Diversification in Furtwangen: Siedle invests in EMC lab

Siedle is known as one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of door intercom systems and an innovation leader in building communication. In recent years, a steadily-growing area has been established alongside this core line of business and this is now being strengthened.

Siedle has been carrying out standard-compliant electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing of its devices in its own lab in Furtwangen for many years. It cost Siedle around 1.8 million euros to expand the lab, which is now operating under the new name of Siedle Testlab. With this development, the company is reinforcing its commitment to its location in the Black Forest. “Siedle is investing in an area that has grown steadily through high customer demand. It isn’t dependent on building activity, which is all the more important in light of the current situation in the industry,” says Christoph Weber, Director of Technology at Siedle.

Larger test pieces possible

Siedle has invested in a larger, cutting-edge absorber hall. As additional radio tests can now be carried out, Siedle is also making cost and time savings on tests in external labs. What is more, the larger test hall attracts new customer groups: for example there would have been no room for electric bikes in the old enclosure, says laboratory head Roland Paul.The number of external customers has steadily increased in recent years to around 180. Most of the companies that test in the Siedle Testlab are in the medical technology, installation technology, IT, measurement and control technology or industrial electronics sectors.

Support for local start-ups

The company also demonstrates its responsibility towards the location in another way: ”We regularly work with local universities, we also support start-ups in the region by offering more favourable terms,” says the laboratory head.

Support from the layout level

What sets Roland Paul and his team apart is the breadth of their service offering: “Based on experience, around 95 percent of the initial test pieces are rejected. We don't just give the customers this result, we help them find practical solutions for interference suppression.” This might be changes to the housing or replacement of electrical components. “If the customer is limited in what they can do, because the PCBs have already been ordered or the housing is mass produced, for example, then we find a way forward together,” says Paul. On request, the Siedle Testlab will support customers from the layout phase through to CE acceptability.

Accredited acceptance, which is necessary for some devices, such as medical technology, has not yet been implemented in Furtwangen. “Testing and support with interference suppression would obviously need to be separate from the acceptance within the lab.” This, says Roland Paul, would be too great an administrative burden for the three-person team. The technical prerequisites are, however, in place thanks to the new absorber hall.