Not every submission passes on the first try. This article covers roughly what happens next if a test result comes back as a failure.
The First Step After a Failed Result: Understand the Specific Issue
A failure report from a legitimate testing lab typically doesn't just give a bare "fail" conclusion — it specifies which test item exceeded the limit, by how much, and which clause of the standard it's based on. The first step after receiving the report is to have the engineering team carefully review this specific data, rather than rushing to resubmit a sample.
Common Directions for Corrective Action
- Component replacement: if a specific component (like a capacitor or inductor) caused the excess, it may just require swapping in a different model or spec of that component
- Circuit design adjustment: if the circuit layout itself is causing an EMC excess, engineers may need to adjust the PCB routing or add filtering circuitry
- Structure/material adjustment: for safety-related insulation or protection issues, the enclosure material or internal structural clearances may need adjustment
- Software/firmware adjustment: some issues (certain radio frequency metrics, for example) can be resolved by adjusting software parameters, without necessarily requiring a hardware change
Which Items Need Retesting After Corrective Action
Not every corrective action requires retesting every test item — it depends on the scope of the change:
- If the change only affects one specific test item (e.g., only the power supply section was adjusted), typically only the affected item needs retesting
- If the change involves major adjustments to the overall circuit or structure, it may be worth assessing whether other already-passed items are affected, and retesting everything if necessary
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is a retest cheaper than the initial test? A: Usually a retest only covers the failed items, so the cost is lower than a full initial test suite — but it depends on how many items need retesting and how complex the corrective action is.
Q: Is a pass guaranteed after corrective action? A: Not 100% guaranteed, but if the corrective action specifically addresses the issue clearly identified in the report, the odds of passing improve significantly. If the corrective action doesn't target the actual root cause, a retest may still fail.
If your product's test result came back as a failure, send us the specific test report and we can help analyze the root cause and corrective direction.