S-JQA Mark Certification

The Certification method described below includes tests on individual products and periodic factory inspection (Model Certification).There is also another certification method that only tests product sampled from each lot (Lot Certification). This method is used for imports and other products whose conditions make factory inspections impossible. As for application for lot certification, please refer to the Lot Certification Guide, which is currently under preparation.

Products subject to certification are electrical products that operate on lowvoltage. All business operators (including both incorporated parties and individuals) who manufacture, import, or sell electrical products are eligible for application regardless of whether they are based in Japan.

The "Ministerial Ordinance on Technical Requirements in the Electrical Appliances and Material Control Law" is the standard employed in product tests. When the Ministerial Ordinance does not provide a yard-stick, the standard to be used is established by JQA in view of international standards and based on an agreement with applicants.

Certified products can be denoted with the JQA safety certification mark. (Note) Products bearing the JQA safety certification mark must undergothe factory test at manufacturing factories as described in the certification report

A)Product Test
A safety assurance test is conducted to confirm that products under review conform to the standard prescribed in the above section (3).As for products that resemble the test-cleared product (basic model), a safety assurance test is conducted only on differences between the products, as needed. When designs and other aspects of certified products are altered, a safety assurance test is conducted on relevant points; this is known as an alteration test.In product tests, the following date is put to use as much as possible.
■Test Data Based on the IECEE-CB Scheme
■Test Data Based on the Optional Registration System for Components and Materials Used in Electrical Appliance
■Test Data Issued by JQA
■Data Issued by Other Certification/Testing Institutions Recognized by JQA
■Test Data Issued by Manufacturers Recognized by JQA

B)Factory Inspection
There are two types of factories inspection. One is initial factory inspection, which is aimed at confirmation of a system for continuous and stable manufacture of certified products. The other is periodic factory inspection, which is used during follow-ups.

(a)Initial Factory Inspection
Initial factory inspection is conducted in order to confirm that manufacturing factories have a system for stable production of items whose certification is conducted in factories which have applied for the first time:(For product categories, please refer to "Product Categories List" which appears at the end of this document.)
The following factory inspection findings are used as much as possible in the certification process.
■Results of Inspections on Factories Authorized to Use the JIS Mark
■Results of Inspections on Factories Based on the Optional Registration System for Components and Materials used in Electrical Appliance
■Results of Inspection on Factories Based on the Quality Assurance Corporation Registration System Which Has the ISO 9000 Series at Its Basis

(b) Periodic Factory Inspection
As a rule, periodic factory inspection is conducted once every to confirm that the factories are still manufacturing certified products and that no alteration has been made to areas inspected in the initial factory inspection. Periodic inspection begins in the fiscal year following registration of certification.
When serious cases of discrepancy are discovered in periodic factory inspections, special factory inspection is conducted in addition to the periodic inspection.

(A) Certification
When product tests and initial factory inspections produce acceptable results, applicants conclude a license agreement with us which covers conditions for using the JQA safety certification mark, among other things. A separate agreement must be concluded for each product category involved. This written agreement determines rights and responsibilities concerning the use of the JQA safety certification mark. Therefore, parties to the agreement must be applicants themselves or other parties responsible for the products in question who have been designated by the applicants.
Upon the conclusion of the agreement, a "written certificate" is issued. As a rule, we require parties to the agreement to attach the JQA safety certification mark to the certified models before shipping them to market.

(B) Publication of a List of Certified and Registered Products
JQA periodically publishes a list of products that it has been certified and registered.

