USB-B interface certification will be abolished in new version of CTIA IEEE 1725,
CTIA,

▍What is KC?

Since 25^th Aug., 2008，Korea Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) announced that the National Standard Committee will conduct a new national unified certification mark — named KC mark replacing Korean Certification during the time between Jul. 2009 and Dec. 2010. Electrical Appliances safety certification scheme (KC Certification) is a mandatory and self-regulatory safety confirmation scheme according to Electrical Appliances Safety Control Act, a scheme which certified safety of manufacture and sale. 

The difference between mandatory certification and self-regulatory (voluntary) safety confirmation：

For the safe management of electrical appliances, KC certification is divided into mandatory and self-regulatory  (voluntary) safety certifications as the classification of danger of  product.The subjects of Mandatory certification is applied to electrical appliances which its structures and methods of application may cause serious dangerous results or obstacle such as fire, electric shock. While the subjects of self-regulatory (voluntary) safety certification is applied to electrical appliances which its structures and methods of application can hardly causes serious dangerous results or obstacle such as fire, electric shock. And the danger and obstacle can be prevented by testing the electrical appliances.

▍Who can apply for KC certification：

All legal persons or individuals both at home and abroad who are engaged in manufacturing, assembly, processing of electrical appliance.

▍Scheme and method of safety certification：

Apply for KC certification with product’s model that can be divided into basic model and series model.

In order to clarify model type and design of electrical appliances, an unique product name will be given according to its different function.

▍ KC certification for Lithium battery

1.  KC certification standard for lithium battery：KC62133:2019
2. Product scope of KC certification for lithium battery

A. Secondary lithium batteries for use in portable application or removable devices

B. Cell is not subject to KC certificate whether for sale or assembled in batteries.

C. For batteries used in energy storage device or UPS (uninterruptible power supply), and their power which is greater than 500Wh are beyond the scope.

D. Battery whose volume energy density is lower than 400Wh/L comes into certification scope since 1^st, Apr. 2016.  

▍Why MCM?

● MCM keeps a close cooperation with Korean labs, such as KTR (Korea Testing & Research Institute) and is able to offer the best solutions with high cost performance and Value-added service to clients from the point of lead time, testing process, certification cost.

● KC certification for rechargeable lithium battery can be gained by submitting a CB certificate and convert it into KC certificate. As a CBTL under TÜV Rheinland, MCM can offer reports and certificates which can be applied for conversion of KC certificate directly. And the lead time can be shortened if applying CB and KC at the same time. What’s more, the related price will be more favorable.

The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) has a certification scheme covering cells, batteries, adapters and hosts and other products used in wireless communication products (such as cell phones, laptops). Among them, CTIA certification for cells is particularly stringent. Besides the test of general safety performance, CTIA also focuses on the structural design of cells, the key procedures of the production process and its quality control. Although CTIA certification is not mandatory, major telecom operators in North America require their suppliers’ products to pass CTIA certification, therefore CTIA certificate can also be considered as an entry requirement for the North American communications market.CTIA’s certification standard has always referred to IEEE 1725 and IEEE 1625 published by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). Previously, IEEE 1725 applied to batteries without a series structure; while IEEE 1625 applied to batteries with two or more series connections. As CTIA battery certificate program has been using IEEE 1725 as the reference standard, after the issuance of new version of IEEE 1725-2021 in 2021, CTIA has also formed a working group to initiate a program of updating CTIA certification scheme.
The working group extensively solicited opinions from laboratories, battery manufacturers, cell phone manufacturers, host manufacturers, adapter manufacturers, etc. In May of this year, the first meeting for CRD (Certification Requirements Document) draft was held. During the period, a special adapter group was set up to discuss the USB interface and other issues separately. After more than half a year, the last seminar was held this month. It confirms that the new certification plan of CTIA IEEE 1725 (CRD) will be issued in December, with a transition period of six months. This means that CTIA certification must be performed using the new version of the CRD document after June 2023. We, MCM, as a member of CTIA’s Test Laboratory (CATL), and CTIA’s Battery Working Group, proposed revisions to the new test plan and participated throughout the CTIA IEEE1725-2021 CRD discussions. The following are the important revisions: