Particle-based products & avoiding overseas customs issues

The Archive Product Creation
1

I have a product with Particle Photon at its core, and I would like input on best practices for shipping outside of the USA.

  • Is the CE certification document available for printing and inclusion?
  • What Harmonization (HS) code is recommended for the customs documents?
  • Any other steps recommended to avoid hold ups in customs?

Thanks!

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2

Would this be helpful?

https://docs.particle.io/guide/how-to-build-a-product/certification/

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3

you know I don’t understand the certification completely and I have read the docs multiple times. The question I always keep asking at the end of the day is If I use a photon do I need to send it for test at all or because I’m using it I don’t need to. :disappointed_relieved: :cry: :sweat_smile:

4

Taken from CE Integration: https://docs.particle.io/guide/how-to-build-a-product/certification/#integration-2

"Manufacturers who place on the market products without an antenna or with an antenna that is intended to allow replacement have a responsibility to provide information on the general types and/or characteristics of antennas that may be used with their equipment in order that the overall radio equipment remains compliant. The guidance of the transmitter manufacturer has to be followed when they are installed."

For the Photon/P0 and P1 Modules, these integration instructions are the same as for the FCC/IC--so long as you're integrating the modules without modifying the RF design or implementing an antenna with gain greater than that used in certification, your equipment will likely remain compliant.
The Photon/P0 and P1 Modules are certified with ETSI radio tests which can be accepted by a number of countries for radio compliance.

It sounds like if you are using a Photon but not modifying the antenna you are fine.

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so If I add an external pcb antenna then I would need to test it?

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I think so, as this would probably count as “modifying” the antenna if you were “implementing an antenna with gain greater than that used in certification”.

I don’t know if antennas like the ones sold in the Particle Store are certified.

The ones listed here https://docs.particle.io/datasheets/photon-datasheet/#fcc-approved-antennas say they are certified by the FCC.

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The wording here might require an if - the external antenna used by Particle during certification has already got more gain than the on board chip antenna and if you had your own antenna you'd need to have its gain certified to be less or equal to the one used for certifying the Photon.
So it might be easier to go with an already certified antenna - if possible.

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so at the end of the day I could buy a certified antenna and all would be good :smile:

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