(C) Cancellation
When parties who have acquired certification violate any term of the agreement and are judged to have no plants to correct the violation, JQA will cancel certification

It is necessary to make decisions on the following matters before application
A) Selection of Standards Used in Product Tests
Applicants can choose from the following standards available for use in product tests.
◆ Paragraph 1 of the "Ministerial Ordinance on Technical Requirements in the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law ( DENAN law )"
◆ Paragraph 2 of the "Ministerial Ordinance on Technical Requirements in the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law ( DENAN law )"
(IEC Standard plus Japanese Deviation)
◆Standard Designated by JQA, taking into consideration of International Standards; for use when Products under Review Are Not Covered by "Ministerial Ordinance for Determining Technical standards for Electrical Appliances and Materials" Applicants can also request to add their in-house standards and other test standards, including industrial society standards, to one of the above.

B) Selection of Certification Unit
On a single written certificate, applicants can register a series (Note 2), which includes more (basic model) which serves as the basis for certification of the series.
(Note 1) Model Name:
Model names are identification numbers and symbols that manufacturers or marketers put on products to identify their functions. Model names correspond with products on a one-to-one basis.
(Note 2) Series:
Series is a group of products which has similar basic circuits and structures. They are determined largely according to applicants' wishes. However, in principle, series is restricted to groups of products whose test manpower does not exceed 50 percent of the requirements for the basic model.

C) Selection of Data
In product tests, the following test data can be used.
◆Test Data Based on the IECEE-CB Scheme
◆Test Data Based on the Optional Registration System for Electrical Components and Materials Used in Electrical Appliance
◆Test Data Issued by Certification/Testing Institutions Recognized by JQA
◆Test Data Issued by Manufacturers Recognized by JQA
In factory inspection, parts of the results of the following inspection which resemble this certification system can be used.
◆Results of factory inspection Based on the Quality Assurance Corporation Registration System of JQA Which Has the ISO 9000 Series as Its Basis.
◆Results of factory inspection Based on the Optional Registration System for Electric Components and Materials Used in Electrical Appliance
◆Results of Inspections at Factories Which Have Been Allowed to Use the JIS Mark
◆Results of Other Inspections Recognized by JQA

D) Selection of Test Sites
Applicants can ask JQA engineers to visit manufactures' laboratories and other facilities for tests.

E) Simultaneous Acquisition of Certification by Foreign Organization By using the OSS (One Stop Shopping) service
Applicants can make necessary arrangement for simultaneous acquisition of certification by JQA and other organizations abroad with a single application

(As for data entry, please refer to the attached "Application Form for Certifications and Guide to Data Entry.") Applicants are requested to provide their name (corporate name), address, the name of the person in charge and other required information on the Form 1 entitled "Application Form for Certification (abbreviated as [Application Form] hereafter)."As a rule, they must fill out a form for each model (or series).
Applicants submit the completed form together with other documents necessary for certification.
As for necessary documents, please refer to "Reference Materials and Samples Required for Application" which appears on the following page.
When two or more models are registered on a single written certificate as a series, applicants designate a basic model for the series.
Applications are made through combinations of applicants (companies) and product categories. There is no need for overlapping applications when a certain product is produced at two or more manufacturing factories.
When designs and other features of a certified model are changed in such a manner that alters the contents of certification, certified parties are required to submit an application form together with documents stating the differences. The same rule applies to certified parties who wish to acquire additional certification for similar models (this procedure is called "Modification/Alterations on Certified Product").
Based on information provided on the documents, JQA decides whether additional tests are necessary or not.

Applicants can choose between simultaneous shipment of test samples with application, or separate shipment of test samples at a later date. Please use the communication slip for samples (prepared by JQA) at the time of shipment. When the tests are over, applicants can choose between accepting return shipment (freight included), or disposal of the processed samples.

Initial factory inspection is conducted on each product category. Manufacturing factories subject to initial factory inspection are those which have made applications for the first time. Before the inspection is conducted, applicants are requested to provide Information as required on the "Questionnaire" and submit the completed form to JQA. The sheet is designed to check the quality control system in place at manufacturing and inspection facilities.

There are two types of costs involved in model certification. One is cost at the time of certification acquisition. The other are costs incurred after certification acquisition. Unless improvements are ordered, estimates become the ceiling for test fees as a rule.

