 reports before 2027-09-01.
- Verify CISPR 11 emission class (A vs B) matches destination market.
- Confirm performance criteria (A/B/C) declared per port.
- Retain the test report as the primary compliance artefact — no dimensional inspection applies.
REFERENCE DOCUMENT CHECKLIST (配套调阅清单)
- GB/T 18268.1-2025 §6 — emission limits (conducted/radiated)
- GB/T 18268.1-2025 §7 — immunity test levels and performance criteria
- IEC 61326-1:2020 §6–§7 — international equivalent clauses
- GB/T 18268.21-2025 — effective date and particular requirements
FIELD INSPECTION CHECKLIST
- Verify test report accreditation body (CNAS) and standard edition cited.
- Confirm equipment nameplate matches tested configuration.
- Check declared emission class (A/B) against installation environment.
- Confirm performance criteria declared for each port.
- Verify report date vs. standard effective date.
CONFIDENCE RATING
🟡 MEDIUM — standard statuses verified from official authority; clause-level numeric limits flagged for official text confirmation.
Technical comparison report — CN Quality Check Standards Tool. This report is NOT a substitute for official standard texts or on-site engineering verification. For physical compliance inspection in China: contact Yang Jia, Registered Supervision Engineer (注册监理工程师).
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