Integrating Wireless Technology to a Host Product
Adding a radio to a product that was never a radio product? The moment you do, you become the manufacturer of regulated radio equipment, and a pre-certified module does not carry that responsibility for you.
This on-demand webinar, presented by Element’s Global Technical Director, Steve Hayes, explains how to integrate wireless capability into a host product without losing control of the compliance program. Covering Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular and sub-GHz IoT protocols, Steve sets out the difference between chipset and modular routes, how the FCC, ISED, EU RED and UKCA frameworks treat host equipment, and the physical and electrical integration traps that cause late-stage redesigns.
Why watch this webinar on Integrating Wireless Technology into a Host Product?
- Get the classification right before anything else. North America splits products into intentional and unintentional radiators, Europe divides radio from non-radio equipment, and most connected products sit in both categories, which means two approval routes rather than one.
- Clarify module and system compliance. Understand why embedding a pre-approved radio module does not automatically make the host compliant, or exempt it from testing. In Europe the module and the host it goes into are each radio equipment in their own right, and both must comply.
- Master the regional pathways. See how the formal North American certification model differs from European and UK self-declaration, and what each expects from a host manufacturer. Europe self-declares against essential requirements, while North America certifies against prescriptive rules and leaves safety outside the FCC's remit entirely.
- Identify physical and electrical integration risks. Learn how enclosure materials, PCB routing, power supply ripple and antenna selection change RF radiation patterns and EMC performance. Metal enclosures, changed track lengths and nearby electronics can all shift radiated power or desensitize a receiver.
- Understand how collocating transmitters creates intermodulation products that lead to compliance failures no single radio's test plan predicts. Steve uses a Wi-Fi and a Bluetooth module sharing the 2.4 GHz ISM band to show how inter-harmonic products, resonances and phase relationships change the measured result.
- Streamline your route to market. Take away a clear understanding of the regional regulatory differences, how they apply to radio modules and the downstream EMC considerations of integrating wireless technologies to host devices.
Key topics covered
Across 42 minutes, Steve works through the following questions, focusing on Europe and North America because most other national radio regulations derive from one of those two models:
- What is the difference between designing with a chipset and using a pre-approved radio module?
- How do FCC, ISED, and EU RED rules govern wireless host integration?
- When does a host design change require a Class II Permissive Change or a new certification?
- Why does the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) treat the whole host as a single radio product?
- What electrical, thermal and spatial factors degrade wireless performance inside an enclosure?
- What is multi-radio intermodulation, and how does simultaneous transmission affect spurious emissions?
- What are the EMC considerations for manufacturers integrating radio modules into host products?
Watch the webinar below
By Engaged Experts
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0:00 – Introduction and overview of radio equipment
Steve opens by explaining the differences between radio equipment regulations in Europe (CE marking, Radio Equipment Directive) and North America (FCC, ISED for Canada), including which products require certification and the scope of regulations. He covers the differences in unintentional radiators and intentional radiators, as well as the classification differences in Europe, comparing non-radio equipment with radio equipment.
10:02 – Differences and similarities between global regulatory frameworks
Steve goes onto discuss the differences and similarities between the 3 example regulatory schemes, explaining that Europe uses self-declaration for compliance, with a single regulatory badge from the European Commission. North America requires certification from bodies like FCC and ISED, with multiple regulatory agencies (OSHA for safety, FDA for medical devices). Steve goes on to cover how European regulations are philosophical and non-technical, focusing on essential requirements (e.g., safety, EMC, radio performance), while North American regulations are highly technical and prescriptive.
15:19 – How CE Directives deliver radio compliance for Europe
Steves begins by covering how CE Directives work, where they overlap and their objectives.
Steve goes on to explain how European essential requirements include safety (removing lower voltage limits), EMC (electromagnetic compatibility), and radio performance (frequency, bandwidth, power, receiver tests). Additional articles cover cybersecurity, fraud prevention, and environmental legislation (e.g., common charger for cell phones). Steve demonstrates that only one declaration of conformity is needed for the final product in Europe, with no formal certification for RED. For more information on the requirements of CE Marking using radio modules, read our 10-point checklist here.
22:40 – How North America differs between FCC and ISED Canada requirements
FCC requires RF exposure, EMC (mainly emissions), and radio performance testing, but does not regulate safety (handled by OSHA). Steve explains the FCC rule parts: Part 2 (all products), Part 15 (RF devices), Part 18 (ISM), Parts 22-96 (licensed transmitters) as well as the two authorization routes: Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDOC) for unintentional radiators and certification for most radio transmitters, issued by TCBs. Finally, Steve discusses ISED in Canada vs the FCC, explaining how ISED uses RSS and ICS standards, with certification and listing processes.
28:27 – Radio module integration
Steve begins by defining the distinction between radio modules and chipsets (excluded from regulations) and radio modules (subject to compliance and certification).
Steve moves on to explain that radio modules must be CE marked in Europe and certified in North America, with explicit integration instructions to maintain compliance. Integration into host products (e.g., microwave oven) requires both the module and host to comply with radio regulations. Steve covers the guidance available from RED CA and ETSI for integrators, including reassessment requirements if integration conditions change. Steve then begins to describe some of the different technical challenges that 3rd party manufacturers can face with integrating modules. Integration can affect unwanted frequencies, radiated power, receiver sensitivity, and blocking signals due to PCB layout, metal enclosures, and co-location with other devices. Steve then explains how co-locating multiple radios (e.g., Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) can create inter-harmonic products, resonances, and require additional radio characteristic assessments. For more information related to the testing and compliance requirements of integrating radio modules, read Element's whitepaper here.
36:57 – EMC vs radio testing and the EMC requirements for integrating radio modules
EMC immunity testing is performed outside wanted radio bands, while radio tests focus on in-band and adjacent channel performance. Steve explains that ETSI guides specify testing requirements for integrating radio modules into residential, commercial, and industrial products. To demonstrate his examples, Steve used the example of a refrigerator with embedded radio module, requiring both standard EMC and radio-specific tests to ensure continued functionality and compliance.
40:46 – Closing remarks and recommendations from Element’s Technical Director
Steve closes with several recommendations for manufacturers integrating wireless technologies to consider:
- Integrating certified radio modules saves development time but requires careful assessment of host interactions and additional testing depending on region.
- Collaboration with radio module manufacturers and compliance experts is essential for efficient certification and market access.
- Combining testing for multiple regions can save time and money; Element offers guidance for compliance strategies.
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