Cost up to the point of certification consists of test fees (costs incurred during product tests) and license fees (costs incurred during incurred during certification and initial factory inspection). Following your application, JQA will estimate the various costs on your behalf.

A) Test Fee:
Test fee is required for each model (to be estimated from the list of fees). Costs can be reduced for tests which make use of existing data.

B) License Fee
Initial Factory Inspection Fee:
Initial factory inspection fee is required for each factory.
The fee is the sum of inspection cost and transportation expenses.
When factory inspection results based on the quality assurance corporation registration system which uses ISO 9000 at its standard, and when factories that have already been allowed to use the JIS mark for other items are used, cost can be reduced accordingly.

C) New License Fee
A new license fee is required for each certified series.

Following certification, you will be charged a license extension fee. The license extension fee consists of a basic extension fee and an annual extension fee . Starting with the year after certification and registration, we require you to pay the fee in advance for the following 12 months.

A) Basic Extension Fee:
This cost results from management and operation of this certification system.

B) Annual Extension Fee:
This cost results from execution of periodic factory inspections.
When the results of inspection based on the quality assurance corporation registration system which uses ISO 9000 series as its standard, and factories which have been allowed to use the JIS mark for other items are used, cost can be reduced accordingly.

A) Additional License Fee:
An additional license fee is required when manufacturing factories are added or models are added to a series after certification.

B) Costs Related to Improvement:
An improvement test fee is charged for costs incurred during specific tests conducted for product improvement. C) Costs Relate to Confirmation of Factory Improvement:
This is a cost that results from confirmation of inadequate points or reinspection concerning inadequacies identified in factory inspection.

D) Cost for Special Factory Inspection:
This is a cost results when we find the need to inspect the factories which manufacture products whose serious defects have been pointed out in periodic factory inspection and the marketplace.

A) Request for the Payment of Test Fees and License Fees
When product tests confirm that products under review meet standards used in tests and initial factory inspection finds required points fulfilled, JQA will issue written certificates. At the same time, we request certified applicants for the payment of
(a) test fees
(b) initial factory inspection fees
(c) new license fees
(d) costs related to improvement.

B) Request for the Payment of the License Extension Fee
We request certified parties to pay the license extension fee in a continuous manner every year starting with the fiscal year (April 1) after the 12-month period during which certification was acquired and registered.

C) Please pay commissions and other fees related to certification by cash orcheck no laterthan 30 days after the receipt of bills. Transfer of amounts due to the bank account designated by JQA is also available.

Agreement
When product tests and initial factory inspections detect no problems, JQA asks applicants to conclude a license agreement which covers conditions for using the JQA safety certification mark, as well as other areas. Form 7 is used for the agreement. This agreement is required for each product ategory. This written agreement prescribes rights and responsibilities concerning the use of the JQA safety certification mark. Therefore, parties to the･agreement must be applicants themselves or parties in charge of products in question who have been designated by the applicants.

Changes of the Name of Parties That Acquired Certification
Changes of the Name of Parties That Acquired Certification When the name or address of the parties that acquired certification ( Contracting parties) and those of their manufacturing factories are changed, please submit the Form 11 entitled "Notification Form of Change/Delation of Applicant/Factory Name and/or Address." The same rule applies to addition or removal of relevant names and addresses. When parties that acquire certification (Contacting parties) change identity through corporate merger or acquisition, please submit such documents that verify this change in addition to the Form 11

Application Cancellation
When applicants request for cancellation of their applications through submission of the Form 12 entitled "Application Cancellation Notification Form," JQA halts related duties, settles related accounts, and returns reference materials, test samples and other items to the applicants

Agreement Cancellation Report
When applicants cancel agreements under such circumstances as discontinuation of production and through the submission of the Form 13 entitled "Request for Cancellation of Agreement," JQA returns to the applicants the portion of the license extension fee which was to be used for periodic factory inspections.