Regulatory requirements and compliance issues can make launching a new product a daunting task, but they can increase product desirability and are often necessary to gain market access. Surfaceink builds confidence in the process by assisting our clients to identify, understand, and navigate the regulatory requirements and compliance issues related to product safety, electronic compatibility, interoperability, and sustainability. We work in a wide-range of product categories and develop comprehensive compliance roadmaps that mitigate risks, help avoid unnecessary cost & delays, and improve the ability to deliver products to market in a timely manner. Working with test labs in North America and Asia, our flexible approach to compliance includes a set of guidelines that are able to adapt to the changing regulatory landscape and differing needs of each product and market.
Our team has worked at both the board and system level for audio, wearable, IoT, industrial and high-end consumer devices in companies throughout Silicon Valley and the world.
product compliance consulting capabilities
- certification strategy
- safety
- compatibility
- interoperability
- sustainability
our compliance process
1. discovery
We start the regulatory compliance work right at the beginning of the product design process. By looking at the project with an eye to compliance up front, we help avoid unnecessary costs and delays. We research the compliance landscape for the product in the target geographic markets and reach out to the appropriate certification agencies, standards bodies, or testing labs. The goal of this phase is to compile a library of relevant codes & standards for use by the design team and establish communication links to enable fast answers to tricky questions.
2. architecture & design
The best time to gain a full understanding of the compliance needs is when designers and engineers are setting up the framework of the product. At this point we distill the disparate standards & regulations into a comprehensible list of design criteria and integrate them into the product requirements document. From here we can determine a strategy for how compliance will best be achieved for a given design concept & market launch. With these criteria and strategy included in the design process, we ensure compliance is a part of every design review. By considering compliance during system architecture, material & component selection, and through detailed product & packaging design, we reduce risk & build success into the framework of the product.
3. test & support
Once there is a finished design, we meet with test labs and develop a test plan that fits within the NPI build plan. We guide our clients and their products through both voluntary & mandatory compliance testing, verification, and certification. Starting with compliance pre-testing we measure performance and build confidence going into final testing. Working closely with the client, the manufacturing partner, and 3rd party labs, we audit compliance documentation looking to prevent extra costs and schedule slips. If needed, we are also able to assist with factory audits and commissioning prior to 3rd party inspections to improve your ability to deliver your products to market in a timely manner.
